Does anybody know what steamers were operated at the Monticello Railroad Museum? I believe one had a very high steam dome, perhaps an 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 tender engine. I saw a picture but have no idea what the engine is.

Are you sure it was Monticello? I ask becuase your description sounds more like East Broad Top 0-60 No. 6, which ran for a few seasons at the Whitewater Valley RR in Indiana. It has the high steam dome you describe--see images at the link below.

EBT 6
eledbetter@rypn.org

> Does anybody know what steamers were
> operated at the Monticello Railroad Museum?
> I believe one had a very high steam dome,
> perhaps an 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 tender engine. I
> saw a picture but have no idea what the
> engine is.

The engine that you refer to is an ALCO saddle tank 0-4-0T with the tank removed. The tank is now back on the engine and the engine is displayed at the entrance to the museum.


http://www.mstrp.com

Does the museum plan on operating steam again at some point? Beside the 0-4-0t, the 0-6-0 191 don't they have a sister to SRR 385 (ex MCC)? Maybe the 401?

Remember NKP 587 being there for some repairs so I assume that they have some kind of shop facilites.

-Alan Levy

AlanL759@aol.com

> Does the museum plan on operating steam
> again at some point? Beside the 0-4-0t, the
> 0-6-0 191 don't they have a sister to SRR
> 385 (ex MCC)? Maybe the 401?

Plans are to have 401 ( a SRR 2-8-0) running in a few years.

Bruce Backus
Monticello Railway Museum

bebackus@bellsouth.net

> Does anybody know what steamers were
> operated at the Monticello Railroad Museum?
> I believe one had a very high steam dome,
> perhaps an 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 tender engine. I
> saw a picture but have no idea what the
> engine is.

Dear SP:

I believe that MRM has operated the following steamers over their museum trackage:

1. The 0-4-0T reconfigured as a 0-4-0 tender engine with the tank removed (now on display again as an 0-4-0T).

2. Republic Steel 0-6-0 #191 (now on display).

3. NKP 2-8-2 # 587 on a limited basis operated after repairs were made to the locomotive (returned to ITM in Noblesville).

I understand that the museum plans to put a new welded boiler on Southern 2-8-0 #401 for future use. I am not sure where that project currently stands.

Although the museum currently operates the trains
from their museum site into downtown Monticello on a pull out/push back basis, I should point out there is a wye at Monticello that I believe could be utilized in the future. In the opposite direction from the museum site to White Heath, their is also a wye in place. Tie conditions on this segment of track have prevented operation by nothing heavier than motor cars in the past but I believe MRM has a tie replacement program currently in the works. Thus, future steam operations could conceivably entail a run from the museum site to either end location and then by utilizing the wye, a "turn around" of the train to get it back to the museum. Not many museums today could boast such a setup.

Les Beckman (Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum/North Judson, Indiana).

midlandblb@cs.com

It would be tough to top the EBT, with a wye at each end, or the WMSR, with a turntable at one and and a wye (which only the crew sees at the beginning or end of the day) at the other. Still a neat idea, though. And doesn't TVRM have a wye in Chattanooga?


edm5970@earthlink.net

Thanks for the help. Does anybody know where there are pictures of this 0-4-0 operating at Monticello on the web?

Also, the Grand Canyon Railway utilizes a wye at the Grand Canyon end of the line to turn trains. I don't know what is used at Williams.

I had heard that the WMSR, on a regular steam day, substituted diesels when they volunteered #734 for a firefighters event. The person that told me went there to see steam, which wasn't there. It was a good cause though and nice to see RRs helping the community.

TVRM has a wye at Grand Junction and a turntable at East Chattanooga. On the Georgia trips they now also have a turntable at Summerville, GA.

John Bohon

jhbohon@yahoo.com

> Thanks for the help. Does anybody know where
> there are pictures of this 0-4-0 operating
> at Monticello on the web?

Not on the web, but a video instructional documentary, "Running a Steam Locomotive, Volume 1" was produced using the Monticello 0-4-0 engine. Not sure if it's still available [check on eBay]...

hi_plain@yahoo.com

I just looked at my copy of (Running a steam locomotive vol. 1)& the sleeve says PUBLISHERS CHOICE VIDEO &NATIONAL SYNDICATIONS INC. if that helps you at all There is no address or phone on the sleeve.........Wooly

> Not on the web, but a video instructional
> documentary, "Running a Steam
> Locomotive, Volume 1" was produced
> using the Monticello 0-4-0 engine. Not sure
> if it's still available [check on eBay]...


wooly421@charter.net

I have the Volume 3 of this series, it's well-done. They still sell Volumes 2 and 3 at Schrader's Railroad Catalog. Volume 2 features UP 844, SP 2472, and Nevada Northern 40 (passenger locos) while Volume 3 features RC&BT Shay 1 "Dixiana", Yreka Western #19, and N&W 1218. I'll look around. If all of the videos are as good as volume 3, I'd reccomend to all.

This falls under the "Where Are They Now" category...Whatever became of Charlie Day, the Travelling Engineer on the Monticello & Sangamon Valley Ry? I believe he was the talking head in the "How to Run a Steam Locomotive" video with 0-4-0T No. 1. Is he still active at the museum?

> TVRM has a wye at Grand Junction and a
> turntable at East Chattanooga. On the
> Georgia trips they now also have a turntable
> at Summerville, GA.

> John Bohon

> This falls under the "Where Are They
> Now" category...Whatever became of
> Charlie Day, the Travelling Engineer on the
> Monticello & Sangamon Valley Ry? I
> believe he was the talking head in the
> "How to Run a Steam Locomotive"
> video with 0-4-0T No. 1. Is he still active
> at the museum?

I regret to report that Charlie Daigh passed away on October 17, 2002. The Monticello Railway Museum held a memorial service for him on October 20 of that year including a funeral train and services at the Wabash Depot in Monticello. Charlie remained a vital part of the Museum until shortly before his death, and was instrumental in recruiting many younger members to the Museum.

pnichol6@prodigy.net