Lebanon Junction

[Ponce de Leon]

Early this morning I was going through some of the few thousand scanned images on the L&N Historical Society data base (I have an external hard drive with all the images we currently have). Obviously I'm starting early--but I was actually looking for some candidates for the 2013 calendar, which is normally my responsibility. As with every year, I'm looking for great shots over a variety of eras and locations so the calendar can have at least something for everyone.

At any rate, I noticed these two attached shots taken by my buddy from Cincinnati, veteran photographer Dan Finfrock. These are both taken at Junction City, KY. The first shows L&N train 264 heading "north" (west geographically) across the double track CNO&TP on November 25, 1972. This shot might have a chance of making the calendar. Notice the interchange tracks with the Southern hold a Monon boxcar.

The second shot isn't really a candidate--but it's very interesting. This is a northbound (again, west by direction) extra (notice the white flags) with six units--four Alcos and two EMDs. The first car behind the rear FA-2 is an old USRA hopper lettered for International Harvester--a load of coal from that company's mine in Benham, KY, in Harlan County. This traffic was eventually destined for the company's steel mill in the Chicago area. This shot was taken in May 1964.

But, notice the SR tower in the background. The Excel data base has a note that says it's "WB Tower." I thought Junction City was DJ Tower--but I could be wrong. Also, I had no idea it stood that long. The first time I was there (in the late '60s) there was no tower.

In both cases notice the L&N trains had plenty of motive power and were throttling up across the diamond. They were facing a tough pull up to Parkville, the ruling grade on the L&N's Lebanon Branch.

I thought you old guys might find that interesting. Happy New Year!

Ron

[butch]

Ron,

This is from a booklet called Cincinnati's Pathway to the South that I picked up.  It dates to the 20s the best I can tell and it shows the Lebanon Branch as DJ Tower.

[E.M. Bell]

Good stuff Ron! That makes a grand total of maybe 3 shots of the L&N I have ever seen from there. The foundation for the tower is still there to this day, but I would have never guess that tower was as large as it seems to be in those pics, judging by the rather small square of concrete that's left.

It appears that the depot was already gone by the time the pics you posted where taken. It should be just off to the right side of the train in that second shot.

[Ponce de Leon]

Life is full of regrets, and one of mine is not having taken any photos along the Lebanon Branch (except for a few around Sinks and Mount Vernon). Just think of all the fantastic action that took place at that diamond over the years.

A little known fact is that the L&N's "Big Emma" 2-8-4s operated over the "LB" during the late '40s and early '50s. Could you imagine sitting in that tower and watching a Louisville-bound freight with one of those engines roll up to a stop--and then the Royal Palm blasting through behind two green E7s? So much classic railroading from that era wasn't photographed--because "it'll be there tomorrow."