Rock Island 938

bobyar2001 · **Posted:** Mon Mar 20, 2006 1:01 am

This looks like the grounds of the state school (for the mentally retarded, I think) at Enid, Oklahoma, sometime after donation in 1955. I've read it pulled the last RI commuter train in 1953. At Enid, it was threatened with burial due to exposed asbestos, then moved to Texas for planned overhaul for the Tarantula Train, now at IRM in Illinois.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Train-Postcard-Rock ... dZViewItem

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

And unfortunately looking much the worse for wear now at Union. This is one of the locomotives at IRM that REALLY needs some work done to her. Unfortunately, the Steam Department at IRM seems to have its hands full with getting the operable locomotives back to operating status and it just doesn't have time for cosmetics. Perhaps a seperate subdivision needs to be set up. Comments from IRM members welcome.

Les

bobyar2001 · **Posted:** Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:06 pm

West of Limon, Colorado in 1939 and at Minneapolis two years earlier:

http://photoswest.org:8080/cgi-bin/cw_c ... 7057+1+2+0

Frank Hicks · **Posted:** Mon Mar 20, 2006 6:52 pm

Les Beckman wrote:

This is one of the locomotives at IRM that REALLY needs some work done to her. ...Comments from IRM members welcome.

You're right that our Steam Dept is very busy, but 938 is actually an engine that has had cosmetic work done to it recently. About a year ago the locomotive's tender, cab, running gear and part of the boiler were spraypainted black, and within the past six months the locomotive has been fitted with a newly-fabricated sheet metal pilot that helps make it look more complete. I will see if I can remember to snap a current photo of the 938 the next time I'm out.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

Frank:

Thanks for the update. I haven't been to IRM since last spring so I may have missed the cosmetic restoration. Good to hear it was done!

Now I know that 938 has a lot of mechanical problems, but if we could only convince the Steam Crew to consider putting her into the schedule for an operational restoration, we might one day have an authentic Chicago area steam era commuter train to run at Union.

Finally, on a personal note, that was really a super article in the current issue of FIRST & FASTEST on the Macomb & Western Illinois Railroad and its successor, the Macomb Industry & Littleton. Superb maps and great writing! Well done Frank!!

Les