This is "Big Emma." When the Louisville & Nashville Railroad elected to seriously upgrade its freight motive power in the early '40s, it went whole-hog for a Baldwin-built variant of the Van Sweringen Super Power Berkshire. The engines would be mechanical cousins of the NKP, Erie, C&O and Virginian Berks--but L&N didn't call 'em "Berkshires." Eventually numbering 42 engines (20 by Baldwin in two batches, and 22 by Lima-Hamilton in 1949--among the last commercially-built steamers for the U.S.), the M-1 class were outstanding performers on coal, fast freight and even passenger trains (four of them had steam and signal lines for such service, and regularly handled Midwest-Florida passenger trains between Cincinnati and Corbin, KY on the L&N's heavy-haul "KY" double track main). They also operated down the EK Division to Fleming-Neon, KY, and on the CV Division to Norton, VA and Lynch, KY. Alas, all were scrapped, with the last one operating in early November 1956. Number 1952 from this distinguished fleet of locomotives is ready to head south with empty hoppers for the coalfields. Looks like the fireman should have the pressure up near the peg from the looks of all that thick coal smoke.
DeCoursey, KY
1949
