Grand Canyon Ry. Acquires(?) SP&S 2-8-2 539

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Tue May 13, 2014 7:03 pm

This posted to the Grand Canyon Railway's Facebook page minutes ago:

Quote:

Spokane, Portland, & Seattle RR Locomotive No. 539 is now Grand Canyon Railway No. 539! More pictures to come, stay tuned...

This big Mikado has been out behind the "back shop" of the railroad for ages. I wonder what the back story is.....

Ironically, this comes at a time when Williams is making the national newswires for its water shortages:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/05/12/ar ... d-drought/
http://azdailysun.com/news/local/amid-s ... 963f4.html

rock island lines · **Joined:** Mon Feb 17, 2014 4:20 pm **Posts:** 487

Wow, interesting. It was for sale for so long. I was guessing it might go to "The age of Steam Roundhouse" and be preserved as an SP&S loco. Obviously not. I wonder what made them decide to keep it?

Charlie · **Posted:** Tue May 13, 2014 7:49 pm

So what are the future plans for it?

p51 · **Posted:** Tue May 13, 2014 8:02 pm

Geez, I saw this engine sitting near the shop at Williams when I rode the train the last year of daily steam. I assumed they would get rid of it eventually...

Topfuel · **Joined:** Sun Aug 29, 2004 4:49 pm **Posts:** 529

I understand they have a very small budget and a very short time frame just to make it look half-way decent so it can be put on display.

Scott · **Posted:** Wed May 14, 2014 1:50 am

Big bellied Mike - from an NP design. I'm confident it will be back in the Pacific Northwest someday - where it belongs.

Finderskeepers · **Posted:** Wed May 14, 2014 10:47 am

I'm confused, I thought Grand Canyon traded two LS &I engines to Brian Fleming for 539 about 7 years ago. Why all of a sudden is she now a Grand Canyon engine?

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

Scott wrote:

Big bellied Mike - from an NP design. I'm confident it will be back in the Pacific Northwest someday - where it belongs.

Scott -

SP&S #539 isn't from an NP design, but was, in reality, a former Northern Pacific Mikado! The SP&S purchased her from the NP in September of 1944. Built by the Brooks Works of ALCO in September of 1917 as NP #1762, she was part of the railroads W-3 class and is the only Northern Pacific 2-8-2 to survive.

Les

southern154 · **Joined:** Mon Jun 24, 2013 12:54 pm **Posts:** 321

So what exactly going on? The way GCRY has been on steam I doubt that it is a full scale rebuild, but non the Less I hope nothing but the best for the 539 and the GCRY steam program!

whodom · **Posted:** Wed May 14, 2014 5:38 pm

And now this was posted to their FB page about 4:30 PM EDT this afternoon:

Quote:

GCR No. 29 has been spending quite a bit of time at the Locomotive Shop lately. Just some general maintenance and sprucing up, as you do before moving it long distances...

???

Finderskeepers · **Posted:** Wed May 14, 2014 7:32 pm

It really wouldn't surprise me if they sold that engine to somebody else. They haven't had much use for it lately and it really isn't big enough to handle the long consists. The SP&S engine would be far more suitable for their operation (assuming that is their intent to restore it to operating condition). I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that it's probably a better riding engine, more capable of pulling a train at higher speed, and perhaps easier on the track because of it's trailing truck.

SteveC · **Joined:** Thu Nov 20, 2008 11:45 am **Posts:** 86

If they sold the 29 to someone who could put it to better use, that would make sense and then restore the 539 to compliment the 4960. As the 4960 has given a pretty good track record for the argument that the 2-8-2 is probably a better suited engine for them. Although I am very fond of the LS&I 2-8-0's, the 539 is a great looking engine, and perhaps this may be the best for all involved.

Steve

whodom · **Posted:** Wed May 14, 2014 8:06 pm

Well I hope whoever buys #29 puts it to good use. With the Lempor exhaust, feedwater heater, and improved oil firing system that GCR installed, it's got a lot of potential.

Rainier Rails · **Posted:** Wed May 14, 2014 8:17 pm

Scott wrote:

Big bellied Mike - from an NP design.

Les Beckman wrote:

SP&S #539 isn't from an NP design, but was, in reality, a former Northern Pacific Mikado! The SP&S purchased her from the NP in September of 1944. Built by the Brooks Works of ALCO in September of 1917 as NP #1762, she was part of the railroads W-3 class and is the only Northern Pacific 2-8-2 to survive.

The SP&S, as a jointly owned subsidiary of NP and GN, regularly acquired steam engines secondhand from both roads, as management of the SP&S switched every two years. The SP&S also ordered new engines, usually to the specifications of whichever road was managing the SP&S at the time. For example, both classes of SP&S Challengers were of NP design, and the three passenger Northerns (#700-#702) were both of NP design and were an add-on to an NP order.

Mgoldman · **Posted:** Thu May 15, 2014 12:52 am

I had heard the plan was to move #29 from display in Williams to display by the Grand Canyon (the long move) and then restore cosmetically #539 and put that on display where #29 was.

Makes sense vs having it sit in the bone yard. It's gotta be worth more cosmetically restored anyway - should they sell it. Or... should they decide at some point to run it, it' can't hurt to get the cosmetics underway.

/Mitch