Decade of the 2-8-0 Consolidation?

SantaFe158 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:29 am

Detroit & Lima Northern (DT&I) 4-4-0 #7 is nearing completion at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI.

Don C. · **Posted:** Tue Dec 20, 2011 11:24 am

[quote="daylight4449"]While great, every good thing comes to an end. Just my thoughts, but with 4449 going out in two years for overhaul, while many larger steamers will be sidelined, or already are (MILW 261 and the majority of Jacobson's collection in Sugarcreek). I wouldn't call this decade of the consoldation, but decade of the freight engine. More 2-8-0s and 2-8-2s are being added to the list. Reader 108 should run within a few years (to my knowledge, with a name: David Paul Lambert Sr.). I'd love to get the Maine Central 501 running, but that's the problem when you're a high school student.[/quote]

While Milwaukee Road 261 may be considered "sidelined" at the present time, the restoration effort is well underway and the locomotive should steam sometime during 2012. It was placed back on it's drivers on December 9 after they returned from TVRM after having the tires and pins turned. Some good things come back around to be enjoyed again.

While on the subject of "reborn" 2-8-0s, what is the status of Grand Canyon #29?. Does the locomotive need more than an annual inspection to operate again?

Don C.

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 21, 2011 8:26 am

Also add the 2ft gauge 0-6-0 at Edaville USA in South Carver, MA (they call it Anne Elizabeth) to that list of operational steamers. They finished overhauling it within the last week of November.

jasonsobczynski · **Posted:** Wed Dec 21, 2011 10:56 am

The 29 should need only bearing surfaces polished. It has sat outside for the last few years at the depot, I have pictures of it with salted snow piled up against the rods/wheels over halfway up the drivers. Subsequent photos show the rods and guides as a solid mass of rust.

Very Sad Indeed, Jason

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

I've made another change to the original list of possible restorations to service of the 2-8-0 type during this second decade of the 21st Century. Seems to be some question as to whether such a steam up has actually occurred on D&NE 28, as in another currently running thread. We shall see what is eventually revealed, and if necessary, make another change to the list.

Les

Txhighballer · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 10:49 am **Posts:** 773

Great Western #51 is also operable in Colorado.

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

Hopefully, Alaska Railroad 2-8-0 #557 will soon be added to this list as the locomotive is now in the ARR's shops in Anchorage for a rebuild to service.

Les

dinwitty · **Joined:** Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:18 pm **Posts:** 2226

smaller engine, not as difficult or expensive to restore, can handle reasonable mainline runs yet be at home jumping on rough lighter track.
Some town/city part engine owners might jump...yer kidding, it might really run?

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

Les Beckman wrote:

Goodness! I noticed that Boyd Owens posted a couple of FLIMSIES notices of the Hartwell Railroad wanting to lease and restore Central of Georgia 2-8-0 #509 to service, and that the City of Macon, which owns the old Baldwin, is apparently receptive to the deal. This would add to the recent restorations to service of Consolidations that have been out of service for many years. Including the following (as amended a second time):

Black River & Western (ex-Great Western) #60 in Flemington, New Jersey

Duluth & Northeastern #14 in Fillmore, California

New Hope & Ivyland #40 in New Hope, Pennsylvania

Southern #154 in Knoxville, Tennessee

Southern #401 in Monticello, Illinois

Southern #630 in Chattanooga, Tennessee

Maybe there's some hope that other, long out of service 2-8-0's, might also see steam this decade.

Les

Above list amended here at the end of 2011 for NH&I 40.

Les

Amended the list again as of 8/9/12 to reflect the operation of BR&W #60. Also removed D&NE #28 (DM&IR #332) due to no confirmation of an actual fire-up.

Les

Thanks to Scott Kwiatkowski for pointing out the operation of BR&W 60 which was confirmed on the Black River Railroad Historical Trust's FACEBOOK page. Will Alaska Railroad #557 be the next 2-8-0 added to this list of Consolidations restored to service in the second decade of the 21st Century?

Les

junior · **Posted:** Sat Aug 11, 2012 3:18 pm

limejuice wrote:

Afaik, NH&I 40 hasn't been out of service for more than a year since 1991.

I second that.... 40 really shouldn't be included on this list, it was down for standard work for a year, but has operated continually for 21 of the 22 years since it was restored by the SRR/NHI crews in 1991.

Now, had you posted this in 1991, I would say yes, you'd have been correct.

Most of the other engines listed have not operated in at least a decade, if not more.

Example; BR&W 60 last operated in 2000.

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

This thread started out over a year and a half ago because of a notice that the Hartwell Railroad in Georgia had leased Central of Georgia 2-8-0 #509 from the City of Macon for restoration to operating condition. The lease is for 30 years at $1.00 per year. Not much has been said about the 509 since then. However, Sloan Auchincloss posted a new item in the FLIMIES section from the Macon Telegraph in which the Coastal Heritage Society which operates the Georgia State Railroad Museum in Savannah offered a home to the 509 IF the Hartwell was not going to go ahead with the restoration. Since the original lease, the City of Macon transferred control of the park, where the Consolidation has long been on display, to Bibb County. Upon being contacted, the President of the Hartwell confirmed that they still intend to go ahead with the restoration and that they still plan on moving the 2-8-0 out of the park.

Les

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

I started this thread back in April of 2011 pointing out the possible new restorations of a number of 2-8-0's to active service in this new decade (beginning in 2011). A few people pointed out restorations of locomotive types other than Consolidations, and there were also some engines that were added that were later taken off of the list. One of the later was Duluth & Northeastern #28 (ex-DM&IR #332), which had apparently been test fired (as per a different thread) but then was reported as not being restored to active service after all. Now it turns out, as per the North Shore Scenic Railroad website, that the engine is indeed being restored to active service. Also, Alaska Railroad #557 is now confirmed as undergoing a very active restoration by the railroad itself. So, I thought I would update this list. The engine that started this whole idea was Central of Georgia 2-8-0 #509. It remains on this list, although there apparently have been no active efforts to restore it, only a commitment by the Hartwell Railroad to one day actually start such an effort. And of course, the news that the boys in Owosso, Michigan have apparently started work on their 2-8-0. So here goes, with corrections again being welcomed:

Alaska Railroad #557 (ex-U.S. Army) in Anchorage, Alaska

Black River & Western (ex-Great Western) #60 in Flemington, New Jersey

Central of Georgia #509 in Macon, Georgia (possible restoration by Hartwell Railroad)

Duluth & Northeastern #14 in Fillmore, California

Duluth & Northeastern #28 in Cloquet, Minnesota (for North Shore Scenic Railroad)

Great Western #75 in Heber City, Utah

Mississippian (ex-SLSF) #76 in Owosso, Michigan

Southern #154 in Knoxville, Tennessee

Southern #401 in Monticello, Illinois

Southern #630 in Chattanooga, Tennessee

Union Pacific #428 in Union, Illinois

If I count correctly, that makes 11. Anyone got another active 2-8-0 project to make it an even dozen?

Les

southern154 · **Joined:** Mon Jun 24, 2013 12:54 pm **Posts:** 320

Don't forget the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad 1702 in Dillsboro. I talked to a guy at a train show in Asheville NC that worked at GSMR and he said that it should be up an running in the next 15-18 months.

o484 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 13, 2014 4:50 pm

Sierra Railway 28 is getting her long awaited 1472.

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

Les Beckman wrote:

I started this thread back in April of 2011 pointing out the possible new restorations of a number of 2-8-0's to active service in this new decade (beginning in 2011). A few people pointed out restorations of locomotive types other than Consolidations, and there were also some engines that were added that were later taken off of the list. One of the later was Duluth & Northeastern #28 (ex-DM&IR #332), which had apparently been test fired (as per a different thread) but then was reported as not being restored to active service after all. Now it turns out, as per the North Shore Scenic Railroad website, that the engine is indeed being restored to active service. Also, Alaska Railroad #557 is now confirmed as undergoing a very active restoration by the railroad itself. So, I thought I would update this list. The engine that started this whole idea was Central of Georgia 2-8-0 #509. It remains on this list, although there apparently have been no active efforts to restore it, only a commitment by the Hartwell Railroad to one day actually start such an effort. And of course, the news that the boys in Owosso, Michigan have apparently started work on their 2-8-0. So here goes, with corrections again being welcomed:

Alaska Railroad #557 (ex-U.S. Army) in Anchorage, Alaska

Black River & Western (ex-Great Western) #60 in Flemington, New Jersey

Central of Georgia #509 in Macon, Georgia (possible restoration by Hartwell Railroad)

Duluth & Northeastern #14 in Fillmore, California

Duluth & Northeastern #28 in Cloquet, Minnesota (for North Shore Scenic Railroad)

Great Western #75 in Heber City, Utah

Mississippian (ex-SLSF) #76 in Owosso, Michigan

Sierra Railroad #28 in Jamestown, California

Southern #154 in Knoxville, Tennessee

Southern #401 in Monticello, Illinois

Southern #630 in Chattanooga, Tennessee

Union Pacific #428 in Union, Illinois

If I count correctly, that makes 11. Anyone got another active 2-8-0 project to make it an even dozen?

Les

I've added Sierra 28 to the list since there is an active rebuild going on. Hopefully the 1702 will be added in the future one day.

Les