Nostalgia & History > Hi-ho, Silver! Away! (in a cloud of smoke)

About 7 p.m. Aug. 5, 1988, I  was at the east end of the St. Louis Southwestern Railway (Cotton Belt) yard in Herington, KS, when i observed four units of light power preparing to leave the yard, apparently ready to head east to Topeka or Kansas City, Kan.

There was still good daylight and everything looked positive for a couple of good pictures. What I didn't expect was the second unit starting to spew smoke.

As the engine consist moved past me, a cloud of smoke was starting to grow..



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/18 11:07 by JoCoLB.

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By the time the four engines traveled farther down the track, they could hardly be seen for the dense smoke. 

I've always wondered if the problem cleared up minutes later in the journey or if this smoky issue continued the length of the trip.

(Photos by Larry Byers)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/18 11:04 by JoCoLB.

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That looks a bit like a crankcase about to go kaboom!

I like the way you caught the old branch up to Abilene hinted at in images #2 & #3, and prominent in the foreground in image #4. I was never lucky enough to catch a train on that track...

Lance

Thought we were talking about REA's slogan at the end of their life... "REA, away"

If you have all day, ship REA!