Best of luck on the 97 restoration, I've seemed to miss seeing it in steam during the times it has been operable in the past. I know that several years ago work was being done on the 290 for a mechanical restoration, but last I heard I was under the impression that it's undergoing a cosmetic only restoration since there really is nowhere for it to operate since the end of the New Georgia and since NS terminated the steam program both occurring in 1994, although I know the New Georgia stopped running the 290 in December 1992.

Please don't forget steamtown's Locomotives projects.

Boston & Mane No. 3713 Full Restore
Baldwin No. 26 Full Restore
DL&W No. 565 Cosmedtic Restore

Mark

OT - Railroad_Fan, when was the "Co - Superintendent Steamtown National Historic Site" position advertised and filed?

Didn't know that was a NPS position at Steamtown National Histroic Site.

Boothbay Railway Village will be restoring SD Warren Co No 2 to operation. No 2 is a 2-ft gauge Baldwin 0-4-0T built in 1895. The loco was moved into the shop in mid December.

Stephen

It's amazing what the two footers have done up there. I haven't been up there in several years, but it seems that the amount of preservation work in two or three years is equivalent to 10 or 15 in the standard gauge world.

The time-space continum is different up there.... It's kind of like "dog years".

Howard P.
Much Lower, New England

Being a Main-ah myself, I can tell you exactly what the difference is. First: These people are dedicated to getting a job done, and they tend to attack it from every angle that will reach a common end point. They rarely waste time and they never waste money. Second: The Maine narrow gauge railroads are a point of pride in the state. Most people know them, and those that do, love them. They were well documented in their final years. Third: Ellis Atwood saved a huge portion of the original equipment, and a few pieces landed in the hands of people who knew the value of those artifacts. Fourth: Boothbay Railway Village has a first class boiler shop and they share. WW&F has a first class shop as well. Fifth: WW&F also still owned the original right of way. When volunteers come out to lay track, they do just that. It's amazing.

Come out in July and ride behind a steam locomotive, through a balsam fir forest, in the original cars, creaking along at a modest speed with all the music of steam, and you'll know instantly why these groups succeed. BTW, the Maine Narrow Gauge Museum in Portland, the Waterville, Wiscasset, & Farmington, and the Boothbay Railway Village, are all located in the same relative region of the state. Don't try to do them in a single day. There are plenty of motels, camp grounds, and hostelries, to enhance visiting all three locations. Each one deserves most of a day, if not a dedicated day in itself.

There are a few more West Coast projects that haven't been mentioned yet and I may leave out a few:

1. Clover Valley 2-6-6-2T No.110 at PLA
2. Sierra Railway 2-6-2 No.26 (?)
3. Skookum 2-4-4-2 at MRSR shops
4. SP 4-6-2 No.2479 in San Jose - This one is making good progress. Their website indicated they had hoped to steam her in 2010 but it may now be 2011. Wonder how far it will have to be moved to get it out of the Fairgrounds where it has been undergoing restoration. Could this engine join 2472 in Niles Canyon? That would be quite a site to see!

Rob Gardner

Besides the points that Richard makes, there is also a more pertinent one... the reason narrow gauge was used in the first place. It is cheaper and easier to build (or in our case, rebuild) because it is less than half the size of standard gauge. Everything is a much more manageable size... but still gives that satisfying railroad feel (not like playing with models or even a live steamer.)

That having been said, I understand that the SD Warren #2 restoration is a long-term project... don't look for it under steam soon, since a new boiler needs to be constructed, among other issues.

John Bohon: I believe there was reference to the Climax restoration at Cass by the Mountain State Railway & Logging Historical Association. There are progress reports and photos on their web site (www.msrlha.org) under "Climax Restoration".

I, too, have seen the various parts for the 2-truck Heisler at Durbin, WV to be used on the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley RR. It would be nice to hear from someone involved with that project.

Dave Crow

Unfortunately, I didn't get to make it to Owosso last year, did anyone get a chance to see how Mississippian #76 is coming along? I saw it when it was still in PA and I thought it was an attractive engine.

David Farlow

I do recall the frame, some bits and pieces, and maybe the boiler as well sitting behind, I think, the vendor tent.

Rob Gardiner said:

There are a few more West Coast projects that haven't been mentioned yet and I may leave out a few:

1. Clover Valley 2-6-6-2T No.110 at PLA

That is Clover Valley #4, not 110.

Richard Wilkens

I shot this picture during Trainfest...isn't this No 76?

Ah yes, my mistake, I knew I saw that somewhere. Maybe it was the tender behind the tent.