Leo,
There appear to be six stock cars in the group, all of similar style. They also appear to be old cars (of course, so is the lead outside brace box car). The first one looks like it has truss rods. The door on the third one appears to have some sort of defect. Is it possible that these cars are in some other service? Another possibility is that they are destine for scrap or reclamation. Did the Q scrap equipment for GN and NP at Eola in addition to their own equipment? Were there any meat processing plants between Savanna and Chicago or the Twin Cities and Chicago? Could the cars have dropped off a load en route eastbound and then were picked up by the O-5 to be assembled into a westbound train for shipment back to the Twin Cities? Think eastward facing switch points on a siding.
BTW, the locomotive is 5621, not 5631. Looks like it got a load of bad water judging by the lime deposits toward the rear of the boiler. There are other photos of No. 5621, taken in the same time period, that also exhibit heavy lime deposits.
It is interesting to speculate about what was going on more than 57 years ago. One thing is certain. Looking at Google street view, the scene hasn't changed a great deal.
Bill Barber Gravois Mills, MO Thu Dec 12, 2013 6:38 pm (PST) . Posted by:There is currently an awesome photo of the 5631 eastbound just east of Shabbona taken from the route 30 overpass dated 1956 on ebay. The current bid price reflects just how nice it is.
The train is clearly not a Wayfreight. So why are what appear to be mty NP and GN. (The car doors are open) Stock cars doing going eastbound. This is long before the current logic of back hauling to avoid switching yards in route.
Any ideas ? Steve ?
Leo
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