This was Bluffton prior to mid-1956. Paul Diller took this photo of Nickel Plate Road Berkshire Lima-building steam locomotive 718.
CHECK OUT THE WOODCOCK PLANT PHOTO AT BOTTOM OF STORY. -
Paul photographed this fast-moving freight as it crossed the railroad bridge at Marsh Run north of Bluffton. The smoke stack in the background is the Woodcock power plant - bellowing more black smoke that the loco.
The freight passed Bluffton northbound toward Findlay and eventually ended in Bellevue.
This was not a spur-of-the-moment photo. It was a well thought out photo. The photographer positioned himself in this spot, knowing the locomotive was approaching. The camera (manual focus) was snapped at the split second before the locomotive passed in view of the Woodcock chimney.
This way, the photographer had the locomotive and power plant black smoke in the same photo.
We don't know the exact date the photo was taken. However, we do know that the last-ever steam locomotives on the NKP passed through Bluffton in early September 1956.
A photo of the Woodcock plant is below.
