Following months of welding, rebuilding trucks and hauling bucket after bucket of rust and scale from the interior, it was finally time to find out if the 814 tender would hold water. Water tests were conducted during the week of August 22 and only a few minor leaks were detected. What a relief!

CBRHS volunteers spent September 6 (Labor Day) sandblasting the 814 tender. Monty Pride, Barry Robinson and Joey Narbutowitch did the blasting, while John Sacrey, Hunter Cason, John Wellenberger, Dusty Rhodes, Ken Buckner and Darrel Cason supplied the ammunition (3,000 lbs. of sand). A few small water leaks developed, but they were quickly repaired by CBRHS's master welder Red Gatlin. Primer was then applied to the exterior.

Red and Joe McNabb installed the hardware for the water feed lines on both tenders. John Reed, Sean Reed, Jack Stone and Joe worked on getting the lines installed under the tender for the dual (train and independent) braking system. In addition to installing the brake system on the 814 tender, modifications were required on both the locomotive and main tender. Final brake testing was done on Saturday, October 9, by CBRHS crewmember Sean Reed, superintendent of Standard Air Brake.

After delays due to damp weather on the weekends, the tender was finally painted on Sunday, October 10 and Monday, October 11. Getting in on the act were Joey Narbutowitch, Barry Robinson and David Price. The finishing touch was stenciling the original number 814 on the rear. After a trip to the wye for turning, the 814 tender was spotted behind the main 819 tender and the water lines connected. It was time to pause for a moment and marvel at the transformation.

The tender performed flawlessly on its first trip, a tribute to Red Gatlin, Joe McNabb and all the other volunteers who worked tirelessly on this restoration project. The extra water capacity made it possible to skip the scheduled water stops in Texarkana.

With a full head of steam and the addition of auxiliary tender 814, the 819 thrilled railfans as the Cotton Belt Star passenger special departed Pine Bluff's Union Station at 7:30 A.M. on October 15 for the annual trip to Tyler for the Texas Rose Festival. Passengers from as far away as Canada rode the nearly 600 mile round-trip from Pine Bluff to Tyler and return. In addition, many folks took advantage of the intermediate stops to climb aboard and ride one or more segments of the trip. The train arrived back in Pine Bluff right on time Sunday evening at 6 P.M.

Having missed the rain and thunderstorms that had been forecast for Friday, the 819 rolled majestically over the high iron, thrilling folks along the way with the magical sound that only comes from a large steam locomotive. All along the Cotton Belt Route from Pine Bluff to Tyler, folks stopped what they were doing and waved as the mighty 4-8-4 passed by. P. B. Wooldridge of Lewisville (SSW retired) writes "Just watched the 819 on it's southbound trip today and got that same old thrill. Nothing more beautiful."

Passengers had a chance to visit the Cotton Belt Depot at Pittsburg Friday afternoon. The handing up of train orders was recreated at Pittsburg and aroused the curiosity of many. Only a handful of the spectators had ever seen orders handed up. Passengers were treated to those famous Pittsburg hotlinks and had the chance to enjoy the atmosphere at the restored depot.

New this year was the Saturday afternoon trip from Tyler to Athens and return. The passengers were treated to a couple of mini-runbys at the depot as the locomotive was switched onto the train and the diesel was cut in. The trip to Athens was sold out days in advance. Passengers detrained at Athens while the train was taken several miles past Athens to allow for the movement of the 819 and diesel to the other end of the train for the return trip. Plans are already being made to repeat this trip next year.

Thanks to the wonderful crew and passengers, the 1994 Tyler trip was the best yet. It was a safe trip, there were no mechanical problems, and it was a financial success.

The day Friday, October 15, 1993, will probably not be remembered by most Arkansans as anything out of the ordinary, but for a group of students from the Arkansas School for the Blind it will be remembered for years to come. On this day, these students embarked on a journey back in time to the days of a whistling train and the smell of a steam locomotive.

For many visually impaired or non-sighted people, the sense of hearing, smell and touch is the only way to experience life's adventures. The great historical train, the 819 as it is commonly referred, offered students the opportunity to gain knowledge through "hands on" experience. This was made possible through the Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society. These dedicated individuals not only provided educational aspects about steam transportation (the lesson objective), but gave the students a crash course in pride, effort, mastery of skills, and above all, professionalism.

One of the most impressive sights (or sounds) was the remarkable ability of the crew to carry out their job duties. The continuous regard for safety was remarkable. All crew members remained in constant contact with other members from the very first boarding call. Many of these crew members had a mature look to them; one filled with knowledge and experience. As one student asked, "Why do they (819 crew) have a man driving the train, you see, he is part of the train and that train is a part of him."

On behalf of the students at the Arkansas School for the Blind, I would like to thank the people of the Pine Bluff, the members of the Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society, and most of all the crew of the "819" for a truly rewarding experience. Thank you.

How do you judge the value of a man's life? Is it in the money that he earns, the things that he owns, the awards or prestige he is bestowed by others? These things seem to be the way most people judge others and are judged themselves in this day and time. It seems the way to truly judge a man's life would be to look at all the people he has touched in his life in a good and positive way. The people he took time to teach, inspire, be a role-model for, and to take pride in what they do in their lives and jobs. If it is these things that we judge a man by, rather than the first things, then we have lost a man of the highest caliber. Just one day after our return from Tyler, and after months of illness, I. C. Crosby passed away.

Although he did not get to make the trip to Tyler with us this year because of his illness, I could still hear him up there in the cab telling me the things that he knew were going to help me and make my job easier. He was a patient teacher, quick to tell you how good you had done when you finally got it right, even though you knew it wasn't perfect. But you kept getting better at it, not just for yourself, but for him, because it gave him pride when you did good.

He loved his life's work as an engineer. He once told me he felt like he had gotten all the gravy in life, because he had been able to do the one thing in life that he loved to do the most, run trains, and he did it with great pride and skill.

The last trip he made was with us to Tyler last year. He told me then that he felt it was the last time he would be able to run with us because of his health. As we came into Pine Bluff and eased past the depot, he dropped off of the locomotive at the grade crossing east of the building to catch his ride home. As he stepped off of 819 he looked up at me as I watched him from the fireman's window, and as we pulled away he smiled and waved to me as I did to him, then he turned and proudly walked away. I will always remember that moment in time. I. C. Crosby is one of my heroes. I will miss him and his friendship very much.

This is the opportunity that I have been wishing for ever since I started working for the Cotton Belt which was October 12, 1943. I like the work to the extent that I want to tell everybody about it. I am a machinist helper in the back shop at Pine Bluff, Arkansas. There are so many reasons why I like to work for the Cotton Belt I can only mention the most important ones.

I deem it a real privilege to be an employee of this great organization. The supervisors are courteous and very much interested in the welfare and safety of each employee in the shop. The working conditions are extremely good and we have every available necessity such as overhead cranes, shop mules, trucks, etc. which help make the work much easier.

I like railroading because it is my desire to do mechanical work and learn more about the great "Steam Monsters" which we call locomotives. It's a pleasure to have a part in repairing those engines. Just to know that you are doing the job right which adds miles of service as well as safety, makes one feel good.

Another thing is our wonderful hospital with the best doctors and nurses that can be had anywhere. I just don't think there is anything to do that is better than working for the Cotton Belt.

Now I've never tried to write poetry,

As you can plainly see,

But just to work for the Cotton Belt,

Makes me happy as can be.

The pay is good, the hours are fine,

The best thing I can say,

Is when you work some overtime,

You get some extra pay.

And when you do your very best,

Though you may need some help,

There's always a "buddy" who's willing to give you a lift

On the Cotton Belt.

Now I get a paid vacation,

And it makes me feel so glad,

For until I started working here,

It was the first I ever had.

And another thing or two I'll say,

And see if it will rhyme,

As long as I've worked for the Cotton Belt,

I've never lost a dime.

I like the rules for safety,

Of which we should clearly think,

And if we keep ourselves in shape,

We should never use strong drink.

There's not a thing that I would say,

To hurt my fellow man,

But the thing I like to do the most,

Is help him all I can.

There may be work sometimes to do,

That some don't care to share,

But I've never seen the time as yet,

It helped a bit to swear.

Now this is not a thing I've read,

Not just a little part,

But everything that I have said,

Has come right from my heart.

Now when I have crossed the "river",

And no longer can be here to help,

Just remember me as the "boy" you knew,

Who liked to work for the Cotton Belt.

(Photo by Allen Cash)

DOWN BY THE STATION - Cotton Belt 819 was steamed up and on display for the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Historical Museum's 3rd annual fish fry on September 18, 1993 at Pine Bluff's Union Station.

(Photo by Allen Cash)

NEW VIEW FROM TOOL CAR - Rear view of 814 tender in Tyler trip consist.