I applaude Mr Harper's forthrightness and honesty in this link.

http://www.gsmr.com/about/news/letter-m ... lroad-fans


Matt Bumgarner

I saw this via their facebook page and i'm very proud of him for doing so. Personally i'd like to see him sell the sweedish stuff and use the money to kick start #722 and #1702. But i'm glad he at least says the goal is to restore both.

Mr. Harper sounds like a man with good intentions, so I applaud him for writing this.

There are numorous groups on facebook and other places that have slammed the GSMR for not having 1702 and 722 in operation. Personally, any train ride is a good one and steam is just an added bonus and not a determining factor as to whether I'll come back to said place. I also believe that it is not up to said railfan groups to decide which engines should run or shouldn't be, or where to go or not.

That being said though, yes, I would like to see both engines run again, but just because they are not running doesn't mean that I'm not going to visit the GSMR or others in the future.

Best of luck to Mr. Harper and the GSMR.

Martin

Hello, I am a regular lurker but I had to bite on this and add a comment here. I do wish Mr. Harper the best and hope GSMR will contribute to steam restoration. I am particularly fond of 1702 and 722, but I visited GSMR in 2006? and was appalled by the condition that 1702 was left sitting... am I being too cynical or do others here agree the engines are in a pretty rough state at this time? I know there have been other tougher/more expensive/time taking restorations - but I have to wonder if Harper and business is ever really going to be able to pony up the time and money...

IMHO
Sully

So the ultimate question...what engines could be leased that could handle those runs?

Are any of the QJs or other Chinese engines available for lease? Any of Ohio Central available for lease....I believe #33 was restored but seldom used.

It's refreshing to get some honest comments on the state of things at the GSMR, as the steam side has been very neglected since AHR tok over. There are a lot of people with strong feelings on the railroad and the direction it has taken since being sold to AHR in 2000. For anyone who experienced the GSMR in the steam days, it was maybe the best steam tourist railroad on the east coast--and they worked that engine as hard as any railroad in the country (including the Cumbres & Toltec). 13 car trains were being operated twice a day out of both Dillsboro and Bryson City in the summer and fall, and the 1702 was pushed to--and sometimes beyond--its limit on those trips.





That's an interesting question. In the steam days, the Southern never ran anything bigger than a Ks-1 west of Addie (about 5 miles east of Dillsboro). Both the 630 and 722 were regulars on the Murphy Branch runs. The Ms-1 Mikados (like the 4501) were used as pushers up Balsam Mountain, but never operated on the western end of the branch, which is the part that the GSMR operates. The issues include both very sharp curves and steep grades, and possibly some clearance issues in Cowee Tunnel (just west of Dillsboro). I've always heard that the reason the MS-1s were never used past Addie was due to clearance issues in the tunnel.

Still, apparently the possibilities are better than one might expect. Greg Dodd personally told me that Atlanta & West Point heavy pacific #290 could operate over the Murphy Branch as far as Nantahala, but not up Red Marble Grade to Topton and Andrews, due to curve restrictions. Before anyone goes asking, I am not aware of any serious discussions at the time (circa 1998-99) to actually lease the 290 to run on the GSMR. If I had to guess, it was more of a "what if" games since Greg brought Bill Purdie in several times a year to run the 1702, and the connection between Purdie and the 290. The railroad was certainly wanting another engine by that time, which eventually ended in the purchase of 722 very soon after AHR took over. The steam plans were grandiose, with turntables all over the place and multiple steam locomotives in operation. Of course, soon after that, Greg Dodd and Steve Webb left the GSMR and the steam program went into decline and then an extended slumber than has now lasted 8 years.

As AHR doesn't seem to operate past Nantahala very often, if A&WP 290 could run up there, I'd imagine there are plenty of possibilities. The issue becomes the train lengths and grades moreso than anything else. You're going to need a small-drivered engine that produces a good amount of power at the 15-20mph range as opposed to a high-drivered engine that would peak out at much higher speeds unless you want to use the diesels more than the steam engine. The best options I would think would be either a Chinese SY (which can lug a slow speeds when needed), or something rather small, but powerful like the Yreka 2-8-2. That would be a best-case scenario, but you are more likely looking at what can actually be leased, as opposed to what would be the best engine for the railroad. The Gulf & Ohio has 2 operable steam locomotives in Knoxville, Tennessee for the Three Rivers Rambler, including Southern 154, which would provide something closeby IF a deal could be worked out.

Still we are venturing well away from preservation and into guesswork, so I'll simply step back and wait and see what Mr. Harper comes up with. I'm sure there are engines that are "good enough" if you have the money to throw at the owners to borrow them for a few months. Either way, it will be nice to have steam running in the Smoky Mountains again.

Best of luck to all involved,
Kevin

As much as I'd like to see 722 in steam (my parents used to see it running all the time as ET&WNC # 208), I disagree that this other equipment has no value.
A European consist like that is almost unique for an operation in the US. Heck, if nothing else, they have a shoe-in for a venue to do a “WW2 themed” train with re-enactors that actually looks the part, as well as something that movie crews might be using for background filming in the future. They could even make the transition for a Thomas-themed or Harry Potter-themed train much easier that way. Never underestimate the draw of the unusual.
Heck, the next time I’m in the part of the country, I’d love to go see this in steam because of its European looks!

Ex Reader Railroad 1702 is not the prettiest locomotive out there, but I would love to see the old girl out on the road once again.



The last all steam powered mixed train in America

Glen Brewer
RailroadGloryDays.com

Glenn -

Thanks for the front end photo of Reader #1702. Very nice! The engine got a new smokebox front with a center mounted door. Was this done when she was on the Reader and was it done because of an accident or strictly for aestetics? I seem to recall seeing a photo of the ex-U.S. Army 2-8-0 when she was still working for the Warren & Saline River and she had a center mounted headlight as in your photo. But that particular shot was taken from the side, so don't know if she had the new front end, or the original with the "offset" mounted smokebox door.

Les

Sorry Les,

I really don't know when it was changed, but always assumed that it was done by Reader when prepared for service. Pictures of the engine at an earlier time certainly show less pleasant aesthetics. Still, as you can see in the side shot in my story, the engine retained all too much of the Army look.

The last all steam powered mixed train in America

Glen Brewer
RailroadGloryDays.com

It looks as though the smoke box cover change was done by the Reader Railroad.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c-JEpqZ6LS4/T ... +train.png

The smoke box door was changed at the Reader, by cutting out a crescent from the opposite side of the off-center door, reversing it, and welding it into position to "center" the opening. Obviously, the hinges, etc., were also moved. When Reader got her, she was a standard USATC 2-8-0, although I can't recollect the original number or how they arrived at 1702.

The Swedish locomotive in Maine is about 25 miles from my home. She's been indoors for several years now, and while a number of people closely attached to her think passionately of the locomotive, I find her unimpressive and frankly, ugly. I guess that's the price one pays for being a "purist" or a "snob". The average family will never know the difference between the Swedish ten-wheeler and an SW-1. He's faced with a tough choice, but I'd opt for American or Canadian steam in a heartbeat, keeping in mind, my fare won't matter one iota in the end.

I don't know how it would get down there, but this sounds like a great opportunity for one of the engines in that shiny new roundhouse in Ohio, if Jerry would let it happen...

I would vote for him to keep the lease money and dump it into one of the locomotives mentioned and just do without steam. Everyone has waited this long and it would be my opinion that they can just wait some more while the man works on the engines he has.