Well I know it wasn't 614, I was talking to Reading & Northern on the phone today. Someone from Youtube said it might had been 614 going to Clifton Forge, VA. . So I called up there. and it wasn't 614. So who knows what this guy saw. and really I don't know this person. He got my email off my Youtube Channel.

Len.

Reefers? Doesn't a tank car look like a steam locomotive? Cylindrical structure, like a locomotive boiler? Domes, which might be mistaken for steam and sand domes? And don't freight car trucks bear a resemblence to the trucks that are under Shays, Climaxes and Heislers?

I'll put my money on the PRR B-8, though-

EDM

Well- I guess that pun went completely over his head.

#58's boiler arrived in Essex by truck some time ago.

What about the PRR 0-6-0 #60 that is sitting and rotting away in Hockessin, DE?
Could that have been the engine? Then again, how the hell would they get it out of there without getting to the B&O Interchange below Marshallton considering the line is cut west of Landenburg or actually just past Valley Road in Hockessin.

This reminds me of my own efforts to track down a mysterious steam train on the Bessemer and Lake Erie.

A friend of the family knew of my interest in trains, and told me that he had heard there was a steam locomotive running around the yard at North Bessemer. I asked for more details, figuring this was the typical "friend of a friend said..." story. But he had some specifics, the fellow he knew was a lineman for the power company, had been working nearby, and saw this old steam train go by... I asked if he was sure? He replied that yes, he was certain it was a steam loco.

B&LE did have some steam that they'd stored, but it was tucked away at the roundhouse in Greenville, many miles away, and hadn't run in many years, probably since the 50's... Maybe they'd stored another one at North Bessemer!?!

This was in the 70's, so there was no internet to check out the story, just a very sketchy local railfan grapevine. So I decided to investigate myself. I started with the logical place, the roundhouse, and peered through the windows. I think the doors may have been open too, but in any case, I was able to convince myself there was no steam there. I asked somebody who happened to be there, and of course he said there was no steam around.

But wait... What if they're not telling the truth? Maybe they're working on restoring one and they haven't announced the program yet? (Granted, the likelyhood of the B&LE running excursion steam was a bit slim, but hey a teenage railfan often has plenty of time on his hands...)

So, I decided to poke around the yard some more. Even in those days they could be touchy about railfans, but it was hit or miss. I'd been run off the property before, and I'd also gotten lineups from the crews. So I headed for the yard office to see what I could find out.

I walked in and talked to whoever I ran into. They were fairly nice, but again the reply was pretty much "Nope, no steam train around here, hasn't been for many years..." When I asked if they had any idea what this fellow might have seen, they drew a blank.

So, I walked out of the yard office and headed back for my car. As luck would have it, there was a track crew coming in just as I was leaving. They had an unusual looking means of transport. It consisted of a couple of speeder flat type cars, and a small "locomotive", looking a bit like some 4 wheel mine loco. Unlike a typical speeder, it had a cab on it, and hood over the engine. It also had a tall exhaust stack from the engine compartment. In fact, I wish I'd gotten photos, but I didn't have a camera then.

As I looked at it, I realized that between the Between the wood "cab" and the tall exhaust stack from the engine, it bore at least a passing resemblance to a steam locomotive. I stood there wondering if I'd found my answer. There was even some diesel smoke coming out of the "stack". I was becoming convinced this was the mystery "steam train".

Then the final clue fell into place. As the little work train came to a crossing, the engineer blew the whistle. They had an air whistle of some type, that had a distinct "steam" sound to it. That answered that question, this was indeed the mystery engine...

In the right (lack of) light, those EMD SW1001s that are based out of Abrams Yard (King-of-Prussia) can take on a steamer appearance. Single stack, low cab, black paint....

Or it could have been a tank car. Lots of htem floating around. Or a piece of MOW equipment.

As Zugman stated "EMD SW1001s that are based out of Abrams Yard (King-of-Prussia)" They sometimes smoke as bad as a steam locomotive too! :)

Len.

OK, maybe not the PRR B8. Might still be too wet to move.

How about the 475? Headed to MI? Probably not.

Doubt it was reefers. I heard NS is running Crack Expresses on the Harrisburg Line. Perhaps the hopper doors are open?

I heard from someone who's pretty reliable, that it was the PRR T-1 that had been stored in the Landisville warehouse where Ken Bitten's passenger cars lived. That stuff had to move out recently, so maybe then engine went too?

Howard P.
Plains Siding, CT

> Doubt it was reefers...

Folks still haven't figured that joke out? It was caused by SMOKING reefers... Maybe today's kids don't know the lingo, that's what they used to call "joints", and not the kind you make with two couplers...

> that it was the PRR T-1 that had been stored in the Landisville

Did the move the NYC Hudson at the same time, or is it going seperately?

I'd pay good money to see a T1 take that curve on the interchange track at the Landisville RR...

Folks still haven't figured that joke out? It was caused by SMOKING reefers... Maybe today's kids don't know the lingo, that's what they used to call "joints", and not the kind you make with two couplers...



Nope, we got the joke. Guess you missed the next one about the "Crack Express"?

I wonder if it was actually the 1187, now that it's bell is being rung? Maybe the 1187 was smoking a reefer while ringing it's bell?


In all seriousness, there have been many "sightings" of steam locomotives moving over the tracks. Few are ever true. I can tell you of 2 I remember. Camping in Fort Washington, PA during a Boy Scout event, and hearing the 2102 rolling south on the RDG Bethlehem Branch on the deadhead move from Saucon Creek enginehouse to the B&O at Parkside Jct., circa 1977. She had just been painted blue & yellow. Or hearing ex-FEC #148 rolling along the same RDG Bethlehem Branch while in high school and only learning later what it was. Somehow, both of those events really did happen and were photographed by someone.

OK, now it's time to change the water in the pipe.......

Rob
Canibus, PA

Ditto. That's a good one ...