| Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad 2-10-4 Class M-4-A number 6315 west of Zearing, Illinois on September 6, 1959, Kodachrome by unknown photographer, Chuck Zeiler collection. Look at the eccentric rod and you will see that it is bent. The eccentric rod on the Engineer's side is broken and will have to be removed before the train can proceed. The trailing locomotive, 5632, will push the disabled 6315 and pull the 18 cars to Galesburg. This was the last run of an M-4a locomotive on the CB&Q, a 2-10-4 known as a Colorado (as opposed to Texas) type on the CB&Q, although this class of locomotives was assigned to the Southern Illinois coal fields and most of them never saw the State of Colorado. The railroad kept coal-burning locomotives in service into the diesel era to keep peace with the coal mine owners and employees. This fan trip began in Chicago with 5632 heading the train from Union Station to LaVergne, where 6315 was added to the train. The trip proceeded smoothly until somewhere west of Zearing, where the right side eccentric rod broke at speed and flailed around, damaging the power reverse reach rod among other items damaged. After the eccentric was removed, 5632 pushed the 6315 to Galesburg, where it was cut off and 5632 returned the train to Chicago very late that evening. Needless to say, 6315 was scrapped, as was 5632 unfortunately. |