This engine is the photograph for November on the C&NWHS calendar. Since it is in B&W, I was wondering what colors the engine was painted. Thanks ahead of time!
James
James,
I have done a lot of research on the M&StL, so I will check and see if I can find a photo of #626. But as far as I know, those 2-8-2s were just black with white striping and lettering. Some or all of them were modernized with skirting under the running boards and over the air pumps, and this was painted with a wide horizontal white stripe. Another stripe was added to the tender. This was seen as a move toward streamlining without going all the way. But #620 and #624 were very unique with the application of shiny stainless steel jacketing on the boilers, smokeboxes, cylinders, and running board skirts. It would be interesting to see what they looked like in color on a sunny day.
Bucyrus,
Thank you. My photo is from the C&NWHS archives it was taken in Monmouth, Ill., in 1943. 626 has the skirting you describe with the white stripe ending at the cab. The tender has two stripes, one just below the top and one just above the sill plate. The fronts of the smaller cylinders look to be a lighter color than the rest of the engine. I bet she was something to see, freshly shopped, all dressed in black!
Is it true that the M&StL never reached either namesake?
The Butler Is it true that the M&StL never reached either namesake?
No. It never reached St.Louis but was a major player in Minneapolis railroading, including switching many of the huge flour mills on the north side of downtown. My uncle Hugo "Peggy" Olson worked in the railroad's headquarters in Minneapolis for many years.
Thank you, Stix
A lot of railroads never reached their namesake cities or areas depicted in their names. Lets not forget also that the Santa Fe didn't actually reach that town on a main stretch of track.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.