George:
Thanks for sharing...I never cease to be amazed at the photos that we see here. I have been looking for a shot of the former #18 painted for W.R. Grace for YEARS!
I presume, based on what I know of their primary business, that 18/102 was used to shuffle carloads of bulk fertilizer at either a production facility or a distribution point. Here's a good clue: A Google search for "Mulberry, Florida" turns up a reference to the Mulberry Phosphate Museum -
http://www.mulberryphosphatemuseum.org/For those who don't know the fertilizer business...rock phosphate occurs in large deposits in several places around the world, one of them being Florida. Unlike potash (potassium chloride), phosphate requires processing (treatment with acid, primarily) in order to render the mineral content available to plants. Raw phosphate rock is virtually insoluble and is of limited use in agriculture. The most common form today is "triple superphosphate" which is 46% available phosphate by weight - a fertilizer designation of 0-46-0.
No doubt our former Monon locomotive ended its life shifting many thousands of tons of the stuff. The phosphate business is strongly connected to rail transport - indeed, said Museum houses many of its exhibits in converted boxcars! I haven't contacted them - but there is a fair possibility that the museum's collection might turn up more pictures of the ex-Monon FM. The museum is located about 30 miles east of Tampa.
Mark J
Columbia MO
Proud Purdue Ag
