From: 31ochs@gw.wmich.edu
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: K B & S     What is it ?????????????
Date: 28 Aug 92 01:58:04 EST
Organization: Western Michigan University

In article <8152@dirac.physics.purdue.edu>, stnd@gibbs.physics.purdue.edu (Scott N. Dickson) writes:
> 
> 
> I live just west of Lafayette, Indiana.  The former NKP, NYC line
> that parallels US 52 is pretty close, close enough that I cross
> it several times a day.  I know it wasn't abandoned, but traffic
> had really dwindled.  But lately, judging by the flange marks in
> the dirt at the crossings and the "shinyness" of the rails,
> traffic has really picked up.  I finally saw a train on this
> line, but what a surprise!!
> 
> The engines were marked "K B & S".  What is the K B & S????  Its
> not listed in my Rand McNally Railroad Atlas.  Is this a new
> short-line?  Does anybody out there have any information?
> 
> The engines themselves looked pretty beat up, like when you apply
> new paint to an old car without doing any bodywork or surface
> prep.  I'm not good at model numbers, but my guess would by
> GP9's.  They were high nose.  The lead engine was smoking badly,
> as if it was badly out of tune or pre-emissions (do locomotives
> have to conform to a federal emissions standard?).  I can't say
> for sure whether or not the second loco was running.  They were
> moving pretty well,  I'm guessing 45mph.  There were
> approximately 5 grain hopper type cars in the train.
> 
> Any information about this operation would be greatly
> appreciated.
> 
> BTW, I love this group.  I post about twice a year.  But the
> signal-to-noise ratio in this group is better than any other
> group I read.  There are so many knowledgeable people out there,
> from the many steam volunteers, to the real modern railroaders
> like Steve Hooper, to the subway archeologists like Joe Brennan. 
> There are so many of you I haven't mentioned, I'm sorry.  You all
> make this worth reading.  I've learned so much!  Thanks,
> rec.railroad 'ers   

Darn, I didn't know it was that close to Lafayette, I was just down there
yesterday.
The road you speak of is the Kankakee, Beaverville & Southern. I see their
piggyback trailers on the highway all the time(The are BN green and look
almost like ex-BN intermodal design). They have 85 miles of track, their
rept marks are KBSR, their address is P.O. Box 126, Beaverville,IL 60912.
Their line extends from Kankakee to Danville, Illinois, and from Iroquois
Junction, Ill., to Swanington, Indiana. The enginehouse is at Iriquois
Junction. They have 5 engines:
301,312,321 RS11 from Norfolk and Western
315         C420 from Louisville and Nashville
318         RS11 from Burlington Northern
(This information came from the 3rd edition of Diesel Locomotive Rosters)
Also, looking at my old 1986 book(the 2nd edition of the same book)
they had 312 and 321, and also 4110, which was an S2.
All these engines are Alco's too.
I don't know how old the railroad is though. The part from Kankakee is
an ex-NYC line that went up through North Judson,IN.

Hope this helps ya, I'm gonna have to make another trip down there!!!

Fred Ochs
31ochs@gw.wmich.edu  (vax)
ochs@sol.cs.wmich.edu (unix)
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