Kevin’s Komments 08/31/22

Here’s a modern photo of the L&N, By John F. Bjorklund, Center for Railroad Photography & Art. #1250 is heading a large coal train through classic Eastern Kentucky scenery.

Chattanooga bound #686, headed by EMD SD40-2 L&N #8031 (with few helpers), is about 500 feet past Junta, the junction of lines from Atlanta and to Knoxville and Chattanooga.  Photo by Bernie Feltman, 1981, Cartersville, Georgia.

Another shot from Pensacola (slightly earlier era) provides and aerial view of the roundhouse and part of the engine facilities.

I’m guessing this is an EMD E6 in the first generation diesel paint scheme for the “Humming Bird” – the Cincinnati to New Orleans passenger train.  The dark should be the L&N dark blue.  The lighter colored area on the front with wide stripes drifting down the sides is a light yellow along with the yellow script lettering down the sides.  And, the L&N logo on front is red.

The later paint scheme worn by the Humming Bird units was the solid dark blue with yellow block lettering.  This photo was taken by J. Parker Lamb, Center for Railroad Photography and Art.  (Did I mention that he is one of my favorite RR photographers?)  The Humming Bird is New Orleans-bound crossing the swing bridge at Pascagoula, Mississippi, in August 1958.

The Humming Bird had its beginnings dating to 1946 when the L&N inaugurated the train as an all-coach streamlined operation between New Orleans and Cincinnati.  The equipment came from American Car & Foundry and was most certainly nothing fancy including only coaches, diners, and lounges.  What remains of the Louisville & Nashville’s “Humming Bird” quietly departs from the massive train shed at St. Louis Union Station on November 21, 1970. This facility was once teaming with trains. Author’s collection.

Caboose #6293 appears to have just come from the paint shop. It brings up the rear of a southbound freight leaving Yard Center in Dolton, 1976. The blue L&N 86 ft Hi-Cubes make a nice backdrop for the bright red paint. Photo by Bill Johnson.

When you think of the L&N, the familiar thought is of long coal trains winding through the green foot hills of Eastern Kentucky.  L&N Alco RS-3 #169 is headed home to Kentucky with a train of mostly empty coal hoppers.  Extra 169 North crosses the North Fork of Powell River on its entry to Pennington Gap, VA. Photo is by Ron Flanary, 1966.

Ron Flanary also gives us this pic with modern L&N #8542 meeting past era L&N #152.  Ron writes, “This pic was taken late in the day on Saturday, October 11, 1986 at Loyall, KY.  The steam locomotive, L&N 152, had just returned from an all-day round excursion to Appalachia, VA.  The trip was sponsored by the Kentucky Railway Museum (owner of the engine, and virtually all the passenger cars in the train), and I was one of the local folks who helped line all this up.  The Harlan Chamber of Commerce actually sponsored the excursion and sold tickets—and I recall the entire train sold out in less than a day (600 seats). I rode the engine both ways, and we stopped here to allow KRM’s volunteers back on the rear of the train to unload some passengers who had ridden the short distance from Harlan back to Loyall.  The three SD50s on the right would be taking a coal train south toward Erwin after we cleared up. Number 152 was built by the Rogers Locomotive Works in Patterson, NJ in 1905, and the three SD50s were built by GM’s Electro-Motive Division (EMD) at LaGrange, IL in 1983. Quite a contrast in technology!  It’s a shame CSX wouldn’t allow an operation like this today—but the management and legal attitude from Jacksonville changed dramatically not long after this. Now, there’s no way in God’s green Earth they would even allow a steam locomotive on the property—not to mention all those passenger cars with ‘non-compliant’ roller bearings.”

Sticking with Ron Flanary, his photos and great captions, 1988, Ewing, KY.  The loco, L&N #152 is a Pacific, 4-6-2.  He writes, “This event was an all-day photo charter on the TTI between Paris and Maysville, KY (former L&N P&M Branch) with L&N 152 and three heavyweight L&N cars (two coaches, and Pullman ‘Mt. Broderick’). We all paid a premium price, but it was for “serious” photographers only. And, they came there from all over the country. I rode the cab of the engine from Carlisle, KY to Ewing, where we had several run bys (virtually every location featured more than one run-by). The mid-day sun was really high at Ewing, so I shot one of the run-bys with my second camera (loaded with black and white film). The depot was being renovated (it’s still there today), and the volunteer fire department brought out their old pumper for the run-bys (which look great on Greg Scholl’s video). L&N 152 (which belongs to the Kentucky Railway Museum) made its first runs after restoration in 1985, but currently it’s out of service awaiting an FRA-mandated 1472 rebuild.”

Here’s a modern high-quality photograph of Louisville & Nashville steam 2-8-2 #1593 at Rock Spring, Georgia, 2019.

One of the L&N Railroad’s notable “Big Emma”s (Class M-1) Baldwin 2-8-4s, L&N #1964, appears clean and freshly painted in this 1954 view at Barbourville, KY.  Ron Flanary gives us another great caption, “… The train is approaching the Cumberland Avenue crossing, with the town’s business district off to the right. That’s old US 25E on the left. This is most likely a northbound (loaded) Loyall Turn, since the white flags denote an extra (unscheduled) train. Three miles ahead the 1964 will stop at Baileys long enough for a sister Big Emma to nuzzle up behind the caboose for a dramatic and thunderous assault on Emanuel Hill. L&N never called these engines “Berkshires,” as did most other roads that owned the wheel arrangement. Some discussion was held in the early ’40s at company headquarters to call them “Cumberlands,” but nothing official came of it. “Big Emma” was a nicknamed bestowed by engine crews on L&N’s “KY,” between Corbin and DeCoursey/Cincinnati. They operated there the longest, between 1942 and 1956. Those who ran them offered nothing but the highest praise, so clearly they were the best, and last of L&N steam power.

This is L&N #2132, Class C-1, 0-8-0, built by the L&N in their South Louisville shops in 1922. The L&N self-built 400 steamers in their shops. #2132 is one of only three L&N steam locomotives still in existence. The last regular use of steam on the L&N was on Nov. 3, 1956, when M-1 class “Big Emma” 2-8-4 No. 1950 handled a coal train from Ravenna to DeCoursey, Ky. However, a single J-4, 2-8-2, Mikado, No. 1882, was still leased to the Carrolton Railroad. When the L&N finally had an extra diesel switcher to replace No. 1882, it was swapped out for the Mikado at Worthville, Ky., on Jan. 28, 1957. No. 1882 then pulled local freight No. 86 to DeCoursey – that was last time an L&N steam locomotive ran in actual service. After that, every remaining locomotive was scrapped.