GTW 4070

bobyar2001 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 29, 2006 4:23 pm

Excursion in 1968:

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?s ... W4070b.jpg

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

GTW 2-8-2 #4070 is one of those locomotives that has slipped into the "nether world" of steam preservation/restoration. We know that she is owned by a group that has run her in the past and that the group is supposedly attempting to restore her to run again, but we never seem to hear any news.

I would say that another such locomotive is SSW (Cotton Belt) 4-8-4 #819.

Les

tomgears · **Posted:** Thu Mar 30, 2006 8:46 am

She is one of the one I would have really like to seen run. Another one is NKP 587, according the the website they say she might be on the road again this summer.

Ted Krumreich · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 1:38 pm **Posts:** 29

The owners of the 4070 have a website that may provide some more current information on the locomotives status and their plans for its future.

www.midwestrailway.org

Having had the opportunity to run and fire the engine in the early 80's, it would be great to see her operational again.

Tom Cornillie · **Posted:** Thu Mar 30, 2006 7:10 pm

The Midwest Railway Preservation Society really deserves to have more information and current information available on the web. The current site, with several corrupted newsletters, simply does not suffice.

Tom Cornillie

Randy Musselman · **Posted:** Fri Mar 31, 2006 7:59 am

Les,

Another example is a gem quitely resting in Pittsburgh, the Bessemer # 643. I believe this locomotive is fully restored and has never seen any road time? Back in the late 1980's when I assisted with the PRR 1361 I believe one of the owners was named Glen Campbell? He visited us at Altoona, if my memory is right, and said that they had to make new pistons for the 643 at that time?

As my old friend Mr. Laepple said, the 643 is a real track squasher! Get that girl in full forward gear with an ore train in tow, watch you don't lay the rails over! Can you say thrashing?!

Perhaps her size may be her detriment.

Thanks,

Randy Musselman

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

Randy:

You are quite right. B&LE #643 should have been on my short list.

The 643 is a very interesting case. Not only is it a Bessemer & Lake Erie locomotive, it could easily stand in for two other railroads 2-10-4's, with only minor modifications! First of all of course, is the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range. The B&LE sold 18 of its sister 2-10-4's to the Missabe where they were numbered DM&IR 700 through 717. B&LE #643 could easily, and logically, become DM&IR #718! The other railroad is the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. In fact, the very first B&LE 2-10-4 (#601) was actually a "tack on" to the second order of CB&Q Colorado's (as the 2-10-4 type was known on the Q) that was going through the Baldwin erecting shop at that time. The Burlington engines were numbered 6310-6327 so B&LE #643 could logically become CB&Q #6328. It is interesting to note that neither the DM&IR nor the Burlington saved any of their 2-10-4's. Despite the fact that she fits not in just one place, but in three, the 643 seems to remain unwanted. Perhaps it IS her great weight but the extra set of drivers does spread the weight a bit. Who knows what will become of her. She sure would look great under steam once again though.

Les