The Spark Plug in its Prime

[Ponce de Leon]

I was going through some prints this morning---looking for something else---and I ran across a nice 8X10 glossy taken by my long time friend, writer and photographer (and retired Santa Fe employee) Steve Patterson. Steve grew up in Kingsport, TN, and was a prolific contributor to Trains Magazine in the early '60s and beyond.

The particular shot (attached) shows train 51, the "Spark Plug" just south of Rockwood, TN on the Third District. So typical of that time, the "Plug" is pulled by four SD24s. Steve's notes state the train this day (Feb. 5, 1963) had 109 cars. He photographed it at 5:50 PM, so on a winter day, the light must have nearly been gone----which explains the slight nose blur, even using Tri-X (ISO 400). He was probably using his 4X5 Speed Graphic at the time----which wasn't exactly an easy piece of equipment for "action" photography, since it was big and heavy. It would make a digital Nikon or Canon look like a wrist camera.

The scene appears to be captured from the US 70 bridge. You might notice a few "pigs" back in the train---but they were very low profile versions, since the major line changes at Kings Mountain, between Tateville and KD Tower, Cumberland Falls to Flat Rock, New River, Nemo, etc. weren't completed until April of that year. With several of the tight, tight "rat holes" still left in service, conventional pigs wouldn't have fit. I recall they had some TTX flats back then with depressed areas for the trailer wheels, so I would bet these cars have that feature.

Steve noted on the caption info that the "...Plug was the hottest thing on the railroad at that time..." Indeed she was. No wonder that lead SD24 has a little nose blur!

[E.M. Bell]

Nose blur or not, that is an awesome shot...you are starting to spoil us Ron!