0 Salt of the Earth

Chuck Amstein also visited a salt mine museum in Hutchinson, Kansas, and sent us these pictures.  The most on-topic item is this unusual electric locomotive from the Hutchinson & Northern, on display outside.

It was built by GE in 1919 as a demonstrator for their inside-bearing truck design.  I'm not sure exactly what the advantages of this design were supposed to be, but it didn't catch on.  The demonstrator, however, was sold to the H&N, and used until 1963.

 It appears to be in excellent cosmetic condition, although it's missing its poles.

 The rest of the mine looks pretty interesting, too, if you like this sort of thing.


 Sort of like the coal mine at MSI.