"Did you get any photos of those CB&Q 2-10-4s (0-10-0s by then?)used for stationary steam?"

When we went to inquire about getting a 6-axle tender for use as a water tank behind PM 1225, the tank was all I photographed. The NS&W P.R. man showed us around the plant, including the three 2-10-4 boilers. These still had their cabs, but everything else was gone except for the upper frame member. The boilers were painted in red primer and sat on concrete feet inside a corrugated building. We entertained ourselves by sitting in the cabs. If there are any photos of these, they'll only show grinning "Q" foamers looking out the distinctive cab windows. The boilers had been equipped with automatic gas-firing apparatus. Presumably something in the automatic feedwater and firing hardware malfunctioned and caused one to blow up.

The firm donated a 1920's six-axle tank, whose heritage we never figured out, but when we returned a month later to prepare it for shipment, it had already been partially cut up by the boys in the yard who hadn't gotten the word. Several years later we bought a much better ex-Dick Jensen, ex-CRI&P 4100 4-8-4 tank from another Illinois steel mill, so no loss.

I've since seen news items that imply this plant is dead now.

Aarne Frobom
The Steam Railroading Institute
P. O. Box 665
Owosso, MI 48867-0665