Scott --
The Burlington assigned quite a number of its M2 and M2A
2-10-2s to the area around Litchfield over the years. According to
John Mitchell's "The Q in the Coalfields" (Burlington Bulletin 35),
they were in fact a mainstay of the power pool in southern Illinois,
fromthe time of their delivery prior to WWI until the arrival of the
monster M4s in 1927-29. Even after that, however, they remained
important drag engines in that region, and as late as 1952 there were
still a half-dozen 2-10-2s assigned to the Beardstown Division --
another 3 to Galesburg. So certainly during the early-mid 1920s, when
you believe your photo was taken, they would have been a common sight
around your home turf. I have no record of where your engine 6117 was
during that period. In the 1935 list of assignments (Corbin & Kerka,
Steam Locomotives of the Burlington Route p. 292), it is shown as
being a Lines-East engine, stored unserviceable. Presumably it was
awaiting major shopping then, because it WAS returned to service,
rebuilt (as a lignite burner, complete with the notorious L&B front
end1) and sent west. The 1952 list of assignments (C&K p. 293) shows
it assigned to the Sheridan Division, presumably its final gig, as it
was scrapped later that year. It was, by the way, an M2, not an M2A,
and one of a small number of the Q's larger steam engines that never
received a feedwater heater.
John Mitchell's monograph (above) has an excellent discussion of the
history of the Burlington's use of motive power in Southern Illinois,
plus just about anything else you might want to know about their
operations in that region. I cannot recommend it too highly.
-Jonathan
> From: "Scott Millick" <smillick@w...>
> Subject: [BRHSlist] engines
>
> > After looking at the various messages I am now convinced it must
have been
> a
> > 2-10-2 The angle of the negative make it difficult to see if it
was a
> > driver or pilot in the front I am now convinced that the was a
CB&Q as
> was
> > told this number existed on that type of loco. Now if I can figure
where
> > it was taken around here I will have it made. I will do some
looking
> myself
> > as lived here during the railroad hayday of the railroad era in
the
> > Litchfield area. I just did not remember any of the steam engines
around
> > here having the 5 driver configuration but then too I was just a
kid at
> the
> > time. Thanks to all that helped.
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