[Attachment(s) from LZadnichek@aol.com included below]
October 8, 2015
Hol - Got sidetracked again... I've pondered over my date. My
negatives are 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 meaning I took the photographs with my baby Speed
Graphic that had a 120 roll film back. I did not upgrade to the Speed Graphic
until my junior year at Downers Grove High School. That was 1963. I remember the
year as I bought the camera "on time" from a local camera store without my
parents knowing about it, but that's another story. So, I took the NWS&W
images between 1963 and 1965 when I joined the Navy. The date has got to be
1963, may be even 1964, but not 1961. I'm going to call it 1963.
So, 5609 must've been really slow in leaving the Galesburg
deadline, or it sat at NWS&W for quite a while before being cut-up. I had
notes from that era, but I have no idea now of where they may be or if they
even still exist. Lesson to rail fan photographers in this digital era, make
detailed notes as you may need them 50 years later! Lastly, I'm embedding
below from my digital collection a color image of 5609 taken on the Cicero,
IL, ready track that's dated some time in 1956, probably the last year the
O-5-A was in service.
A sad end at NWS&W for a truly noble locomotive. Best Regards -
Louis
From: LZadnichek@aol.com
To: cbq@yahoogroups.com
Sent: 10/6/2015 3:26:19
P.M. Central Daylight Time
Subj: Q Steam Being Scrapped At
NWS&W
October 6, 2015
Hol - Whereas Galesburg and Lincoln deadline images of retired Q steam
are fairly common, actual images of Q steam being scrapped inside the gates of
a scrap yard are relatively rare. I took the attached image in July 1961 at
Northwestern Steel & Wire in Sterling, IL. Shown is Class O-5-A No. 5609
in the process of being cut-up. The locomotive had been separated
from its tender at far left and the torch crew had started cutting off the
rods and cross head. I don't recall which day of the week it was, but from the
lack of workmen, I'd assume it was on a Saturday. The Corbin book says 5609
was built by the Q at the West Burlington Shops in September 1936 and sold for
scrap in May 1961. It was not quite 25 years old when scrapped and had been
out-of-service, I would think, for about five years. I've understood that
the Class O-5 locomotives had a design life of 30 to 35 years depending upon
shopping cycles, so diesels cut short their service careers by a decade or
more. In the background is the C&NW mainline and the cab of a passing
ALCO switcher can be seen. From visiting NWS&W a number of times with
my Dad who was Chicago Division Superintendent at the time, I developed a
strong interest in the scrap and steel industries resulting in my later making
a rewarding and interesting career in the scrap business. If any one else
has images of Q steam actually being scrapped, I'd enjoy seeing
them. By far the best collection of images showing Q steam
power being scrapped at NWS&W appear in noted railfan photographer
Ron Zeil's 1963 book Twilight Of Steam Locomotives. I treasure my copy.
Another one of my images tomorrow. Best Regards - Louis
Louis Zadnichek II
Fairhope,
AL
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