M.A.I.N. Trains

                During the years of the Second World War, business was booming on America’s railroads.  Given the highest priority were the “MAIN trains.”  An acronym for Military Authorization Identification Number, MAIN trains consisted of troop and military equipment moves.  While the details are unknown, this pair of photos show what appears to be a pair of troop trains during the War.

                The first photo shows what appears to be an eastbound troop train for Fort Knox crossing the newly completed Kentucky Dam in 1944.  The photo is dated November second, though the lack of cold-weather gear in the onlookers to the right and the foliage in the distant background suggest it was earlier in the year.  Could this have even been the first official train over the dam?

                Leading the train is one of the original class of Mountains that introduced the type to the Illinois Central, number 2454.  The locomotive was part of the third group of these engines, built by Alco in Schenectady, New York, in 1926.  She wouldn’t be retired until February, 1960.  With 12 cars tied to the 2454’s tender it’s a safe bet that a considerable portion of the train is moving troops, even if it is part of a regular schedule.

                The second photo finds us at Effingham, Illinois, on an overcast and unknown winter date.  Charging south through town, flying white flags, working steam and showing no signs of slowing down is Paducah rebuilt Mountain type number 2540.  It would seem likely that this train is either preceding or following the passage of one of the I.C.’s scheduled passenger trains, as a fair crowd gets a wave from the fireman as the train passes.  Note the interlocking tower controlling the Pennsylvania Railroad crossing opposite the depot that still stands today.

                Number 2540 was rebuilt from 1921 Lima 2-10-2 number 2970, emerging from Paducah in September of 1940 and just in time for the increase in traffic in the leadup to the War.  In this photo, she is seen equipped with Automatic Train Stop equipment in the box between the air compressors and the smaller smokebox door she was initially equipped with.  These would be replaced with larger doors on the Mountains and Centrals in the mid-to-late forties.  The railroad would get its money’s worth from the 2540, which would be scrapped in January of 1959.

                Keep those MAIN trains moving!  Uncle Sam is counting on you!