Railroaders place to shoot the shit.

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Steam Man Passes On


Upgraded Condition

Status: Offline
Posts: 15613
Date:
Steam Man Passes On
Permalink  
 


Bill Purdie, Southern's steam master, dies

Published: Friday, July 23, 2010
image.ashx?img=purdie.jpg&w=200Southern Railway's master mechanic-steam occupies the engineer's seat of Tennessee Valley 630 during a 1980s excursion. Photo by: Jim Wrinn
ATLANTA - Bill Purdie, the beloved master mechanic for Southern Railway's extensive steam locomotive excursions in the 1960s and 1970s, died yesterday evening. He was 95.

Purdie joined Southern Railway as a helper in 1936 and progressed to machinist, and later to roundhouse foreman at Atlanta's Pegram Shops in 1952. Southern's decision to operate an extensive series of steam-powered excursion trains led President W. Graham Claytor Jr. to ask Purdie to become master mechanic-steam in 1967. Purdie lived in Atlanta, but ran the program from an office in Irondale, Ala., site of the steam shop.

Purdie became a preservation icon during the era, whether holding down the fireman's side of the cab on engines 4501, 722, 630, and 750, or working through the night to repair them for an excursion the next day. Always approachable, he was kind to all, and revered by his workers and the fans. The program drew thousands who became familiar with Purdie and the Southern. As the years went on, Purdie was instrumental in the restoration and operation of more powerful locomotives that Southern leased, including Texas & Pacific 2-10-4 No. 610, Canadian Pacific 4-6-4 No. 2839, and Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 No. 2716. With the 1982 Southern-Norfolk & Western merger, Purdie concluded his career with the restoration of N&W Class J No. 611. He retired in December 1982, but kept busy with the Southeastern Railway Museum near Atlanta and as a consultant and friend to steam restoration projects nationwide.

The September 1976 issue of Trains included a story from Editor David P. Morgan about Purdie, which Morgan subtitled "A True Tale of a Steel Drivin'Man."

Purdie's funeral will be held Sunday at East Point Presbyterian Church in East Point, Ga., at 2 p.m.


__________________

Chilean Night Skies



Force Majeure

Status: Offline
Posts: 23396
Date:
Permalink  
 

Wow.

Truly a good guy among turds.

__________________

Tinhorn Dictator



500 - Internal Server Error

Status: Offline
Posts: 36507
Date:
Permalink  
 


No relation to ex-BN'er Bill Purdy.


My Gawd I hated that guy.


 robert_krebs.jpg




__________________

© Equal Opportunity Annoyer

Troll The Anti-Fast Freight Freddie

 

 

 

 



Unstable

Status: Offline
Posts: 1299
Date:
Permalink  
 

Snippy wrote:

Wow.

Truly a good guy among turds.




 



Attachments
__________________

"DITCH LIGHT OPERATOR"



Force Majeure

Status: Offline
Posts: 23396
Date:
Permalink  
 

Truly a stinking turd among guys.

__________________

Tinhorn Dictator



Unstable

Status: Offline
Posts: 1299
Date:
Permalink  
 

Sigh is not qualified on picture intertron stuff. Call him a pilot!



__________________

"DITCH LIGHT OPERATOR"

Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

Chatbox
Please log in to join the chat!