***On the morning of June 17, 1990, we're back on Cotton Belt's Mainline outside of Gorham IL to chase Cotton Belt L-1 4-8-4 #819 on the final Excursion for that year's NRHS Convention from St. Louis MO to Illmo IL. Soon, we caught the 819 & her train racing along at track speed, heading for Illmo. The locomotive had been busy during the 1990 Steam Season, with her usual trips from Pine Bluff to Tyler TX & back, as well as this trip to St. Louis. The trip to the NRHS Convention would be the longest trip for the 819 during her excursion career. For this excursion, several of the coaches from N&W Class A 2-6-6-4 #1218's Consist were used, along with the 819's Consist for this trip, which would deadhead back to St. Louis after the excursion. The Arkansas Steam Ambassador had traveled this route during revenue service, hauling the Railroad's Freight trains including the famous Blue Streak Merchandise, as well as Troop, Supply, & Hospital Trains during WWII. Unbeknownst to us, the 819 had a bad load of fuel oil, which shortly afterwards resulted in the loss of the whistle & loss of steam outside of Jonesboro AR. The train would arrive in Illmo, that afternoon, where the Passengers would de-train & head back to St. Louis by Bus, while the 819 would head home to Pine Bluff.***

The Last NRHS Convention Trip - June 17, 1990