Good piece on the USATC 0-6-0T's that ended up on Southern Railway and British Railways in the UK:http://www.semg.org.uk/steam/usa_01.html

Is this the Southeastern Railway Museum's USATC engine, said to be pictured here at Whitesburg, Georgia?http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/misc-u/unk-snns.jpg

With more information:http://www.project62.supanet.com/USAlocohistory.htm

I doubt it. Here's a shot of 97:http://www.srmduluth.org/photos/97.jpgAmong the differences are the domes, the bell, the dynamo, and the taper on the tanks.JAC

Could be. When she came to us in 1965, 97 had shorter tanks with a straight top. Also, records indicate that she was aquired in 1962 by Ga Power for use in the building of Plant Jack McDonough. If she was donated in '65, that would have left little time for her to have been moved around the GAP network too much. I do know that at least one of 97's 50 ton Army sisters was with her at McDonough. I believe the number was 98. The other GAP Porter was cut up around 1979.Andrew DurdenSERM

You're right about the taper on the tanks, but the museum took down the third dome, moved the dynamo and added the bell. We still have the third dome stored away. AD

Dave found #98 at the Agrirama Living History Museum. She was but a gutted shell after an aborted diesel conversion, and was painted PINK.He was wondering if anyone wanted it; I never found out what happened to it after that. It is/was construction number 7464/1942.-James Hefner Hebrews 10:20a Surviving World Steam Project

James - the poor remnants of 98 are now in private hands in Griffin, GA unless I have been misinformed. No word as to whether or not they remain pink. Dave

-James Hefner Hebrews 10:20a I didn't realize this was a sister of SERM's 97. It was sold to a private party and moved to west central Georgia back in mid-late 2001. I think the "pink" was actually an oxidized orange paint or primer. It was moved close to the same time as the Central of Georgia caboose X73.

Note that the photo of the loco operating in china has a dome throttle operated via outside linkage.....with a grapevine in the cab no doubt. I was always of the opinion that 97 would have been fun with a grapevine.....guess I was not the first to think of it.

Any pics of it there? When was it there? Used to go past the place all the time!

Actually the information is a bit off. It is in private hands, but is located in Junction City, GA. You and I have both seen this loco and while I could tell it was built by porter(evident by the rust pit ghost mark on the smokebox) I am not so sure it is a sister of 97. The drivers look to be a good bit smaller, the builders plate was on the smokebox rather than the saddle, a blind center driver, different thickness of boiler plate along with different design of longitudinal butt seem and the brake rigging (though obviously original)is of a completely different arangement nearest the cab end. None the less it would have been interesting to see this thing in operation as a diesel mechanical. However, if it is a sister the loco is available and should be acquired by the SERM for parts...it has good crown brasses, tight lateral, THICK tires and a good set of side rods. How easy would it be to simply lift 97 and roll in a new set of running gear?

Dave's original .tiff file he sent me has been damaged somehow; here is the smaller resolution image I used on an update to my Surviving World Steam Locomotive CD-ROM: I agree, it was probably painted orange or red at one time, and faded to the pink color you see here. As bad as it looks, I am glad it wasn't totally scrapped; perhaps the new owner can do something usefull with it.-James Hefner Hebrews 10:20a Surviving World Steam Project