The end of steam on the L&N was near when Baldwin M-1 1962 (one of 42 engines in that class, nicknamed "Big Emmas" by their crews) takes on coal at Ravenna after being turned. This was a Cincinnati to Ravenna round trip that raised the initial capital that led to the Kentucky Railway Museum. The 1962 was one of four M-1s equipped with steam and signal lines for passenger service. They handled "varnish" runs on the L&N "KY" between Cincinnati and Corbin from 1942 until 1950 or so, when they were displaced by E-units. Of course they also joined their sister "Emmas" in pulling a prodigious quantity of freight tonnage. The Baldwin (and later Lima) L&N M-1s were the most expensive 2-8-4s ever constructed, but they were exceptional locomotives that did a great job for the L&N. Alas, all were out of service less than five months after this scene...and all were scrapped. This photo by my friend Jerry Taylor is a negative in my collection.
