Small can also mean Important!!

Locomotive #45 was built by Alco in 1956 as a 1600 h.p. RS-3, a B-B diesel. It is seen here as it rests in the yard of the Alton and Southern

Railway in East St. Louis, Illinois. This picture was taken on Saturday, June 19, 1965, by K. C. Henkels. Our friends at Wikipedia tell us this about the railroad and its history: The Alton and Southern Railroad was formed in 1910, and in 1913 it absorbed the Denverside Connecting Railway (founded in 1910), and the Alton and Southern Railway (founded in 1911). The company was operated as a subsidiary of the Aluminum Ore Company, which was itself a subsidiary of the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa), to serve the Bayer process bauxite-to-alumina refinery at Alorton, Illinois. Alcoa sold the line to the Missouri Pacific Railroad and Chicago and North Western Railway (CNW) in 1968, and it was reorganized as the Alton and Southern Railway. In 1972, CNW's share was sold to the St. Louis Southwestern Railway. In 1982, the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) took ownership of the Missouri Pacific share and then became full owner in 1996 with the acquisition of SSW parent Southern Pacific Transportation Company. The Alton and Southern is still a legally separate entity but is wholly owned by UP. This is what the actual company, the Alton and Southern Railway, says about its history. You can find it on their website https://www.altonsouthern.com/about/ Founded in 1910, Alton & Southern Railway has a rich history as a crucial railroad in the St. Louis region. With approximately 30 miles of mainline track, we serve various industries like chemicals, petroleum, metals, and manufacturing. As a subsidiary of Union Pacific Railroad, we benefit from a vast transportation network, including easy access to four Interstate highways, various river ports, and six Class-1 railroads, ensuring seamless connections nationwide. We prioritize safety, efficiency, and environmental stewardship, continuously investing in infrastructure and technology, and are committed to providing reliable services through its Union Pacific partnership.

The post card was published by Audio Visual Designs (AVD) in Earlton, New York. AVD was started in 1964 by Carl Sturner for the sole purpose of providing railfans with sound recordings of locos and trains as well as with photochrome postcards of trackside photos. These stunning color images were taken all over the country by some well-known photographers such as David Sweetland. The history and product line of AVD can be found on the company's website at www.audiovisualdesigns.com