Wow, Local Antiques

With the results that I had with the Hit & Miss engine photo, I went looking for displays or running antique railroad locomotives. I found one on display, not running, in a museum just an hour away from my ranch:

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Photographed at the Wichita Falls Railroad Museum, 500 9th Street, Wichita Falls, Texas, 76308 USA, (940) 723-2661, www.wfrrm.com, on September 5, 2009.

The FW&D #304 Steam Locomotive (Class B-4-R) was built at the Brooks Works of the American Locomotive Co. in July 1906.

This is the oldest piece of equipment in the Wichita Falls Railroad Museum's collection. Originally built as a coal burner, it was converted to oil in July, 1929.

It served as a mainline freight locomotive in its early years. For most of it's service life, the 304 worked on branch lines, including the Wichita Valley locals, and as a yard switcher until it's retirement and donation to the Wichita Falls' Rotary Club on May 24, 1955.

It was moved to the Wichita Falls Railroad Museum, from its long time display in Wichita Falls' Rotary Park, on April 12, 1997 through the efforts of the citizens of Wichita Falls and the T.C. White Foundation.

This is one of three FW&D steam locomotives still in existence, the other two are in Childress Texas (#501) and Marshall Texas (#410 painted and lettered as Texas & Pacific #400).

This photo was taken with my Sigma SD14 through my Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC Macro lens at 18mm, f/6.3, 1/200th, ISO 100.

That's a tricky exposure with the dark engine in the centre and the very bright sky.