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 Post subject: Magma Arizona Diesel "Safe", Engine House Demolished.
PostPosted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 6:12 pm 

Joined: Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:02 am
Posts: 53
Location: Albuquerque....
While surfing Reddit this morning, I found that the Magma Copper Smelter in Superior Arizona is undergoing demolition, to be capped off with the implosion of the smelter stack this Saturday, November 10th. Just briefly looking at some of the photos, all the buildings on the site are being leveled, including the Magma Arizona Railroad's once open-air engine house.
Image
https://resolutioncopper.com/shape-whats-next/west-plant-reclamation/magma-smelter-engine-shop-demolition_0617/

I had seen differing posts on whether or not one of the surviving Magma Arizona Baldwins were entombed in the building. The current copper company, Resolution Copper (who is undertaking the demolition and remidation of the site) has a Flickr account showing the locomotive intact in the now-demolished building uploaded in October.
Image239A4477
by Resolution Copper, on Flickr.

Thankfully, while the Flickr page does not show any more recent photos, the company's Instagram page shows the locomotive outdoors and away from the demolished structure with the photo caption "The old Magma Arizona Rail Road locomotive engine No.9 is being preserved. Its new home hasn’t been determined."
Attachment:
File comment: Magma 9
Screen Shot 2018-11-05 at 3.10.44 PM.jpg
Screen Shot 2018-11-05 at 3.10.44 PM.jpg [ 282.92 KiB | Viewed 6892 times ]

https://www.instagram.com/p/Boe-RTDF-ZR/

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William Diehl


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 Post subject: Re: Magma Arizona Diesel "Safe", Engine House Demolished.
PostPosted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 8:12 pm 

Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 1:40 am
Posts: 489
If the old Baldwin makes it to preservation that'll be a good day. I love Baldwin switchers and am quite concerned the one at ITM is in grave danger. This one looks like either a DS-4-4-1000 or a VO-1000 just going on the stack configuration but is actually a S12. Maybe it'll find it's way to SMS and operating condition again someday?

Robert


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 Post subject: Re: Magma Arizona Diesel "Safe", Engine House Demolished.
PostPosted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 10:30 pm 

Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2004 3:07 pm
Posts: 705
If it began life as an S12, the "one stack per cylinder" suggests that it is no longer turbocharged--or perhaps never was?. Was this possibly of McCloud River RR origin?


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 Post subject: Re: Magma Arizona Diesel "Safe", Engine House Demolished.
PostPosted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 11:54 pm 

Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 12:30 am
Posts: 290
Yes, it's ex McCloud River and was built without a turbocharger.


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 Post subject: Re: Magma Arizona Diesel "Safe", Engine House Demolished.
PostPosted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 10:46 am 

Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2011 11:23 am
Posts: 436
Location: Sheboygan County, Wisconsin
In the early morning dark of September 4, 1968, I parked my Yamaha DT-1 by the Magma office and hiked up to the enginehouse. I could hear the sound of a blower.

I saw 2-8-2 7 sitting on the middle rail with the new ex-Medco Baldwin by its side. The hostler was asleep, but woke when I climbed up into the cab. We talked for awhile and he told me that this should be her last day and that was account of the diesel not being fully painted.

He offered to let me move her outside to take water and then put her back inside. When that was done, he got serious and said it would be better if I waited down by the office to get a permit. I thanked him and later learned that since I was the only one who showed up that day, they wouldn't bother with a permit. "Just be careful". I did and ended with some decent slides, fair 35mm negs and some really nice Super 8 footage that I later had transformed into DVD.

Sorry to see that venerable steam monument go away. Good memories.


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 Post subject: Re: Magma Arizona Diesel "Safe", Engine House Demolished.
PostPosted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 4:08 pm 

Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm
Posts: 6400
Tom -

Extremely jealous of your time with 2-8-2 number 7, but so very glad you were there to be with the old girl on her last day. I'm assuming that the ex-Medco Baldwin you mentioned was turned out as Magma Arizona number 8 and that the unit being preserved (number 9) came later.

BTW, have you ever been down to visit number 7 at the TSR?

Les


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 Post subject: Re: Magma Arizona Diesel "Safe", Engine House Demolished.
PostPosted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 9:43 pm 

Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2011 11:23 am
Posts: 436
Location: Sheboygan County, Wisconsin
Les Beckman wrote:
Tom -

Extremely jealous of your time with 2-8-2 number 7, but so very glad you were there to be with the old girl on her last day. I'm assuming that the ex-Medco Baldwin you mentioned was turned out as Magma Arizona number 8 and that the unit being preserved (number 9) came later.

BTW, have you ever been down to visit number 7 at the TSR?

Les


Les...

Yes, Medco's 8 spot kept her same number when at Magma. I had seen her just 3 months prior while on USAF leave on the way to Vancouver Island. Somebody there had told me that she was going to a railroad in AZ, but I didn't put it together just where she was headed.

I have not yet been down to Texas to see the TSR. Still trying to forget how bleak the bus drive was from San Antone to Amarillo. Just kidding.


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 Post subject: Re: Magma Arizona Diesel "Safe", Engine House Demolished.
PostPosted: Wed Nov 07, 2018 3:12 am 

Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2005 2:46 am
Posts: 148
Location: Elko, NV
To add to the previous responses...Baldwin originally built what is now the Magma 9 as McCloud River #31, according to the builder's plate it was a S-12 Mod, as Baldwin otherwise built it as a S-12 but with a steel box instead of a turbocharger.

Magma bought their #8, a true Baldwin S-8, from Medford Corporation in July 1968, by happenstance it was #8 on both operations. Magma bought the former McCloud River #31 from locomotive dealer Chrome Crankshaft on 29 July 1969, Chrome had purchased it from McCloud only about five days before. Magma retrofitted the unit with the six exhaust stacks (one per cylinder) after its arrival, this was a common modification many owners made to switchers, and Baldwin called it "hot rodding". The Southern Oregon Chapter of the NRHS acquired the #8 and moved it back to the Medford area around 20 years ago, they have since repainted it back to Medford Corporation colors.

I've been wondering about this locomotive, I was pretty sure it was still around but had not heard or seen anything for sure. This confirms it. I hope it ends up at a good home, thank you for posting the link.

Jeff Moore
Elko, NV
http://www.mccloudriverrailroad.com


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 Post subject: Re: Magma Arizona Diesel "Safe", Engine House Demolished.
PostPosted: Wed Nov 07, 2018 1:37 pm 

Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2007 12:47 pm
Posts: 164
Location: Arizona
I drive through Superior on a nearly-daily basis to and from my work at the Copper Basin Ry and have been keeping an eye of the happenings up on the hill.

Not only has the engine shed been torn down and the #9 dragged out into the dirt, the large brick machine shop building that stood next to the shed has been demolished. As mentioned the stack is to go down on Saturday. This will remove the last traces of the original Magma Copper plant in Superior. The last time I looked, several months ago, the scale house still stood down where the Superior wye was located. All the track is gone. If still standing, it is now the last remaining structure from the Magma Arizona Railroad.

At one time Resolution Copper, the new owners, asked the town if they wanted the stack to remain standing. The locals of course said "yes!". Resolution countered with "OK, but it needs a lot of stabilizing work. If you can come up with the cash to do that we will leave it standing". My guess is Superior quickly back pedaled when money became involved.

My dream was to turn the portion of the Magma Arizona RR from where it crosses US 60 south of Florence Junction on up to Superior into an excursion train. The scenery is quite nice through forests of Saguaro cactus and great views of the Superstition Mountains. It would have been a nice ride, even better with some steam operation.

Resolution has had the wye connection with the Copper Basin Ry rebuilt down at Magma Junction rebuilt with all new rail and ties. So I guess Resolution intends to do something with the railroad.


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