WK&S 1980 Photo Freight Special
On April 26, 1980 the WK&S hosted a charter event sponsored by the Pottstown Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. I don't know much about this event. I just happen to come by a great collection of old color slides. The photographers are unknown. This is perhaps the only major event to have prominently featured little Whitcomb #20. Number 20 was the railroad's first internal combustion power purchased in 1964. The locomotive received a new paint job in 1975 and it still looked pretty fresh in these pictures. LNE caboose #512 had also just been restored around 1979.
The freight train comprised Whitcomb #20 powering LNE gondola #729, LNE flat car #719, LNE gondola #10381 and LNE caboose #512. There are no pictures of #20 on the south end of the train. It appears to have been a push-pull round trip between Wanamaker and North Albany. Also on hand for the day's event was #65 powering Reading Company combine #408 and coaches #1492 & #1494.
Northbound #20 and train take the siding for a meet at Wanamaker.
Meet at Wanamaker.
Meet at Wanamaker.
Shoving southbound out of Kempton station toward downtown Kempton. The barn was the Kempton Farm Museum.
Southbound into Kempton on the way to N. Albany.
Freshly painted LNE caboose #512 stopped at N. Albany.
Still stopped at N. Albany. This image is from a print, not a slide. Photo by John Hartman.
Northbound returning to Kempton station.
Returning to Kempton station.
Great views from gondola #10831. The gondola appears to be in the midst of a repaint. Passenger access was by way of the caboose platform. Also note that LNE flat car #719 was marked "WK&S" at the time.
Number 65 taking water at Kempton.
Back at Wanamaker running around the train.
Coupling up at Wanamaker.
Running southbound from Wanamaker.
Number 65 backs away from Steinsville after detraining passengers for a photo run by.
Photo run by at Steinsville.
Photo run by at Steinsville. The paint on #65 looks fresh.