vintage 1940's Rock Island RR scenes from Herington, KS Depot and Roundhouse, including 4-8-2

Описание: This is a vintage video without any sound taken in the early 1940's, possibly even 1940 itself, of scenes from the Rock Island Railroad depot in Herington, Kansas, including Berkshire steam engine no. 4020 being inspected by trainmen and then pulling out with a passenger train as well as views of the roundhouse, depot and cars at parked at the depot. A Berkshire steam engine has a 4-8-2 wheel arrangement. Herington is presently a town of about 2000 persons presently situation south of Abilene and Junction City and due north of El Dorado. When these scenes were filmed, Herington was a town of nearly 4000 according to the 1940 census.

The roundhouse pictured here was used for servicing Rock Island locomotives until 1952 and was used for other railroad purposes by the Rock Island until the end of Rock Island operations which occurred in 1980 when the long ailing railroad was finally liquidated. The roundhouse was torn down by successor railroad St. Louis Southwestern in 1988 as was the historic depot, the destruction of the depot occurring after nightfall. Herington is principally located in Dickinson County. It is more or less due south of Abilene and Junction City and essentially due north of El Dorado for those not familiar with the geography of rural Kansas.

These were taken by my dad, long deceased, and just discovered by my sister. We know they were from around 1940 from other sources, and given what happened to the traffic on the railroads after WWII started, we are confident about the time being 1940 or at the latest '41 because by spring or summer of '42, I am pretty sure there would have been a much different vibe to any railroad depot. This very much seems like peace time operations. I was thrilled to be able to post these--only wish there had been sound. The cars seen at the depot also seem to place the time right around 1940.