January 28, 2015
Group - I thought the inserted/attached CB&Q publicity photograph of
Class M-2-A No. 6132 with a long train of wood gondolas loaded with coal would
interest members. The undated view was taken at Bushnell, IL:
No. 6132 was built by Baldwin in 1915 and faithfully served the Q until
being retired in May 1954. From the sharp exhaust, it appears this extra coal
drag has just gotten a high ball from the tower and the engineer has the Johnson
bar down in the corner and is latching out the throttle. I can almost hear it
bark....
As for comments earlier about the relative merits of the different Class M
locomotives, I've seen very few images of the USRA Class M-3 locomotives in coal
service in southern Illinois so I suspect they were dispatched to Lines West and
the C&S rather quickly. The following inserted/attached image shows class
leader No. 6300 at the Centralia, IL, coaling tower in 1938. Note the large
"can" headlight:
No. 6300 was later leased to the C&S. Constructed by Brooks in 1919,
the locomotive was retired in July 1953. All the USRA Class M-3 locomotives were
retired during 1953 and 1954. Despite their lack of suitablity for coal drags in
southern Illinois, No. 6300 and its sisters all contributed their fair share of
ton miles on Lines West and the C&S. Best Regards - Louis
Louis Zadnichek II
Fairhope, AL
