The Wanamaker, Kempton & Southern Steam Railroad (WK&S)is located in the small town of Kempton, Pennsylvania.The railroad operates steam and diesel tourist operations.The railroad owns two steam locomotives.They are as follows: An 0-6-0T and an 0-4-0T fitted with a makeshift tender.The railroad operates over a small segment of the former Reading Railroad's Schuykill and Lehighton branch.The line is referred to as the Hawk Mountain line.The line travels along the Ontelaunee Creek.The first trip of the season is the first Sunday of next month (May 6,2001).All of the following Sundays of the month of May will have trips,too,that will be operated by one of the WK&S's steam locomotives(Most likely the 0-4-0T.).The trips will depart from Kempton station at 1,2,3,and 4 P.M..The round-trips are approximately 40 minutes,and they cover about 6 miles all together.

The photograph and link: The photograph below is from a website I found while I was searching the net.The address to the website is:
http://www.steamlocomotive.com/pennsy/
It is the second railroad down.The link below the photograph is the link to the official website of the WK&S.I thank the authors of both of the websites for enabling me to access the information and photographs on the WK&S.Thanks!

http://www.wknsrr.com/

Norfolk_Western_611@hotmail.com

These guys run a great little railroad and do well despite being in a cornfield miles from anywhere. Their equipment and station and yard are in great shape and I recommend taking the time to visit if you are anywhere nearby.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

The Wanamaker, Kempton & Southern Steam Railroad (WK&S) seems to have a lot of railroad equipment!But, I haven't been able to find an actual roster!Does anyone have a roster?I would appreciate anyone located one for me!It doesn't matter if it would be posted as a message, or send it to my E-Mail address.From what people say it sounds like the WK&S has a lot of General Electric ''Little Critters'', or also know as ''Crummys''.

Caption and Link: The photograph below is of the WK&S's 0-6-0T (Number 65) .I am not sure what building is in the background of the picture.I got the photograph from the same website I got the one in the first message. http://www.steamlocomotive.com/pennsy/
The link below the photograph is to the WK&S's official website.I thank both of the authors for enabling me to access information on the WK&S.


http://www.wknsrr.com/

Norfolk_Western_611@hotmail.com

RE: WK&S Roster

Kurt Bell (who posts here) did a write up on the WK&S some years back, I believe in L&RP. He can give you a detailed answer on anything on the WK&S, but I'll try to fill in for now.

Stuff in usual operation:

0-4-0T #2 was built by Porter in 1920 for the E&G Brooke Iron & Steel Co. of Birdsboro, Pa. #2 spent all of its working life at this steel mill undergoing a sucession of owners, the last being Colorado Iron & Fuel. The homemade coal-only (no water tank) tender was constructed by the WK&S on the chassis of an old Plymouth gasoline locomotive. It was added, I believe around 1970, to increase the very meager in-cab coal supply. The tender has been (or is in the process of being) removed. Coal will carried in a rear cab bunker, made from recycled parts left over from Strasburg's THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE conversion of ex-BEDT Porter 0-6-0T #15.

0-6-0T #65 was built by Porter in 1930 for the Safe Harbor Water & Power Co. and was used in the construction of the Safe Harbor dam on the Susquehanna River near Conestoga, Pa. Since its arrival in the early 70's, #65 has become the railroad mainstay of operations.

The railroad's two centercab diesel electric locomotives were both originally U.S. Army Transportation Corps engines.

#602 is a 65-ton (ballasted to 70, I believe) Whitcomb built in (I believe) 1944. It spent much of its working life owned by Gulf Oil, last working in their former South Philly refinery. Acquired via Cornell University and the Anthracite Railroads Historical Society. It's painted and lettered for the Lehigh & New England Railroad, which once had a very similar Whitcomb switcher numbered 601 (hence this engine's #602).

#7528 (I THINK that's the correct #!!) is a 45-ton side-rod GE, I don't know the year. Acquired several years ago from a foundry (I think Armorcast or something like that) in Birdsboro, Pa.

I'll have to leave the exact details (years, numbers, etc) of the rolling stock to others, but I'll give a quick rundown.

(1) steel passenger-baggage combine car, ex-Reading (in service)
(3) steel suburban coaches, ex-Reading (2 in service, 1 stored)
(1) steel open-platform coach, ex-Lackawanna (in service)
(1) open excursion car, converted ex-Lehigh & New England gondola (in service, railroad has 2 or 3 other converted ex-L&NE gondolas stored)
(2) ex-Reading 8-wheel cabooses, 1 steel and 1 wood (both in service)

Other stuff not normally used:
Boxcab gas-electric locomotive #35, built by Mack Trucks (I believe during the late 30's) from an earlier straight-electric switching locomotive. Mack fitted 2 of their inline-6 truck engines along with generators. It was one of two such converted locomotives built by Mack and used to switch their Allentown truck plant. The second locomotive (now just the shell) is also at WK&S. #35 did operate for a while at Kempton in the early 80's, but has been mostly sidelined with an engine failure.

(1) 4-wheel cupola-less wood caboose, ex-Lehigh & New England (restored, but mainly used only special trips)

(1) ex-Jersey Central steel business car #98, stored (was used as extra fare car--dubbed the "Golden Hawk"-- on WK&S trains in the 70's)

(1) converted wood passenger car (thinking ex-Ironton, not sure) used to house an HO scale model railroad club layout.

(1) wood flat car, ex-Lehigh & New England

Stuff now gone:
Steam Locomotive #3, 0-4-0T (Alco-Cooke, 1911) ex-American Brake Shoe & Foundry, later Colorado Fuel & Iron (at Birdsboro with #2). Was a static display at the WK&S. Now displayed in Patterson, NJ outside of the Patterson Museum (old Rodgers Locomotive Works bldg.)

Steam locomotive #250, 2-6-2 (Baldwin, 1926) ex-Bonhomie & Hattiesburg Southern. Operated at the WK&S during the mid and late 60's. Sold in 1972 to the Wolfeboro RR. Now for sale at Concord, NH.

Gasoline locomotive #20, 4-wheel (20 ton?) Whitcomb mechanical-drive, I believe ex-USA Quartermaster Corps. Was used in switching service at Kempton.

"Berksy Trolley" 4-wheel gasoline passenger railcar. Built by the WK&S around 1972 on the chassis of an ex-Reading "Hump Rider" car that was once used to transport brakeman back to the top of the freight yard "hump" at Saint Clair, Pa.
Now at Savannah, Ga.

(2) wood coaches, 1 ex-Reading and 1 ex-B&O, now at Strasburg.

I'm sure I missed something, but that's it for now.

Regards,
Jim Robinson

> "Berksy Trolley" 4-wheel gasoline
> passenger railcar. Built by the WK&S
> around 1972 on the chassis of an ex-Reading
> "Hump Rider" car that was once
> used to transport brakeman back to the top
> of the freight yard "hump" at
> Saint Clair, Pa.
> Now at Savannah, Ga.

Berksy is being reborn as an open streetcar replica with a clerestory roof. Now in progress.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net