Dawson Springs, KY: IC Coaling Tower

(Satellite)

Illinois Central Railroad Scrapbook posted

On May 14, 1960, the Louisville Chapter, NRHS, sponsored a "farewell to steam" trip over the Illinois Central Railroad from Louisville, KY, to Paducah, KY, and return. The train was pulled by 4-8-2 2613.

On the southbound trip the train paused at the twin coaling towers at Dawson Springs to take on coal. Passengers were allowed to get off the train during the stop. This gave Wallace Henderson enough time to walk to the front of the train and capture this spectacular head-on view of 2613.

Dennis DeBruler: I'm so glad that Wallace made that walk. This photo makes it a lot easier to imagine what the towers near Gilman, IL, looked like.

I suspected that the towers were the white rectangle over the tracks inside Penitentiary Bend on this topo map.

1954 Dawson Springs Quadrangle @ 1:24,000

A satellite image confirms it because the bases are still standing.

Satellite