My uncle, Ralph Wilson (1912-1958), was a professional photographer and lived in Deming, New Mexico in the late 1940s. This photo was in his collection when he passed away.

The exact circumstances behind this photo are unknown. A light plane appears to have crashed next to the SP main line somewhere in New Mexico. Coal burning SP3502 was a 2-8-4 purchased second hand from the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1945. It was converted to oil sometime in 1949-1950 so, given the 1948-style lettering on the tender, this photo was probably taken in 1948 or 1949.

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