Re: [CBQ] Q Steam Being Scrapped At NWS&W

["LZadnichek@aol.com [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>]

October 25, 2015

 

Charlie - The Q scrap steam power you saw set out at the IHB LaGrange Park yard was almost certainly headed towards a scrap yard in south Chicago, not NWS&W in Sterling. Erman-Howell on 83rd Street might've been their final destination as that yard scrapped some number of Q steam locomotives off the Chicago and Aurora Divisions. In your occasional visits to the Newberry Library, please look into and see if any purchasing department "sale" records showing disposition of steam locomotives are in their Q archives. That would go a long ways to documenting what other scrap yards cut-up Q steam power besides NWS&W, particularly prior to 1950. I've seen some number of images showing Q scrap steam power set out at Downers Grove, but I can't tell if the locomotives are facing east or west. If east, then they were inbound to be scrapped somewhere in south Chicago. If west, then they were outbound to either Eola or NWS&W with "larger" locomotives almost certainly going to NWS&W. Lastly, how many nails would a M-4-A make? Best Regards - Louis      

 

In a message dated 10/25/2015 1:39:53 P.M. Central Daylight Time, CBQ@yahoogroups.com writes:

Louis and all

I don't know where they were headed ( probably not to Sterling) but the group I remember consisted of at least 6 locomotives maybe more drawbared cab to cab together at the IHB LaGrange Park yard

Not like the "funeral train" of 10-20 C&NW Atlantics and Pacifics heading south on the IHB when the commuter service was dieselized, but still a significant movement

Charlie Vlk

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 24, 2015, at 4:47 PM, "LZadnichek@aol.com [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

October 24, 2015

 

Group - If any of you are good with math, let me ask you a question. How many 10 penny (10d) common steel nails could be made from a scrapped M-4-A at NWS&W?  From the Corbin book, figure the locomotive weighed 512,770 pounds and the tender weighed 158,600 pounds for a total of 671,370 pounds delivered as "scrap on the hoof" to the deadline in Sterling, IL. I've done the math myself and the number will absolutely knock your socks off.....

 

Shown in the undated attached image is Q Class M-4-A No. 6320 and an unidentified sister paused at Erie, IL, while in route to NWS&W. The Corbin book says 6320 was sold for scrap in May 1961, so this image was most likely taken in May or June of that year. There are three idler gondolas separating the two Texas type locomotives to spread their weight. The train would've been a local that worked between Mendota and Sterling at the time. The diesel was probably switching nearby on-line industries and had spotted the train on a passing siding at the depot. You can just see the way car cupola behind the rear scrap M-4-A.

 

There were no "funeral trains" as such that delivered scrap Q steam power to NWS&W. The locals did the work of moving one or more scrap locomotives at a time from Galesburg/Chicago to Mendota over the mainline and then onto the branch for the final trip up to Sterling to be dismantled. The cream of Q steam power all took this last melancholy journey during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Best Regards - Louis

 

Louis Zadnichek II

Fairhope, AL    

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted by: LZadnichek@aol.com

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