Just to stay on topic, I last witnessed #4 just in August of 2013 (Although i wanted to see 611 in Roanoke). She is a mighty pretty engine, and her sister #14 lives 10 miles away from me in Gaithersburg. Man those 2-8-0's are gorgeous engines

I have just received word from a highly-placed, fairly unimpeachable source that BC&G 4 will be leaving the Spencer shops by truck on Tuesday, May 19th.

Happy chasing/pacing!

About a couple hundred other people heard it too this past weekend, so it's not a complete secret as to who your/our source is :p

My only comment is that my source--with connections to both the trucking industry and the railfan community--may not have wanted his identity disclosed, nor was I aware whether the info was publicly known.

And usually when he leaks such stuff to me, the stuff is loaded and ready to roll at dawn's early light...........

John Smith, the owner of the D&GV told the 240 people at Cass on Friday night, so I am sure that he expected that everyone would know by Monday. At that time the plans were to have the engine at Cass on Wednesday, so if they left today, that looks like all is on schedule. John was very open and up front with all of the people that were at the Cass railfan weekend about his hopes and plans for the engine, as well as restoring the Durbin to Cass line.

So what's the latest on BC&G No. 4 at Cass, and what's the status of the track reconstruction to Durbin?

When I asked that question of John Smith, I was told that they have repaired 3 washouts, 900 ties, and rebuilt 2.5 miles of track. Based on what he told Trains, it looks like they will be putting off working on #4 until they work off some of the backlog in the Cass shop. They started working on shay #2 last year, and they really need to get that engine in service, since #11 is also down for its 1472. Heisler #6 also is due a 1472 over the winter so getting shay #2 done has to be a major priority. I think that D&GV climax #3 is also in need of its 1472 over the winter as well.

John told Trains that the target for the Cass to Durbin track is now 2018, and I would suspicion that is roughly the same time frame for getting #4 back into service.

Climax #3 is not under any kind of FRA regulation as the D&GVR south Durbin is an insular operation. #3 is under state of WV jurisdiction.

When the Cass to Durbin line is restored (now looking like 2018), Climax #3 should then fall under FRA regulations.

My follow-up question would be, it seems like the Climax ends up tip-toeing over the current active track compared to what #4 would do to the track - maybe I'm wrong about that - but what speeds are they anticipating allowing #4 to run at over the line once it's restored? 10 mph? More/less?

When I was working there last summer, the plan was make the 15 mile, one-way trip in 45 minutes. That would require significant improvement to currently operated track. Right now little #3 is about the only steam locomotive capable of negotiating the shoo-fly's, around the washouts.

They're obviously looking at rebuilding the line to class 2. 15 miles in 45 minutes is close to 20mph. Class 1 track is good for 15 mph for passenger, 10 mph for freight.

That's a lot of work, but seeing what the WVC has done in the past, its not insurmountable with the proper funding