We ride the cab of an 0-8-0 doing local chores in Centralia, hear a 2-8-2 Mikado doing yard work, and hear both 4-8-2 and 2-10-2 locomotives working on coal trains.
It’s railroading as it was, just before complete dieselization.
Track 1 - Introduction
Track 2-3 – In the cab of 0-8-0 #3511 as it finishes switching chores in downtown Centralia and then heads to B-Yard. - 28:43
Track 4-5 – 2-8-2 #1674 drilling cars at Centralia’s B-Yard. - 4:20
Track 6-7 – Paducah built 4-8-2 #2604 accelerates from a stop with a coal train at DuBois, Illinois. - 2:46
Track 8-9 – 4-8-2 #2613 tops Irvington Hill and highballs through Richview, Illinois. - 2:07
Track 10-11 – #2604 on a northbound coal train north of DuQuoin, Illinois. - 1:35
Track 12-13 – 2-10-2 #2807 moves light in Paducah’s South Yard, the engineer laying on the whistle for the microphone. - 1:16
Track 14-15 – Departing Paducah, #2807 is heard whistling in the distance. A diesel pulls up, stops, and then rolls away from the microphone. Then #2807 opens up as the rear of the train clears the yard and marches out of town in an explosion of stack talk. - 5:11
Track 16-17 – West of Paducah, #2807 heads toward the power plant at Chiles, Kentucky, with its coal train. - 2:48
Track 18-19 – Having delivered loads to the power plant, #2807 finishes putting a string of loads together and departs for Paducah. - 10:30
Track 20-21 – This could have been the last time an I.C. engine blew her whistle on I.C. property. In 1961, 4-8-2 #2614 was being readied to be hauled away from the Centralia roundhouse to be taken to Paducah and the scrapper’s torch. Before leaving the building, the boiler was charged with compressed air. Her turbogenerator was started, the bell rung, and she blew her whistle one last time. - 7:40
Note: Running times indicate sound recordings without narration included.
A Diverging Clear Production