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 Post subject: FEC Pacifics
PostPosted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 5:47 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 9:54 am
Posts: 1016
Location: NJ
My oldest son and I were discussing light Pacifics, and the subject of FEC 148 came up. I know 148 is in CO, and 113 and 153 are still in FL, but did any other FEC Pacifics survive, besides those three and S&A 750? I had read, years ago, that FEC sold many of those engines to lines down South; is there an online list? (And, yes I am biased, I think those engines were some of the classiest engines built-)


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 Post subject: Re: FEC Pacifics
PostPosted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 5:55 pm 

Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2005 9:07 pm
Posts: 152
Location: The beautiful piney woods of East Texas
Georgia Northern #107, at Albany, GA.


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 Post subject: Re: FEC Pacifics
PostPosted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 10:36 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 2:02 am
Posts: 620
Location: Albany, Georgia
That pretty much wraps it up. Five survive. The October 1988 issue of Mainline Modeler had a nice article on the FEC Pacifics, but incredibly, it missed 107 in the notes about surviving engines.

Interesting thing, and this is posted elsewhere too, is that Georgia Northern 107 has been exhibited since 1957 with the tender from Georgia Northern 130, ex-FEC 130, but the tender was originally built for engine 126. This was discovered during work on the tender. Also of note, 107 was the only one of the five survivors to retain the original wood cab. The cab has been replicated using a few pieces of the original that could be salvaged, but it is yet to be put on the engine. The Georgia Northern also purchased FEC 69, which became Georgia Northern 106.

Savannah & Atlanta 750 - ex-FEC 80, on exhibit at Southeastern Railway Museum, Duluth, GA
Georgia Northern 107 - ex-FEC 88, still undergoing cosmetic restoration at Thronateeska Heritage Center, Albany, GA. This year is 107's 100th birthday, but as far as I know, the Executive Director, who cares nothing about the railroad heritage of not only the area but the museum itself (housed in the union passenger station), has no plans for any celebration, much less trying to have the engine back together this year. Stupid.
FEC 113, partially disassembled and out on the back lot at Gold Coast Railroad Museum, Miami, FL
FEC 148, moved to Colorado a few years back, supposedly for restoration to operation
FEC 153, displayed at Gold Coast Railroad Museum, cosmetically restored with funds received after Hurricane Andrew pretty much destroyed the museum in early 1980's

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 Post subject: Re: FEC Pacifics
PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 9:52 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:19 am
Posts: 6394
Location: southeastern USA
To tie this to another thread, Mitsubishi built clones of these greyhounds for China back in the 1950's. No idea if any survive. They are among the most beautifully proportioned steam locomotives. 153 is the silhouette against the sunset on the cover of "Twilight of Steam", one of Ziel's most evocative images.

Mountain climbers up to Creede? Well.........not like hauling a fast bunch of commuter cars from Miami to the pier at Key West. We'll see.

FEC sent a nice bunch of 4-8-2s to Mexico, no idea what might be left down there.

dave

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 Post subject: Re: FEC Pacifics
PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 10:24 am 

Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 4:02 pm
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Location: Back in NE Ohio
Dave wrote:
To tie this to another thread, Mitsubishi built clones of these greyhounds for China back in the 1950's. No idea if any survive. They are among the most beautifully proportioned steam locomotives.


Would these happen to have been the SL Class Pacifics? If so, they truly were handsome locomotives, my favorite class of Chinese steam. Probably has something to do with the lack of the typical skyline casing on most of their locomotives. I figured that they had been lifted from an American design. I had a chance to see a couple of them working around either Harbin or Changchun in 1987. I have read reports that at least one or two were preserved. I don't believe any are in operating condition.


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 Post subject: Re: FEC Pacifics
PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 12:20 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 9:54 am
Posts: 1016
Location: NJ
Thanks, everyone, for the information. The note about the Chinese SL6 had me track down http://www.Railography.co.uk which had a few images of the clones. Torch off the elephant ears and you almost have the 148 and sisters.

Some of the other classes on that site would look right at home in the US with only minor modifications, especially the earliest 2-8-2. Great 'copies'-


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 Post subject: Re: FEC Pacifics
PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 5:47 pm 

Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2007 3:06 pm
Posts: 34
Location: North Palm Beach, Fl.
What about the FEC 253 which is in the process of being restored at the Ft. Pierce. Florida museum?


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 Post subject: Re: FEC Pacifics
PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 7:22 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 8:28 am
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Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Kirk Warner wrote:
What about the FEC 253 which is in the process of being restored at the Ft. Pierce. Florida museum?


Kirk,

The 253 is a 0-8-0 that the FEC sold to the Louisiana and Arkansas. I wonder if it is a USRA design 0-8-0?

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 Post subject: Re: FEC Pacifics
PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 8:20 pm 
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Location: Beaumont, Texas
EDM wrote:
Thanks, everyone, for the information. The note about the Chinese SL6 had me track down http://www.Railography.co.uk which had a few images of the clones. Torch off the elephant ears and you almost have the 148 and sisters.

Some of the other classes on that site would look right at home in the US with only minor modifications, especially the earliest 2-8-2. Great 'copies'-


Yes, the SL6 in the Beijing Railway Museum is the only known surviving SL6. There are other SL (Pacific) locomotives, but different builders from earlier years.

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 Post subject: Re: FEC Pacifics
PostPosted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 7:41 pm 

Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2005 4:55 pm
Posts: 86
Here's a pic of 148 as of Nov, 2010.

Dale Grice


Attachments:
20101106N-006 SAN LUIS & RIO GRANDE RR ALAMOSA TO LAVETA CO & RETURN.JPG
20101106N-006 SAN LUIS & RIO GRANDE RR ALAMOSA TO LAVETA CO & RETURN.JPG [ 239.49 KiB | Viewed 7695 times ]
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 Post subject: Re: FEC Pacifics
PostPosted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 8:57 pm 

Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2005 1:34 am
Posts: 65
Location: Auburn, GA
The 148 needs a lot of work. The numbers from its last UT are extremely low. Seems like some of them were in the 200s on the wrapper sheets.

When I was out there, the group at Monte Vista had lots of neat equipment. But I understand they are hurting for money and support out there. Crede has fought them pretty hard. The line would be a very cool ride. Not sure that 148 is going to pull a hefty train though.

Are all the TTX spine cars that were stored out the line from Monte Vista still there? I understood that they were all going to be cut up somewhere in the valley.

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 Post subject: Re: FEC Pacifics
PostPosted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 7:12 am 

Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 3:28 am
Posts: 270
Looks like 148 got either a fresh coat of paint on her drivers or all she had done to her so far was get retired. You're right. Still a LONG way to go but at least her drivers look good!!


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 Post subject: Re: FEC Pacifics
PostPosted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 11:37 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 9:54 am
Posts: 1016
Location: NJ
The 148 had a very extensive mechanical rebuild in the mid 1970s that unfortunately didn't extend to the boiler. Those tires (retired in Steve's post should be re-tired???) are just about brand new, and came from Germany. The work on the machinery included crown brasses, hub liners (Nylatron?) lots of brake and spring rigging work, springs, etc. Its been a few years, but maybe others close to that engine can add to the list-


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