CB&Q 5631 at Savannah, Illinois, 10/6/57, apparently an excursion.
Now at Sheridan, Wyoming, where it never ran while still in use.

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/cbq/cbq-s5631amh.jpg

Interesting to see the railfans climbing on the tender of the locomotive in the background. That would be a big no-no nowadays, climbing equipment to get a better view.

I believe North Star Rail considered bringing 5631 back to life a few years back but opted for the 261 instead.

Savanna is mis-spelled. Unlike the city in Georgia, there is no "h" on the end of the Illinois town. My family emigrated to Savanna in 1849, and many relatives are buried at Zion Cemetery outside of town.

This was a fantrip which utilized the 5631 from Chicago to Savanna and which was going to use O-1 2-8-2 5090 up the branch to Galena. 5090 is pictured adjacent to 5631 with the fans on her tender. It was evidently a very dry fall in the midwest (I was only 6 years old so I don't remember) so a GP7 was substitued for the 5090 due to fears of starting lineside fires on the branch. This was the trip that was well-known among the oldtime "Q" fans as being extremely fast. It was 5631's only fantrip and would have been 5090's only fantrip appearence also. Thankfully, 5631 survives to this day.

Don C.