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Louisiana, Texas & Pacific Railroad Southern Railway #2243 |
Southern Railway #2243
Marrero, La / Feb 2012 / RWH
RWH
outhern Railway #2243 is modeled after the fallen flag's fleet of 68 NW-2 switchers, this one wearing the classic green/aluminum scheme. Photos in Ties magazine show the real #2243 in this scheme. The frame is scratch-built from aluminum purchased from Lowe's and the body is 1/4" birch plywood. The model also uses Real Trains trucks, bolsters and coupler pockets, Plum Cove Studios drive and control, Precision Steel Car Co. detail parts, Cannonball Ltd. couplers and bell, MDM louvers and headlights, Railway Systems stacks, and Miracle Graphics lettering. In a tip of the hat to my best and oldest train buddy, the loco is named the John C. Hawkins, with the blessing of his family.
collection
Southern Railway #2243
Atlanta, Ga / Jul 1964 / George Stewart
Southern Railway #2243
to Southern Railway #1034, retired 1982
to Birmingham Rail & Locomotive, 1983
Atlanta, Ga / Aug 1966 / Ron Flanary
Atlanta, Ga / Jul 1964 / George Stewart 
Atlanta, Ga / Jul 1964 / George Stewart
from Southern: A Motive Power Pictorial - Withers and Sink / collection
See also our complete Southern Railway featured Fallen Flag scrapbook in Mainlines
aluminum frame on trucks
birch plywood body
painted body before lettering
Feb 2012 / RWH
Feb 2012 / RWH
Spring 2010
Fall 2011
Spring 2010
Feb 2012 / RWH
Fall 2011
Dec 2017 / RWH
Snapshots
In February 2012, my family and I made a long-overdue trip to see and ride the Louisiana, Texas & Pacific - Outdoor Division. In truth, I'm glad we waited as long as we did, because by the time of our visit, Gordon had one locomotive, four cars, and one steam engine model in the works for us to operate ... not mention two-thirds of a mainline to ride. The best treat of the whole afternoon for my brother, wife, daughter, and me was to see and ride behind Gordon's handsome Southern Railway NW2 #2243, which he has sub-lettered "John C. Hawkins" in memory of our father. Dad would have loved this engine, not only because of his fondness and familiarity with the prototype, or because of the crisp gold letters on the green body, but mostly because the unit was scratch built from bottom to top by our long-time railroad friend and LT&P president, G.Payne himself. What a great time -- riding the silver backyard rails of the LT&P behind the honorable "John C. Hawkins."
Jack and Ralph Hawkins, brothers / Feb 2012 / ETH
Ella pointing to her grandfather's name / Feb 2012 / RWH
Hawkins and Payne families / Feb 2012 / ETH
Feb 2012 / RWH
Nov 2018 / RWH
Nov 2018 / RWH
Nov 2018 / RWH
