Maybe if the firebox had not been needlessly cut out the 1702 parts would not be in the way!

RD

Maybe I am biased from having a good experience riding behind her, but me thinks she's a beauty. Americanize? No way. She's a great machine as is.

Rob

Good evening,
I used to work on this locomotive, as you can probably guess by my username. I worked on it as a fireman and ran it for 2 seasons. The 1149 is a good locomotive and I wish the new owners well as I'm sure it will serve them well.
Leverett Fernald

In reply to Mr. Davis, I agree about leaving it is as. There are plenty of american locomotives operating, this country needs some variety! And, it opens the door for some european themed dinner trains...murder mystery...etc.

Jason

I wrote this up a few days ago, and lost several versions of it before I figured out that my outdated browser and this website do not play nice together. You can see which post made it through the maze of electrical pulses we call progress.



It does puzzle me as well. I thought I had successfully talked Al out of this purchase some time back (couplers, brakes, compatibility, respectability, etc). What really bothers me is that the addition of this equipment presents a whole load of additional work on a crew and facility that are already maxed out. Anybody that has ever stopped by the Dillsboro shop would understand what I am saying.

It also seems to me that the money spent would have gone a long way towards the original goal of bettering the shop capability, and finishing some projects that have long been waiting (i.e. 722, 1702, HEP, ties, etc). The 1702 was disassembled for the same reason that the 722 was disassembled. In many ways they were "used up" and required a renewing before they could go back out and put hard mountain miles on them. The problem is that they come apart pretty easily and for not much cash. Going back together is a whole different issue. That said, it's Al's railroad, and it is his decision as to what is important, and what is not. I've always hoped the best for the railroad, when I worked there, when I left, and still do now.

It pains me to think of how the 1702 sits, and that I'm the one that took it apart. At the same time, I'm the one that did the form 4 work, and I stand by my decision to do that level of restoration on that boiler. Unfortunately, when it came time to start buying materials, the priority list four the company was long, and that work didn't get funded. I'd love to have the opportunity to put 1702 back together, but I made my decision to leave tourist railroading for very good opportunity in manufacturing at a time when many people were getting pink slips in this country, including the GSMR.

I do not know how much boiler time is left on the 1149, and in many ways, it's not really any of my business. But for the sake of the GSMR, my friends still in the shop, and the locomotive itself, I hope it has some time left before it will require a 1472. You always find more to fix once it starts coming apart. . .

Ryan

What's the status of B&ML/GSMR #1149? I haven't seen any mention of the equipment being moved to North Carolina. gsmr.com still states that the move would take place in Spring 2011. Did that happen?

The 1149 is now a static display at the Discovery Park of America in Union City, TN

Sweden discovered in Tennessee

So sad... proof that the time to see operating steam is in the moment. You never know when a good machine will end up stuffed and mounted.

What a sweet modern looking engine. I bet you can get some good speed out of her. Me being half Swede didn't bias my comment.

If you want the 'real story' of how Bert Clifford (the cell phone millionaire) ended up importing 1149 from Sweden and putting it in Maine, see page 13 of this interview in his own words:

http://digilib.bates.edu/collect/muskie ... ir/doc.pdf

I had the pleasure of meeting him, cabriding the 1149, and meeting Leverett.

It's been a bizarre series of events all-around ever since.

You just never know. I've seen 'display locomotives' in a lot worse shape re-emerge.

We have 2 Swedish B Class locos in the UK Neither of them in steam at the moment there design is over a 100 years old now they was the main mixed traffic loco in Sweden till the end of steam which was the early 80's in some cases. There maximum speed is 55mph but with a good crew and coal they could reach around 80mph at the most I have been told. They have around 21,548lbs of tractive effort and if you want to see what they are capable of here is a video of one pulling a heavy timber train up a rather steep gradient, not sure how it would handle in America though its a shame its ended up mounted at discovery park it annoys me that they painted the front grey but oh well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GWVD20 ... eqnaI75wWq