Potpourri 

(other mixed-up stuff)

ALCO S2 #102

Locomotive 102 is a 1000 hp 1944 ALCO model S2 locomotive.  It is one of the three original ALCO diesel-electric locomotives that were purchased in 1963 from the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad.  These three engines, 101, 102, and 103 retired K & T steam locomotives 10, 11 and 12 ending the era of steam on the Kentucky and Tennessee Railway until ALCO steam locomotive 14 was purchased and moved to the railroad in the 1990's.  After the closing of the last coal mine on the railway, the Justus Mine, in 1987, locomotives 101, 103 and 104 (which was purchased later) would soon find a new home with a short line railroad in Arkansas leaving 102 as the sole remaining K & T locomotive in Stearns.  It still performs freight service and also serves as a backup locomotive to 105 in scenic railway service.

Here's a picture of D&RGW #114 from "Classic Locomotives, the Series".  This is how ALCO 102 would have  appeared when purchased used by the K & T Railway in 1963.  After purchase by the K&T, the exhaust  stack was cut down due to the close-clearance tunnel on the K&T.

ALCO S2 #105

Here's a picture of BSFSRY's #105, courtesy of "Classic Locomotives, the Series" taken in April of 1969 performing services for its first owner, the Port Huron and Detroit RR as #60.  It would later be sold to the Genesee & Wyoming RR then the Big South Fork Scenic Railway in the 1980's.  It is one of the oldest first generation diesel electric locomotives still in daily service in the United States and is the locomotive that is principally used to power the passenger trains at the BSFSRy.  It is also unique because it is a rare, small-turbo 900 hp unit. 

From a once "tired" locomotive. . .    Here's something one doesn't get to see very often - a diesel-electric locomotive wheel with "tires" or removable running surfaces like a steam locomotive!  These rare antiques were removed from under ALCO #105 a number of years ago. 

THE LAST DAYS OF K & T STEAM?

K & T #10 was one of the last three steam locomotives that were active on the K & T carrying freight in the early 1960's.  #10 is currently in storage at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, TN.

K & T #11 was also in service long enough to see the arrival of the diesel-electric ALCO S-2's that would retire her and her two sisters.  She was relocated to a military base moving artillery gunnery targets.  Unfortunately, she met a sad end when one of the shells missed and hit #11 instead.

#12 is undoubtedly one of the best known K & T steam locomotives.  Originally purchased used from the Southern Railway, #12 was sold to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum and was returned to her Southern #4501 number and paint scheme.  She served many years carrying passengers on the Southern Railway Steam Excursion trips and later years in service at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, TN.

It's September 1959 and Lynford (Bud) Swearer caught K&T #12 spotting 60 ton coal hoppers on the scale track at Stearns, KY.

Over 45 years have passed and #105 is handling a cut of Southern gondolas in almost the same spot as the photo of #12 above on the evening of October 17, 2004.  The scale track is out of service and the train is on the adjacent interchange lead with Norfolk Southern.

The date is October 8, 1961 and the days of K & T steam are drawing to a close when Lynford "Bud" Swearer caught K & T #11 taking on water while a Southern Passenger train passes by on its way south on the old Cincinnati Southern mainline.  The diesels would arrive in just two short years ending over 60 years of steam on the K & T.

CABOOSE #1

The BSFSRy's only caboose started its life in 1945 on the Lehigh Valley Railroad and then later served on the Rock Island Railroad before coming to Stearns in the mid 1980's.  Since the construction of the new passenger cars, the caboose has entered semi retirement and is now only operated when needed for special events or other occasional uses.

MOTORCAR #7

Motorcar 7 is a 1969 Fairmont A6 that was purchased new by the K & T Rwy.  While it is kept in the restricted shop area, it can often be seen traveling the rails performing track maintenance and inspections.  It is the largest of the motorcars on the K & T and is powered by a Ford 300 cid six cylinder truck engine.

MOTORCAR #5

Motorcar #5 is a Fairmont A3-C gang car that is powered by a Ford flathead six cylinder engine.  It is presently out of service with a stuck engine.  Motorcar #5 has the distinction of being the only piece of equipment that has runaway down the steep K & T mountain grade.  Fortunately, no one was on it at the time!

MOTORCAR #9

Motorcar 9 is a 1956 Fairmont A3-D that was purchased new by the K & T and was active on the railroad during the steam locomotive era and was primarily used as the Superintendent's inspection car.  It is stored in the motorcar barn and is still used occasionally.   It is powered by a 4 cylinder Waukesha industrial engine.

RIVER CURVE

River Curve is a located at the confluence of Roaring Paunch Creek and the South Fork of the Cumberland River.  The passenger trains traverse a near horseshoe bend around the point of the mountain in a tight 22 degree curve before switching back onto the Mine 18 spur to Blue Heron. 

THE "UPSIDE DOWN" PAUNCH CREEK BRIDGE

In 1937, the mining company needed to build a one mile spur line from the K & T yard in Camargo to the new coal tipple and rail yard in Blue Heron.  Just after the line leaves the K & T main, it needed to cross Roaring Paunch Creek.  The mining company purchased a used bridge from the New York Central Railroad.   However, since the line crosses the creek at an angle, the girders of the bridge needed to be offset.  The newly purchased used bridge had the offset girders, however they were offset in the opposite direction.   The bridge contractors merely assembled the main girders of the used bridge upside down with the ties and track on what had been the bottom of the bridge and the support piers on what had once been the top.  The builder's plate is upside down in the middle of the bridge!  

YAMACRAW BRIDGE

Yamacraw bridge is a five-arch hollow concrete bridge spanning the South Fork of the Cumberland River.  Still in serviceable condition, long range plans call for relaying the rails over the bridge for Big South Fork Scenic Railway passengers to enjoy the view from atop the bridge.  Possible future plans may also include a dinner train that would serve supper while parked on the bridge and watching the sunset over the river.

TRACK GRADE

The Kentucky and Tennessee Railway was one of many natural resource short line railroads operating in the Appalachian Mountains in the early 20th century.  However, it was one of the few that mostly took empty loads down the mountain and loads back up.  Today's Big South Fork Scenic Railway drops almost 600 feet in elevation in 5 miles!  Because the locomotives have to labor so hard up the mountain, they push rather than pull the train up the mountain to keep soot and cinders off of the passengers.  This severe grade gives folks the rare opportunity to hear a first generation ALCO diesel electric (and soon steam!) locomotive working flat-out to conquer the steep mountain grade.

WHERE THE HECK IS OZ?

One of the coal mining communities that has disappeared into history, along with the section of the K & T Rwy that served it, was named Oz.  How do you get to Oz?  Simple.  It's halfway between Yamacraw and White Oak Junction just west of Rattlesnake Ridge!

History is reenacted almost every day during normal railroad operations in Stearns.  This scene could have occurred over 60 years ago, however, the date was October 4, 2004.   ALCO #105 is spotting the freshly cleaned and mechanically serviced passenger train at the Stearns depot while ALCO #102, from which this picture was taken, is busy handling freight in the Norfolk Southern/K&T RR interchange yard.

The picture of K&T Combine 104 was taken by Lynford (Bud) Swearer in September of 1959 and is at the approximate location of the old passenger boarding area in Hemlock.  The old K & T combine had been retired and relegated for use as a storage shed.  The other picture of K&T Combine 104 was taken in Cooperative during happier days on the K&T.    Sadly, it was later scrapped. 

No shortage of humor at the shops!

rev. 7/11/07