Valley Forge Scenic RR Video

tomgears · **Posted:** Sat Oct 13, 2007 11:09 pm

I came upon this while doing a bit of surfing.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1d74g ... 969_events

junior · **Posted:** Sun Oct 14, 2007 4:05 am

Great find Tom!

Mr. Ed · **Posted:** Sun Oct 14, 2007 11:26 am

I've lived in the Phily area all of my life and never heard of this RR. What ever happened to it?

Later!
Mr. Ed

Alan Maples · **Posted:** Sun Oct 14, 2007 2:52 pm

Mr. Ed wrote:

I've lived in the Phily area all of my life and never heard of this RR. What ever happened to it?

Later!
Mr. Ed

Kurt Bell at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is very knowledgeable about the VFS and I believe he wrote a manuscript about it. As I recall, the tourist railroad was only in business two or three years and had acquired a couple of miles of track post-abandonment from the Reading, which did not have fee title to the underlying real estate. Lacking common carrier status, the VFS was forced to close when adjoining property owners exercised claim to the right-of-way.

Alan Maples

junior · **Posted:** Mon Oct 15, 2007 12:57 am

The station in Kimberton still exists. The station that was used by the VFSR's at the "end of the line" exists today as NH&I's unused Buckingham Valley station.

NH&I also aquired several coaches from the VFSR, including the 1127 & 1224 among others.

BM&R/R&N of course has the 425 (then numbered 2) It was purchased by Malcom Ottinger after the VFSR closed and it was moved to storage at the W&W in Marshallton. The VFSR's other loco, 0-6-0 #300 (1907 former Atlanta, Birminghan & Atlantic #27) was bought by private indiviuals and also later moved to the W&W and renumbered 58. It was 'displayed' at the W&W until moved to Avondale where it became part of a display/gift shop set up within the fomer Pomery & Newark Station and 4 PRR MP54's by its then owner Brian Woodcock. Brian and his wife Linda later got out of the business and donated the 58 (and PRR coaches) back to the W&W where it was restored to operation in under 11 months and now operates regularly.

Mr. Ed · **Posted:** Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:26 am

Thanks guys.

Later!
Mr. Ed

K.R. Bell · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:37 pm **Posts:** 298

I have written an extensive article on the brief history of the Valley Forge Scenic RR that is slated to appear in a special double issue of The Bee Line, published by the Reading Company Technical & Historical Society sometime in late 2007. It will be everything you ever wanted to know about the VFSRR with lots of photos, text and detailed roster of equipment/histories.

K.R. Bell