One of my research listings for a trip to the Newberry next week is locomotive maintenance records going back to the construction of the Aurora engines. Since the Lumber District track dates back to the very earliest days of the CB&Q (I believe the track was designated “Siding” on some of the early timetables before the Q had their own mainline and were going to the Galena over the Chicago, St. Charles and Mississippi Air Line to Harlem) it is likely that there might be some mention of their special arrangement there.
The books I’ve seen previously were older (pre-1880) and I’m hoping the new batch will be in the same format…..a journal page for each roadnumber listing details of repairs down to the component and accessory level.
Hoping to nail down the genealogy of the 397 and 398 Wootten firebox Consolidations and will be on the lookout for Southpaws as well!!!
Charlie Vlk