Wanamie #4 and #9 Revisted

robertjohndavis · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:10 am **Posts:** 2499

Hi,

I had an interesting conversation with anthracite mine researcher Chris Murley yesterday on the three surviving Wanamie, PA coal lokies.

It has been reported on several web sites that #4 and #9 belong to a gentleman in Oregon. Chris made a call and got info that contradicted that, and today I traded e-mails with the person in Oregon who confirmed his Vulcans ran in Canada.

Apparently, the confusion came from the fact that all four of these engines were at Shop Services in Iowa at one time.

So, while we are pretty sure #28 is in Oregon in the Kepner collection, we are back to square one on #4 and #9.

Rob Davis

Martyhuck · **Posted:** Mon Apr 16, 2007 7:35 am

If these are the ones that Shop Services bought from NJMT at Allaire, then at least one of them was converted to hydraulic drive. I don't remember if they were gasoline or diesel engines, but Shop Services did this for an amusement park near San Antonio called Fiesta Texas.

robertjohndavis · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:10 am **Posts:** 2499

Thank you, Marty. This may be the clue I have been looking for!

Rob

survivingworldsteam · **Posted:** Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:45 am

Martyhuck wrote:

If these are the ones that Shop Services bought from NJMT at Allaire, then at least one of them was converted to hydraulic drive. I don't remember if they were gasoline or diesel engines, but Shop Services did this for an amusement park near San Antonio called Fiesta Texas.

In which case, I may have seen it just a few weeks ago! We were at Fiesta, Texas, and rode behind Henschel & Son 24086/1938 (another Shop Services conversion, and a very good one.) I took several pictures of the Henschel engine, but did not have my camera ready when we passed by the shop area and saw another locomotive and train set sitting outside.

They are also said to have H.K. Porter 1389/1892, a former West Side Lumber engine. I didn't have enough time to figure out which one it was. We have season passes for Six Flags that are also good at Fiesta Texas; I hope we will be going back. If so, I will make a point of trying to find out.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Project

Ted Miles · **Posted:** Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:53 am

James,

Mooving to a wider front on Texas amusement park locomotives, I have seen post cards of a 6 Flags Park that has not converted its engines which came from a Louisiana sugar plantation. They were at least until recent years still in steam.

I think the park is near Dallas?

Can you confirm this?

Ted Miles

survivingworldsteam · **Posted:** Mon Apr 16, 2007 12:10 pm

Ted Miles wrote:

James,

Mooving to a wider front on Texas amusement park locomotives, I have seen post cards of a 6 Flags Park that has not converted its engines which came from a Louisiana sugar plantation. They were at least until recent years still in steam.

I think the park is near Dallas?

Can you confirm this?

Ted Miles

That is correct Ted, that is the Six Flags Over Texas theme park in Arlington, Texas. Arlington is between Fort Worth and Dallas; the park's two engines came from the Patoutville Sugar Factory in Patoutville, Louisiana.

I have both seen and photographed "Mary Ann", the green Dickson 2-4-2T. I have seen "Lydia", the Porter 0-4-0 engine; but was not able to get pictures on that one trip. These engines, along with the engines still at Patoutville were named after the owner's daughters.

It is this park that we bought season passes for, so I hope to spend a few enjoyable hours riding behind both engines this year.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Project