Ran across this car while working out on Marthas Vineyard, a beautiful island off the coast of Cape Cod. This island is probably best known for being the summer home to several celebrities, but also was the location for the original "Jaws" movie! Anyway...it's a one-hour ferry ride to get there...so what is this car doing here? The trucks are stamped DL&W, yet the car is painted as a B&M dining car...It took some effort to get this baby out here... anyone know the story?

Don't know the number, but Edaville once had a combine like that behind B&M 1455 when it was there, that was ex-DL&W/B&M. That's probably the one. Marthas Vineyard only had a short-lived three-foot gauge line, that expired around or before 1900. Definitely a lot of trouble to get that car out there.

That IS strange. But at least it's in the right area. Maybe even stranger is the ex-C&O wooden caboose on Upper Matecumbe Key in Islamorada, Florida in the Florida Keys. The caboose is (was?) the Chamber of Commerce office for Islamorada. Yes, the Florida East Coast's Key West Extension once had trackage here, but the caboose obviously came in long after the FEC was torn up. Someone had to truck the caboose down there; a long way from the nearest C&O trackage.

Anyone else know of any railroad equipment on islands?

Les

According to George W. Hilton in "American Narrow Gauge Railroads," The Martha's Vineyard Railroad was chartered in 1874 and was abandoned in 1896. Railroad ran from Oak Bluffs, the principle landing, to Katama via Edgartown, a total distance of 8.5 miles. The railroad used an early attempt at a steam car but is was quickly replaced by a Porter 0-6-0 named 'Active.'

Nantucket Island also had a railroad. The Nantucket Railroad was chartered in 1880 as part of a resort company. Railroad began in Nantucket, ran straight south across the island and proceeded east to the only other town of Siasconset at the eastern end of the island, a distance 11 miles. Because of restrictions on cars on Nantucket Island, the railroad lasted with fits and starts until 1918. Motive power was a second hand 4-4-0 from the Danville, Olney & Ohio River RR and cross bench cars from New York & Manhattan Beach. They later leased a small Manson Bogie from the Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn.

Both railroads were three foot gauge.

At some point the definition of "island" gets subjective, but I wonder if the Jamaican Railways 4-8-0(s), once in a TRAINS article, are still extant, and if so, in what condition....

And back in 1992, while in the Navy I visited the island of St. Kitts, which has a narrow gauge line. At the time the line may have been inactive (there's a tourist line running there now). I recall seeing what I'd describe as a "miniature GE 44-tonner" parked by an enginehouse.

That's a very early DL&W steel car; a few coaches of identical design became the three MU club cars that lasted until the end of the old MUs in 1984. I think the car dates to about 1910 or so. As their wood car fleet deteriorated in the late 30 and early 40s, B&M picked up a lot of surplus steel cars from northeastern roads such as PRR, RDG, DL&W, etc. B&M even wound up with a couple of C&O "Imperial Salon" coaches. The massive RDC purchases swept all that stuff away in the mid-50s.

Amazing that someone went to all the effort to get that car to the Vineyard. When that restaurant closes and the car is no longer wanted (as inevitably happens with rail cars and restaurants), it will probably leave the island in pieces.

Here's another view. Howard, I think you're very close on the date...I believe it said 1914 or 1915 next to "DL&W RR" -- while the car is located at the Black Dog Bakery & Cafe, it is not being used by the restaurant and appears to have been there for quite some time. And after the barge ride across the sound, lots of small, winding roads to get here.

I rode the St. Kitts line a couple years ago. Very scenic, using a Polish diesel & double decker cars with lower level AC & the top open air. Great way to see the island. Couple nice bridges on the line too.

John -

Without trying to get my old mags out and find the right one, I will go from memory and say that the Twelve-Wheeler is number 54 and was built by a Canadian company (Canadian Locomotive Works?) around 1950 or so. I believe the engine was restored a number of years ago and run, but then deteriorated thereafter. Not sure what the present status is, or if it's even still around. A nice looking engine as I recall.

I also think there was mention (maybe in a different article) about a sister 4-8-0 that was wrecked for some movie that was made down there in Jamaica.

Les

There once was a train on Nantucket,
With tracks 3-feet wide! Who'd of thunk it?
But a hurricane came, and blew off the train.
So now to move freight they must truck it.

ROFLMAO! Brilliant!

Not only that, it's the "cleanest" Limerick I've ever heard about Nantucket...........................:)

I have a picture in my Surviving World Steam Locomotive database of 4-8-0 #54, stored in a shed in Kingston, Jamaica. It looked a little dusty, but complete. It was taken during the 1990s, I believe.



There is also a Kerr Stuart 0-4-2ST at the St. Kitts Sugar Manufacturing Corp. mill on St. Kitts.

As my good friend "Steam" always says, "fascinating stuff." Wonder what traces, if any, can be seen on either island??? Since I'm going back next week...I'll ask around...

Here is an island find a little further away from home than most. Linked are some views of a Mainline 2-8-2 Japanese Rail D-51, Engine # D-51 222. While in Okinawa Japan on one of my many trips through the area a friend of mine told me about a "Train" on display in a local park. I didn't know what to expect as all rail use was gone after the US invasion of the island in WW2. Even before WW2 the small light railroads that ran were narrow gauge and very small, only short local runs for industrial and plantation use. To my surprise I arrived at the park to find a Japanese Rail D-51 Engine # D-51 222 on display, in Japan the D-51 class locomotives are well known even the female guide I had had known of them as a child. Not sure when this locomotive was brought down from mainland but it was quite a job considering it was brought down here just for display where no rail exist anywhere, and beyond that the park is no where near the ports or easy access. The Locomotive seamed to be cared for and was very complete, all cab interior was intact and lights and six chime step-top whistle where still present. Enjoy the pictures.







More pictures avaliable, showing details and two truck 4 axle tender.