Nostalgia & History > Wartime

Texas & Pacific 2-10-4 # 611 is in charge of a troop train near Shreveport, La during WWII. The engine is well prepared to handle passenger trains as all 2-10-4's were rebalanced, got box pok main drivers and light weight nickle steel rods, steam and signal lines in a major rebuild of the class that ended only months before the war started with Japan. They were good for 70 MPH and rode well. Troop trains and 2nd sections of passenger trains regulary got them. A couple were assigned to the Sunshine Special between Texarkana and Longview in view the long length of that train.

At Longview, the south bound train was broken up for sections to Houston, San Antonio, and Ft Worth. Going north the 3 sections were combined into one train. And, there is a story that in Shreveport one day The T&P received 27 troop trains from several roads, made 9 trains out of that and headed them west behind 2-10-4's.

The 628 is handling a scheduled passenger train in Ft Worth as a sailor looks on.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/17 21:36 by tomstp.

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Excellent photo of 611. Wish 610 was still operating. That was my favorite of all the engines Southern operated on excursions in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
ALLEN

Awesome images of these mighty brutes. I always enjoy when you post up T&P stuff.