Odyssey of the "4501 "

With a sudden belching roar, heavy black smoke rolled from the Mikado's stack and threw a shadow across the gold-and-green "SR" monogram. SteamSouthern Railway steam-was on its way back to Kentucky and Indiana.

No.4501, her freshly-painted boiler glinting in the sun, pulled out of her "home" at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga destined for Louisville and southern Indiana. Providing an opportunity to ride behind steam in areas that haven't seen boiler smoke in a decade, she was to pull a train from Louisville to Danville, Ky., and then spend two days participating in the celebration of the Indiana sesquicentennial.

The Hon. Paul J. Tegart, judge of the Floyd County Circuit Court, had been the "father" of the trip. Early in June he wrote Southern's President D. W. Brosnan: "Many people remember with great pleasure having ridden your train . . . and have told their children and grandchildren about it. Because of this, it has been suggested that we contact you regarding the possibility of running a train from New Albany. . . . "

Since the 4501 was scheduled for operations in mid-August, Southern suggested that operating the train with steam power might add to the youngsters' thrills and their elders' nostalgic reminiscences. Judge Tegart's prediction that "your train will be one of the highlights of the celebration," proved to be an understatement-as groups ranging from families in the countryside to what seemed to be entire towns turned out to photograph the engine and wave at the passengers who filled every car to the last available seat.

The old engine-built for Southern in L911 and now the property of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga-was put back on rails as a loan to Southern. TVRM member-volunteers put some 2,650 hours of labor into renovating the 4501. Repairs ranged from the installation of a new platform step and ladder grab irons to a virtual rebuilding of the cab's interior, from replacing and modernizing the electrical equipment to rebuilding the valve lubrication system. Two new coats of paint carefully mixed to match the green once used on Southern's steam passenger locomotives were applied to the engine and tender. Careful gold leafing added the final touch, "SR " monograms beside the cab windows.

The TVRM's newsletter commented:

". . . we can never overlook or underestimate the assistance of our 'strong friend from the South-the Southern Railway, which has provided certain funds for this undertaking together with drawings, technical assistance and a high level of cooperation without which, obviously, nothing could have been done."

On August 18, the first puff of smoke bellowed from the stack and with a hiss of steam in the cylinders the 4501 began her journey north from Chattanooga to Louisville. By noon on the 20th-as scheduled-she stood puffing impatiently as some 400 enthusiastic passengers climbed aboard in Louisville for a trip to Danville, Ky., and return.

Ahead lay a planned 14-hours of steam-engine-watching, train-riding and theater-attending. But the ride-behind-steam promised to be more of a "ride into the past" than anyone knew.

The steady action of the driving rods slowed as the train neared Harrodsburg, Ky. Suddenly, the sound of the locomotive whistle was answered by a "war whoop" as "wild Indians," armed with "tomahawks," climbed aboard. No scalps were taken, however. Instead, literature promoting an outdoor drama "Daniel Boone" was put in the hands of all passengers. But, this time, the train was headed toward another play. With the "Indian attack" over, the 4501 resumed its chugging toward Danville-where bands, various dignitaries and pretty official hostesses waited at Southern's station to greet each passenger and distribute programs for the evening's performance of " A Coup For You Two, Too" at the "Pioneer Playhouse."

As the time of departure for Danville drew near, camera fans made their last pictures before boarding the passenger cars that were soon to provide them with the treat of traveling behind steam.

Like a ghost from another age, the 4501 's whistle echoed across the southern Indiana hills. Ask any railfan why he is so intent on recording its sight with his camera and its sound with a portable tape recorder and he'll answer without even a pause, "Because it's beautiful."

The 4501 meant different things to differing ages. To the children it was a sight newer than a rocket-and almost as noisy when the whistle sounded.

Many hours afterward-and two hours behind schedule-the 4501 ground to a stop back at Louisville. But the blame for the delay couldn't be placed on the venerable engine. Sudden rainstorms had delayed the opening of the play at the open-air theater, eventually forcing the cast and audience to board chartered buses and head for an indoor auditorium.

Immediately following the play, W. Graham Claytor, Southern's vice-president-Law, was presented with a commission as a Kentucky Colonel for helping bring the 4501 to the Bluegrass State.

Four times in the next two days 4501 chugged along carrying delighted railfans on round-trips between New Albany and Corydon Junction, and on each trip-at road intersections, towns and farms along the way hundreds gathered to watch and wave.

At one point in 4501 's trips from New Albany to Corydon, a diesel locomotive moved in behind the steam-powered train to help it negotiate a steep grade. It was an unobtrusive reminder that this was indeed a trip into the past, and that change had literally reshaped the world of transportation since the heyday of the steam giants.