Sad day for steam lovers

[Cameron]

Today is a somber day for all steam locomotive fans. Bill Purdie, Master Mechanic of the Southern Railway steam program between 1968 and 1982, passed away on July 22, 2010 at the age of 95. Purdie was instrumental in the restoration and operation of many iconic North American steam locomotives, including Savannah & Atlanta 750, Tennessee Valley 630, Southern 722 and 4501, Texas & Pacific 610, Canadian Pacific 2839, Chesapeake & Ohio 2716 and Norfolk & Western 611. While we mourn his passing, we are all grateful for his tireless preservation efforts that have mold the world of North American railfanning and will enjoy the fruits of his labor for decades to come.

Memorial donations made be made to the Southeastern Railway Museum of Duluth, Georgia.

[Travis1972]

We should all be glad that there were guys like this around to preserve the historic steam locomotives. Hopefully the next generation will follow in his footsteps. I looked him up after you posted this and he was a very interesting guy.