Thanks to RJT for sharing this awesome website. https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/443881/page/4 While I was browsing around tonight I found an interesting picture of a train passing behind a steam shovel. I think it gives a nice scale of the size of those massive machines. Hard to tell what railroad that is, but it looks like a KCS 2-10-2? Any way thought it was cool and wanted to share.
Ethan, really cool photos!!! My family and I were driving through the mine area in southeastern Kansas and saw a couple of shovels at work. They are huuuge and could easily pick up our Ford truck with room to spare. It was a great weekend back in the 70's. Joe
As a former Big Brutus tour guide (1986), I would say it is a related museum and tourist stop not to be missed for this type of machine: https://www.kansassampler.org/8wonders/8wondersofkansas-view.php?id=20 The photos pre-date its assembly, I think (1963-ish), and it was further to the Southwest (depending upon definition of "near Pittsburg"). My guess is that is the Santa Fe or KCS in the background of the photo Ethan highlights. This is a great area with a crisscross of KCS, ATSF, SLSF, MP, and MKT routes. -Bob T.
Looks like a KCS 2-10-4 in the background, yes - that large combination sand / steam dome on the locomotive's boiler top is a dead giveaway.
Bob - My wife and I went down and toured the Big Brutus museum about three years ago. It was really cool! Very much worth seeing if someone is driving through this area, or lives a few hours away. One can only imagine the amount of railroad activity and traffic during the heyday of strip-mining in this area. The State of Kansas now manages the Mined Land Wildlife Area: https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Wildlife-Areas/Southeast/Mined-Land Great fishing - even stocked trout, since these strip pits are pretty deep. Bob McKeighan Lenexa, KS
