Ladies and Gents,

I read the forum almost every day and actually have a little good news that I'd like to post.

As most of you probably don't know, My brother and I own a 44 ton GE. this GE has a little history to it, but the main reason we bought/saved it was because of the railroad that bought it new. It was built in 1950 for the Nashville Chattanooga & St Louis RR or the Dixie Line. It toiled away in the Huntsville, Al yards for many years as the NC's 100. It became L&N 3100 after the merger in 1957 and the maroon and gold switcher scheme was replaced with the L&N's black scheme. It was sold in 1962 to Transportation Services of Florence Al where it recieved some unique equipment for the time. According to Union Switch & Signal, the operation in Florence (a transloading facility) was the first remote operation of it's kind in the US. 100 was remotely operated from a control room and unlaoded 10 loaded hopper cars of coal at a time. It worked there for many years before being retired. We don't know the date as to when it was retired. Somehow it ended up on the Tennessee Southern RR in Mt. Pleasant, TN. We first learned of it through a listing with DF Barnhardt and inquired about 100, but the asking price was more than we could afford at the time, so we dropped it and went on with our lives. A few years later it appeard on http://www.railswap.org/ for sale and after contacting the owner, a price was agreed apon and the locomotive was purchased. the plan was to loan it to a non-profit that my brother and I were both members of at the time. This effort failed and put us in a dilema as to what to do with the locomotive. As some of you know, TSRR was bought by Patriot Rail and because of that the new owners want foreign power off the railroad. Something that went unnoticed by many was the fact that an x L&N modified alco switcher (S-1m? repowered with and EMD prime mover) still in L&N paint was scrapped due to the owner not being able to find a suitable home and not having the funds to move the locomotive.... This really put some urgency in moving the 100 off the property or disposing of 100 (on a side note, TSRR has been very gracious with us and we are very greatful to them for that). My brother was contacted by members of the NC&STL Preservation Society (http://www.ncstl.com/) about the possibility of 100 being moved to the Cowan Railroad Museum in Cowan, Tn and being put on display. After talking with the president of the museum, My brother and I decided to move it to Cowan. Currently the museum doesn't have a website, but I believe that is in the works. They have a nice depot with many displays and a Porter 2-4-2, L&N flat car and NC&STL bay window caboose pluse 2 motorcars. Membership is $10. It is planned to load 100 on a truck on June 7th and transport it to Cowan and then unload it on a new section of display track on June 8th. Plans are to restore the locmotive cosmetically to its NC&STL appearance and to slowly bring the locomotive back to life after its slumber. I belive the Cowan Railroad Musuem was named Tennessee's second state museum, Tennessee Valley being the first. This is exciting for us as well as the museum. I have been really down about rail preservation for a long while, but now have renewed interest in volunteering again.

I know this is insignificant compared to a T-1 possibly being up for grabs again, but for those of us that are NC fans it's big news. The NC owned four 44 ton GE's. Out of the 4 only 2 survive. 100 is one and the other is the 101 which is still used on the Loweville and Beaver River RR as their 1950. There are only a handful of NC locomotives left: one 4-8-4 and two narrow gauge 0-4-0's (debatable as to heritage), two GP-7's that are known, an Alco S-1 and possibly an SW-1 and SW-8, but I have not researched the existance of either of these and the two 44 ton GE's. I don't know all of the history of Cowan, but there is a pusher district there as well as a tunnel and was a branch line that ran up Mt. Eagle with a bridge that crossed the main before the tunnel.

Anyway, I just wanted to share.

Thanks,

Stuart

Stuart

Thanks for sharing, I look forward to seeing pictures of the progress being made on this project and its move please keep us up to date. Large or small any equipment being preserved is a step in the right direction!

Thanks again for posting!

While a 44-tonner is not a 4-8-4, to a private owner of ordinary means it can seem like just as big a burden to move and restore. Good luck with your project.

Stuart,

Great work.

Yes, yes, please keep us posted on your restoration.

Scott Kwiatkowski
www.prrllc.com

I'd like to also add that Stuart and his brother recently donated a pair of Central of Georgia HW trucks (3-axle, bolt-on pedestal w/ "C. OF GA." cast on them) to the Roundhouse Railroad Museum in Savannah, GA. The trucks were recovered on April 9-10 by Terry Koller of the RRM with (a little) assistance from Allen Tuten (President of the Central of Georgia Railway Historical Society), myself and Stuart. The trucks were loaded on a flatbed truck in Almo, KY and shipped to Savannah, arriving on April 11.

Stuart can provide more information, but the trucks are from Pullman obs Mount Ouray, which went to the Waccamaw Coast Line operation at Myrtle Beach, SC after roller bearing trucks were placed under it. It is believed these CofGA trucks were swapped to the Mount Ouray when that car went into roadway service, with the Mt. Ouray's original trucks being placed under a CofGA revenue car. The Mount Ouray is thought to have been scrapped recently. It may have been one of several HW cars brokered by D.F. Barnhardt last year in NC that had been gutted and were painted oxide primer. Can anyone confirm the fate of these cars, and if these were former Waccamaw Coast Line cars?

The intended use of the trucks is for restoration of Georgia RR Coach 67 acquired from Augusta, GA by the RRM last year. Of course, research may show this car had 2-axle trucks, but at least the trucks have been preserved and may see life again under passenger equipment.

Anyone know of a resource for 5" x 9" journal brasses for passenger car trucks?

Its been said that politics is the art of the possible. I think that applies to preservation as well.

So while a 44 tonner isn't a 4-8-4, nonetheless, it runs on two rails 4 feet 8 1/2 inches apart, and was in fact a rather important machine, in that thousands were built to replace steam engines (and escape the two man operation rule), but only 4 were built for this particular railroad. It may not have powered a crack passenger train-but hopper cars have always been something railroads generated generated a lot of their revenue with and loading, unloading and assembling were obviously important. By the time this engine was built-it was a godsend to enterprises that labored under some unwise and oppressive restrictions on their business.

Your account demonstrates that passion with patience and initiative are important -and we have a rather long history of lamenting the loss of various engines or classes of engines-here is a 44 ton victory. Thanks for sharing.

Not sure if it makes a big deal, but I recently got hold of an original GE maintenance manual for the entire series - which is very detailed. It includes the 25-tonner, 44-tonner, and the 90-tonner in one book.

It's got all the procedures, in detail, to do the regular tasks you need to do, and little details all over the place on how things are supposed to come apart, and what recommended lubricants and materials are. How much slack in a 25-tonner chain drive? One inch. How to safely turn a motor commutator ON the locomotive in a pit!

I'd like to hang onto it for the good of the order, but I'm right next door to a copy shop, so if anybody really needs a copy of one and can foot the photocopy bill, hey, I'm good for it. Email or PM me.

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for the kind words. I'll keep all of you posted and will endeavor to figure out how to post pictures.....

Randy, I'd be very intersted in a copy of the manual. I sent you a PM.

For some background history of us.... My brother and I's railroading interests stem from our dad, who passed away last year. After taking early retirement from the phone company and moving back to KY, dad thought it would be neat to start a living history village in Western Ky. He started aquiring vintage RR equipment in the 80's with the first piece of equipment being an x ICRR RPO that was used by the bridge crew in Fulton, KY. If I remember right, he purchased 2 x Southern Coaches from the TVRM bankruptcy. One was the 1066 and I don't remember the others number. After that he bought 3 more IC cars that were used in the Carbondale, Ill wreck train. One was the former 2619, "Gravier(sp)" which was used on the City of New Orleans and was a 64 seat, lightweight coach originally. The other two cars were the 2242 and the 2904. Both were heavyweight coaches. The 2619 and 2242 were converted to bunk cars and the 2904 converted to a kitchen car. The IC cars were stored on the J&J RR in Hardin, KY and the IC RPO and Southern 1066 went to the C&J RR in Hopkinsville, Ky. He also tried to get the two wooden cabooses from the Cadiz RR, but they were cut up when the last 2 miles of track were donated to the city and converted to a walking trail (the first in KY I believe). The IC RPO and Southern 1066 were practically stolen when the C&J shut down and after learning of their departure from Hopkinsville, without dads permission, they were diverted to another RR for storage and ended up being sold. The 1066 went to Waccamaw Coastline as well as the other Southern coach and the IC 2619. During this time, dad brokered the Mt Ouray to WCLRR and took the trucks in lew of commision as he had located an IC heavyweight diner that needed trucks. This car was cut up after CSX Jacksonville Mgnt gave the car to the newly formed nonprofit that dad was on the board of. Seems the local Yard wanted it off the property and didn't know what Corporate had planned for it.... Anyway, that's how the trucks were acquired. They were delivered and set off the truck and remained there until removed by Terry Kohler, Allen, Stephen and I. They were overgrown and one truck had a tree growing up through it. Dad also owned a couple cabooses and bought Frisco 1506, a cafe-lounge and a heavyweight scribed sided observation car out of Mobile, AL. He ended up trading the observation car to Shortline Enterprises for putting 1506 back on live rail and turning the journals. He also sold IC 2242 to SE. IC 2242 (last I heard) was on the Fillmore and Western as was the x IC RPO. Dad also owned an L&N coach that was bought for the possibility of using on another tourist railroad. When that fell through it was sold in route and went to somewhere in GA. I'm probably forgetting something, but I've probably bored all of you enough. Dad came close to owning a couple steam locomotives, an E-8, a 65 ton Whitcomb and we also owned quite a collection of motorcars and other collectibles. The 20 ton Davenport was the last piece of equipment Dad worked on with me and the 44 ton GE was the last piece of equipment that we bought. Dad also had a couple of other cars, like a C&IM combine and a couple N&W coaches. The combine was donated to Monticello RR Museum after dad decided it would never be moved and got tired of paying storage on it and the N&W coaches were claimed for storage by IRM. Now, through all of this, my brother and I went through many railroad cars on Class 1's and various other locations, back when you could go in a yard without being harrassed and could go into a yard office and tell the yardmaster who you were and ask for permission to look at what you wanted and usually be granted permission. It was a lot of fun and we saw a lot of stuff you don't see anymore in yards on railroads.

I've tried for a couple years to find out what happened to various cars dad owned and the ones that interset me the most are the ones that went to Waccamaw CoastLine. There was a big group of cars that went there with some unique cars that wer rebuilt by the IC. One was the Obs Paducah. I belive I know where the Padcuah is, but I have yet to find out what happened to the two Southern coaches, the 2619 and the Mt Ouray which was a C of G observation. If any of you know, I'd like to know. As Stephen said, a group of cars were listed by DF Barnhardt for sale in North Carolina that were all in the process of being restored. They were in red oxide primer. One was a smooth sided coach of IC heritage and one was an observation car, and there were one or two heavyweight coaches and possibly and x NC&STL all steel baywindow caboose. I've heard that these cars were scrapped, but have never confirmed it.

As with most people in the rail presvervation industry, it wasn't about the money, it was a love of trains and boyhood memories for dad. He grew up in Dawson Springs, and Madisonville, KY on the IC and got to see steam working the coal mines of western ky. His name was Bill Hale. He lost money trying to save a little bit of history, but I bet if he were still hear, he'd do it all over agian.

Thanks for listening, having a great message board and for a little encouragement. I hope all of you don't mind me talking about dad. He had a dream and tried to make it happen and my brother and I took up the dream. After pursuing it for a few years and dads death, we decided we couldn't take care of the equipment that was left and started looking for homes for it. My brother and I do plan on getting back to volunteering as time and family permits and due to this move, we feel encouraged again and hopful.

Stuart

ps, if any of you know the whereabouts of any of the cars mentioned above, I'd like to know, just for sentimental reasons. I have no interest in buying any more rail equipment, unless it is a cheap hyrail truck or a Cadiz RR Alco.....

Hi Everyone,

Tomorrow (June 7th) is the big day. Most everything is set and hopefully it will go smoothly. If everything goes as planned NC&STL Ry 100 will be at it's new home in Cowan, Tn. I'll be taking pictures and hopefully will post some.

Cross your fingers and hope and pray it all goes well....

Stuart

ps.. Thats Nasvhille, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway or the "Dixie Line" for those that are wondering :-)

Hi Everyone,

I'll bore you know more with talk of 44 ton GE's :-) I just wanted to report that NC&STL Ry 100 was safely loaded and transported from Mt. Pleasant, Tn to it's new home in Cowan, Tn at the Cowan Railroad Musuem. Continental Machinery Movers hauled the locomotive and Elliot Crane Services laoded and unloaded the locomotive. The people of Cowan were excited about the move and many turned out to watch the arrival and unloading of the locomotive.

Tennessee Southern Railroad was a great help in the loading of the locomotive and my brother and I cannot thank them enough. I have some pictures if anyone is interested....

Stuart

Stuart -

Yes!

Les

http://s186.photobucket.com/albums/x219/gnufe/








Try this...

Stuart

Stuart,

Congratulations on a successful move! Good photos!