I just returned from a brief but productive trip through Virginia, and examined Lynchburg's 2-8-4, #2760, at Riverside Park, and the Roanoke "lost" engines. First of all, I have plenty of photographs of both locomotive groups for everyone to look at. I will post them to a website within the next day or so. Richard Jenkins, are you willing to post them?

THe Lynchburg engine is a true disgrace, and there can really be no forgiving the city for the neglect of this locomotive. It is situated well down in the back of the park, right behind a collapsed swimming pool. The loco probably hasn't seen paint since it was donated and the build up of organic material (leaves, branches, etc.) under the engine is probably 4 inches deep. The stack was never capped. It sits in a moist depression in the park, right next to the river and under a small forest of over-hanging trees and vines. This is possibly the absolute worst place to store a steam locomotive. In my opinion, the loco is always wet. Her cab is in better shape than the two other Kanawha's I saw in Virginia (Richmond and Newport News). I saw no apparent asbestos leakage, but I doubt if anyone has even looked at the engine for asbestos. She is stripped of number and builder's plates, headlight is merely a shell. Her bell and clapper are still intact, though painted yellow. Her running gear is ungreased and severely rusted.
Behind her sits a Southern coach literally rotten with water damage. The steps have fallen right off the coach, there is no glass in the windows, the coach seats remain, but huge chunks of the car are falling off it. The accompanying caboose is in similar shape, but not quite as bad.
The good news - There is an old dirt road behind the three pieces of equipment and removal would be possible if somebody financed it. The steam locomotive and caboose can be salvaged.
What to do about it? I think a museum or private individual who wants the 2760 should come forward and make and offer. The city needs to know that the loco is a treasure, not an eyesore. If the locomotive never runs again, it is most definitely a good static display and source for parts to rehab other C&O locos. I would urge a POSITIVE rescue be proposed to Lynchburg. I can see no other future for this locomotive otherwise.
Again, I have detailed photos to share is somebody can post them for me.



glueck@saturn.caps.maine.edu

I saw no apparent asbestos leakage,
> but I doubt if anyone has even looked at the
> engine for asbestos.

The boiler jacket on #2760 was cut away approximately 1974. The rust is on the boiler itself. The engine was a disgrace then, and I don't even want to think about how it looks now.


kevingillespie@usa.net

> I saw no apparent asbestos leakage,

> The boiler jacket on #2760 was cut away
> approximately 1974. The rust is on the
> boiler itself. The engine was a disgrace
> then, and I don't even want to think about
> how it looks now.

There was a serious effort to liberate the engine and cars at Lynchburg about 10 years ago. Alas, that effort died when the city declined to accept the offer.

http://nctrans.org
Wrinnbo@aol.com

Preservation in a park is many times no preservation at all. After the original donation many (if not most) engines are forgotten by politicians until they become insurance risks or are donated to a patriotic scrap drive such as happened during WW II. We in the railroad preservation business sometimes forget that not everyone sees a steam engine as an asset.

ironbartom@aol.com

Should the Virginia Railroad Museum in Roanoke or other NRHS chapters take a lead in preserving these locomotives. Adding a C&O locomotive to Roanoke collection would be a good addition. It seems that many of these Chapter museums do not have a large attraction such as a steam locomotive that would help the Museum put it self on the map.

Before I get stoned by critics of this proposal. I realize many small NRHS Chapters have not the resources to preserve a piece of equipment like this. However they could help in finding a good home for these locomotives. How many other Musueums would like a large locomotive for display.

If the right combination could work out I think the Cities and Museums could benefit from working together. Let face it several of these locos are in communities that have forgotten about the history of trains in the community. I hope that this idea might take root in the mind of someone who can jump start the process. It takes a leader to get the ball rolling. Any takers in VA.

Dale
Lima, Peru

BTW: Old pre-columbian ruins or Inka ruins here in Peru sometimes are bulldosed by the locals because they don´t think anyone will come to see a old ruin. They sometimes think that people are not interested in old relics. That is why much of the heritage of many South American countries is gone.


dwbrown1@fuse.net

Many cities, while they won't do anything to preserve an engine, will balk at the idea of having anyone else do anything to "their engine".Case in point: The city of Santa Cruz has an 0-6-0 SP switch engine, #1297, that was part of a playground. As you might expect, a couple of youngsters fell off and broke something. Talk was of either selling the engine or scraping her. A great public outcry occured and the result was that the engine was taken out of the sandbox and moved into a fenced area deeper in the park. Because the area wasn't as big, the city sold the tender.

ironbartom@aol.com

What happened to the tender? Some photos, newspaper clippings, etc. of this fiasco would be interesting... How much damage did they do moving the engine?

> Many cities, while they won't do anything to
> preserve an engine, will balk at the idea of
> having anyone else do anything to
> "their engine".Case in point: The
> city of Santa Cruz has an 0-6-0 SP switch
> engine, #1297, that was part of a
> playground. As you might expect, a couple of
> youngsters fell off and broke something.
> Talk was of either selling the engine or
> scraping her. A great public outcry occured
> and the result was that the engine was taken
> out of the sandbox and moved into a fenced
> area deeper in the park. Because the area
> wasn't as big, the city sold the tender.


Mystery locomotive
ryarger1@nycap.rr.com

> What happened to the tender? Some photos,
> newspaper clippings, etc. of this fiasco
> would be interesting... How much damage did
> they do moving the engine?
The damage was minimal as the move was only about 100 feet into the shade. As to the tender, it was sold to the Eccles & Eastern Railroad. When the E & E died a slow death, it and the Consolidation from Watsonville, Ca. were then sold to John Manly of San Francisco. They all reside at the Golden Gate Railroad Museum.

ironbartom@aol.com

When the E & E died a
> slow death, it and the Consolidation from
> Watsonville, Ca. were then sold to John
> Manly of San Francisco. They all reside at
> the Golden Gate Railroad Museum.

They all reside at
> the Golden Gate Railroad Museum.

Small correction... The 2706 and tenders are presently located, along with some Pacific Locomotive Association equipment including SP 4-6-2 #2467, on Oakland Terminal Railroad trackage near the Bay Bridge toll plaza (in Oakland).

For more information on the 2706...
http://members.nbci.com/SP2706/Index.html

Ken


ken.middlebrook@nsc.com

> I saw no apparent asbestos leakage,

> The boiler jacket on #2760 was cut away
> approximately 1974. The rust is on the
> boiler itself. The engine was a disgrace
> then, and I don't even want to think about
> how it looks now.

I think you are thinking of the #2732 in Richmond it was striped of all asbestos and jacketing.

The story I got from a former C&O shop man was that the railroad sent a crew to the 2760 before asbestos was a real problem and pulled it all back and replaced it with a few wooded block to hold it off of the boiler. aside from where the blocks sit and hold water on the boiler it should be in half way decent shape.

Onesteam@fiberia.com