#chessiesteamspecial

[railwayhistorical]

Cottage Grove, Indiana

This is a transfer move the Chessie Steam Special made back in the late 1970s. Cottage Grove is where the B&O and C&O cross; the train is taking the connector track from the former to the latter and was headed for Chicago (I believe). The Baltimore & Ohio runs between Cincinnati and Indianapolis while the Chesapeake & Ohio runs between Cincinnati and Chicago—through Peru, Indiana.

One image by Richard Koenig; taken June 5th 1978.

[railwayhistorical]

Chessie Steam Special

This movement took the train from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Chicago, Illinois, on a one-way ferry trip.

I believe the locale is where S419E Road, southeast of Muncie (just a bit south of Medford), flies over the C&O. This is difficult to ascertain due to foliage blocking the view currently on Google Maps, but makes sense given the context of my other shots that day.

Image by Richard Koenig; taken June 5th 1978.

[railwayhistorical]

Chessie Steam Special Mishap

This movement, part of the Chessie Steam Special’s second season, took the train from Cincinnati to Chicago on a one-way ferry trip in 1978.

I believe the first two shots were taken from an overpass at S419E Road, southeast of Muncie, Indiana. This is difficult to ascertain due to foliage blocking the view currently on Google Maps. However, it does make sense due to my being able to confirm the locale in the next two shots, which can be locked down conclusively.

In any event, while the train is under the photographer, between the time of the first and second images being made, a knuckle must have failed and the train broke apart. The next two shots sees the train setting out the bad-order car a couple of miles up the line at Medford, Indiana. In the midst of that operation, Amtrak’s northbound James Whitcomb Riley comes by to witness the proceedings.

Four images by Richard Koenig; taken June 5th 1978.

[railwayhistorical]

Chessie Steam Special

Here we see Reading 2101 being prepared for a one-way ferry run between Cincinnati and Chicago. The locomotive, after helping with the American Freedom Train of 1976, was employed as power for the Chessie Steam Special for two seasons, in 1977 and 1978.

One image by Richard Koenig; taken June 5th 1978.

[railwayhistorical]

Chessie Steam Special

This was a one-way ferry move for the Chessie Steam Special—during its second season of 1978. I can’t quite lock down the location, but I believe it ran on the B&O from Cincinnati to Cottage Grove, Indiana, where it moved over to the C&O on toward Chicago. If the numbers on that telegraph pole have any meaning, this could be McGonigle, Ohio.

The Southern Pacific locomotive, EMD GP40-2 number 7617, is nearly new—it was built in March of 1978. The steam engine, Reading 2101, was built in 1945—fairly late by steam engine standards.

Three images by Richard Koenig; taken on June 5th 1978.

[railwayhistorical]

Cottage Grove, Indiana

This is a transfer move for the Chessie Steam Special back in the late 1970s. This is where the B&O and C&O cross. The train is taking the wye from the B&O to the C&O. The latter heads for Chicago (through Peru) while the former runs toward Indianapolis. One image by Richard Koenig; taken June 5th 1978.