Saw this on the lostengines list:

In lostengines@yahoogroups.com, "C.D." <genmacconnor@...> wrote:
>
> Due to a new building going to be built where the scrap yard and the
> grain mill are now, the Scarp Yard has closed their doors, and was
> emptied the other day, all that remain are the three steam engines,
> and two diesels. Everything else was smashed, and trucked off
> including an over gantry crane that loaded scrap cars. Well, Also
the
> engines are owned by the Virginia Museum of Transportation, but we
> dont have the money to haul them to the museum. (To my knowledge)
>
> Thanks,
> Connor
> VMT Yardmaster

Uh-oh! I thought there were FOUR steam locomotives located there, not THREE! A W class 2-8-0 and class M2 4-8-0's numbered 1118, 1134 and 1151. What happened to the other steamer? And weren't there some old N&W hoppers on the property at one time too?

Les

I believe the old hoppers were taken to VMT and redistributed from there. There were four steam locos there, plus several tenders from articulates, and two Baldwin Diesels. The Steamers were outside the scrap yard fence, so they may not be affected - yet!

As per my visit to town when NKP 763 left town (July 22):

All four locos steam locos are still there, along with two VERY rusty N&W late-steam-era water canteens (shorter than standard N&W tender) and two Chesapeake Western Baldwin diesel switchers (662 and 668). Back that couple weeks ago, it was obvious that some cleanup of the scrapyard was under way, but to be honest it resembled clearing out war-torn Beirut, Berlin, or Manhattan's Ground Zero post-9-11-2001. No way in heck could they have "scorched earth" ready for developing yet. Technically, only one of the steamers, 1118, is "outside the fence" as it's outside what would have been the gate to the siding. The other three locos are within the site's barbed-wire-topped fence.

The hoppers in question are all still at the Va. Museum of Transportation, on side tracks and their own wheels. with at least a quick coat of black paint as I recall.

Judging from the fact that I practically needed a machete just to see the cabside numbers from the adjacent NS track right-of-way, and that I would have needed bolt cutters, climbing gear, and/or a good chainsaw just to get at the latter three steamers from that direction, I would hazard a guess that panic about the locos' security is unwarranted at this time.