Big Four's
South Anderson Yard Photos

4 men in South Anderson at the RIP track. The man second from the right may be Yo Burtin. George Witt Photo (deceased) - Ron Stuckey Collection This photo is available from John Fuller, jcfuller2000@yahoo.com

Hoop Up at Gridley looking east from Gridley Tower at the South Anderson Cut Off. Track Orders were given at Gridley. Manual Hoop Up ended about 1949-50. George Witt Photo (deceased) - Ron Stuckey Collection This photo is available from John Fuller, jcfuller2000@yahoo.com

South Anderson Roundhouse in the late 1940's. Ed Sharp Collection

Engine on the turntable at South Anderson circa 1945-46 Ed Sharp Collection

Earl L. Sharp & son Ed in 1946 at South Anderson Yard. Ed Sharp Collection

Diesels at South Anderson in the early to mid 1950's. Ed Sharp Collection

NYC 3029 Split the switch at South Anderson Yard on the Emporia, NYC 3029 in South Anderson Yard NYC 3029 - Big Hooks rerailing 3029 at South Anderson Yard Kirk Hise Collection.

A) B) C)

1) 2) 3) 4)
Top - South Andeson Roundhouse Full view, 1) 6323 H-6a. 2-8-2 and 3034 L-3a 4-8-2 -
2) 2837 L-2c 4-8-2 - 3) 3034 L-3a, 4-8-2 - 4) 6323, 3034, 2837

South Anderson Yards ca1955 with coaling tower, ash pit and NYC L4A Mohawk #3115 Photo by: M.D.McCarter, 1507 West North Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85021 - Negative Number N21115 Ron Buser Collection.

May 24, 1960 - South Anderson M E Lewman was firing for Bill Sailors and had engine on #79 to Louisville KY Maurice Lewman Collection.

August 1962 3 NYC/Big Four cabooses sit at South Anderson Roger Hensley collection Maurice Lewman said: "The photo in 1962 of the three cabs at Anderson. The steel cab is probably one of the two originals and notice there is not a bathroom vent on any of them. The bathrooms came after the pool caboose agreement."

South Anderson Yard - 1960s Ed Sharp Collection

West End of Yard. The locomotive is in #5 track. Switchman Jerry Mason. Maurice Lewman collection.

Looking west at the west end. In the distance (center right barely visible) is the light tower. The small building at the bottom right of the tower is the scalehouse. The railing to the left is Brown Street. Maurice Lewman collection.

Kicking cars on the west ladder track. Switchman Scoop Schyieler. The building is the yard office. Maurice Lewman collection.

The building in the distance is the engine house and car shops. The track where the two cabooses are is the Cab Track. Until about 1963, there would always be about eight or nine cabs in the track. The track to the right of the Cab Track was the Roundhouse Lead. It went to the roundhouse and to the ladder track on the east end of the yard. The next track to the right is the Rip Lead. The near caboose in the Cab Track is an NYC caboose. Notice the low cupola. The far cab and the one on the Rip Lead are Big Four. Notice the high cupolas. Maurice Lewman collection.

This is as bad as the yard decayed. You could run through a switch and take a bar and bend the switch rod straight and start back to work. The switch was never out of service more than 15 minutes. Maurice Lewman collection.

The roundhouse had 16 stalls in 1950 (Roundhouse diagram). After the coming of the diesel, it was cut to the 8 stalls shown here. In time, it was all torn down. To the right of the roundhouse where the telephone pole stands was the engine crew dispatcher building. Behind the roundhouse and beyond the stall, the turntable is aligned for the car shops. The inset photo is all that is left of the South Anderson roundhouse in December 2002. Maurice Lewman collection.

Gridley Tower east of Anderson was where the Bee-Line (Big Four) divides. The track on the left is the South Anderson cut-off that goes by South Anderson Yard and the track on the right goes through town and by the depot. Notice the three arm semaphore to the right of the telephone poles. West of town, a like tower was located named Taft was located where the tracks came together. The interlocking downtown where the Michigan Division crosses was called K.Y. Maurice Lewman collection.