While watching a video documentary on the Southern Steam Program, they were going through some still pictures. One of them was a picture of Master Mechanic Purdy standing beside Col. Harlan Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken in front of 4501. No explaination was given in the video. What was Col. Sanders’ connection to 4501? Was he a railfan? Did he help them in some way?
George
Tomorrow is Harland Sanders birthday, born 9/9/90. It seems he was a teenage streetcar conductor in New Albany, IN, an underage U.S. Army private in Cuba, and a fireman on several railroads starting with the Southern. Here’s a link to a KFC forum containing a lively excerpt from his autobiography.
http://kfc.forumup.co.uk/about489-kfc.html
Mike
As a teenager, I worked for KFC here in town, and met Harlen Sanders on one of his inspection tours.
Yup, the guy couldn’t say a complete sentence without a cuss word in it, and he was fanatical about his product…he rolled up his sleeves and showed us how he wanted things done in his stores.
While he struck me as a rude, crude person, he also struck me as someone who was willing to work very hard for his success, and expected those who worked for him to keep pace.
I do know he made many a franchise owner quite wealthy.
And yes, he really did wear those white suits.
Just a bit of trivia for this thread, from Arcamax History & Quotes, he was born on;
Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Harland Sanders in 1890
I remember seeing a photo in the late 60s or early 70s of Col. Sanders in the cab of SOU.4501. I don’t recall whether this was in TRAINS or that “other” magazine.
I was thinking that Harlan Sanders spent some time firing for the N&W out of Roanoke, VA. He made several franchise owners wealthy and it would be safe to say that he was indirectly responsible for Wendy’s. David Thomas worked for him and then took the skills he learned to start and build Wendy’s.
If he fired for Southern and N&W, it may have been that he still knew people in the industry when Southern started their steam program with the 4501. He could have volunteered to fire the 4501 out of a desire to re-live his younger days.
George