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Reply to "Meet The Kansas City & Gulf"

AUTUMN 1964...

The cold, mist laden, Ozark mountains conspired against the Kansas City & Gulf once again. Along with conditions such this comes the bane of trying to move tonnage on a mountain railroad: Wet rail.

Fallen leafs on the rail is bad enough, but wet leafs... they're like grease.

Into the mist-dappled mountains labored train #44 as it struggled against that devil of a grade up to Piney Gap. The engines were pulling their guts out at about 15 MPH as they ground their way alongside tumbling Possum Creek, all the while working their way up the grade toward the summit. The misted wet rail was bad enough... and the wet fallen leaves were making it worse.

What lousy timing for sand lines to get plugged with wet sand.

Bereft of the sanders on the trailing unit, #44 didn't stand a chance.

Sure 'nuf, #44 stalled up past the crossing at Jack Fork, just as they were poised to round Chinkapin Knob and head into Buck Mountain Hollow.

The Mountain had claimed another victim.

The call went out from #44 to the 'Spatcher: "We've laid down... got anybody that can give us some help or do we need to start doubling up to the top?"

Doubling to the top would have been time consuming for sure... IF the engines could even handle that task with one engine not laying down sand. After all, they were supposed to meet southbound passenger train #11 up north of Mountain Springs. Though #11 isn't much of a passenger train anymore, it would still would not be wise to hold it up. (The KC&G is trying to get out from under the financial load of passenger service... but that hasn't been approved yet.)

Fortunately, the Jack Fork Turn was still in the small yard at Ozarka just finishing switching up their train prior to departure. Sure enough, the Dispatcher hollered at them, and the Jack Fork Turn's planned day was changed. They were now "Extra 412 North", and would be taking their GP7 out of town light, and head out into the misty mountains to assist stalled #44 up to Piney Gap. Once there, they would magically transform into "Extra 412 South" (said so on the flimsies!) and ease back down The Mountain to Ozarka.

After a quick comparison of the flimsies among the crew in the cab of 412, with a couple bloops from the Wabco E2, Extra 412 North eased onto the main, closed  and locked the switch behind them, and headed off into the mist.

In a few miles, Extra 412 North was gingerly coming up to the rear of stalled #44, and once a quick job briefing was held with #44's Conductor in the caboose, they tacked-on to the rear of #44.

"Grab me a couple, Hotshot" crackled 412's radio. (It was the head end.)

"Got a couple!" came the reply as the 412 nudged against the stalled train... sanders blowing.

"We'll let's git 'em movin' then!" came the response from up front.

It took quite a bit of doin' to get the stalled train moving again... but do it they did.

At the grand speed of about 8 MPH, #44, with GP7 412 shoving on the rear, the engines slipped and clawed their way the rest of the way up to the top of Buck Mountain at Piney Gap.

Easing to a stop at Piney, the struggle was behind them now. Engine 412 cut away, and train #44 was on its way to keep an appointment with Psgr #11.  In the meantime, GP7 412 eased back a short ways to the tiny little depot that still served the line at the small summit town of Piney.

Quite soon the sound of #44 was swallowed up by  the misty mountains... nothing could be heard but the distant sound of a Leslie 3-chime air whistle at one of the little mountain dirt road crossings. Now it was just engine 412 sitting by its lonesome in front of the little depot at the sleepy little town of Piney. Their next task would be to gingerly ease down the treacherously slick rail with a light engine and make it back back down to Ozarka to resume their scheduled job. No doubt, they would be using sand at times on their descent to keep from sliding down the rail at the worst sections. But under the capable hands of Hogger Extraordinaire "Hotshot" Chadwick, there was little cause for concern, for "Hotshot" had been in such situations countless times.

No, today was simply an all too familiar part of railroading on the KC&G.


The Picture:

Engine 412 idles its EMD chant in front of the little depot at Piney. That wood stove feels pretty good to the crew inside as they take a few minutes to swig down some hot coffee before easing back down The Mountain as Extra 412 South.



KCnG_412_at_Piney



To be continued...

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Last edited by laming

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