Camelback's Departure: A Happy Ending

K.R. Bell · **Posted:** Thu Jan 08, 2004 11:24 pm

For those following the Camelback "saga," ex-P&R class A4-b "Camelback" No. 1187 left the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania this past Tuesday, January 6. This is the first time the engine has left the Museum since it was brought over on loan on July 3, 1987. Strasburg RR towed it across the street with their 44-tonner No. 33, after having moved the PRR M1b and K4s into place on the new front tracks (on the old "grassy island"). No. 1187 now resides in the East Strasburg Yard, awaiting its next turn into the shop.

Let's pray that nothing bad mechanically is found.

Brian Oxee · **Posted:** Thu Jan 08, 2004 11:32 pm

No Message

Tim O · **Posted:** Thu Jan 08, 2004 11:35 pm

I remember reading a few weeks ago about whether and if the restoration should occur. If it does run, will it burn anthracite? I know some RRs had their switchers burn a 50/50 mix of hard and soft coal. I'm not sure what the Reading's rules on this were.

http://www.nps.gov/stea/

Wowak · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2004 9:05 am

> If it does run, will it burn anthracite?

The beauty of the wooten bfirebox is that while it can burn otherwise useless anthracite culm, they will usually fire very nicely with bituminous.

mrwowak@yahoo.com

Phil Mulligan · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2004 12:01 pm

P&R/R.Co. varied their fuels seasonally and based on the service. Hand-fired shifters often got 90% anthracite, 10% bituminous. I assume coal prices were a factor as well.

Do the SRC people know what E & G Brooke (CF&I) ran 4 on when they had it? They had coke available too.

Electric City Trolley Museum Association

Bob Yarger · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2004 4:14 pm

I think we'd all like to see photos and/or video of this move, and those that preceded it.

ryarger@rypn.org

K.R. Bell · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2004 5:35 pm

The move was done impromptu--originally the engine was to be picked up this coming Monday but since the SRC crew doing the shifting at the museum was on site and available last Tuesday they went ahead and finished the move. As far as I know, nobody got any pictures. Kind of a low key event at the time.

> I think we'd all like to see photos and/or
> video of this move, and those that preceded
> it.

S.S. Weaver · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2004 9:25 pm

> I think we'd all like to see photos and/or
> video of this move, and those that preceded
> it.

It was kind of impromptu, as Kurt noted. We lubed No.4 all up and were moving at a crawl. Still, her pistons sounded like my retriever when he doesn't feel well. As I was coming east down the main past the station, I did note Wayne taking pictures with a camera. Wayne, is there anything worth posting?

Steve

Strasburg Rail Road
ssweaver@paonline.com