Hard at work in the diesel age:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 412&nseq=5

One of my favorites! In my perfect world (unlimited cubic dollars) - I'd buy her and send her to Spencer to live out her days with 1925. I was sad to read a few years ago that Cass was going to buy her for parts. From what I've heard, that deal did not happen. The only recent pix I've seen show a fairly stripped down boiler on a frame - but there are parts around to at least assemble it for display.

Mike Stillwell
Buena Vista, VA.

I believe this one got dropped while loading along with 1925; I think that was why it was considered good only for parts; and is in pieces now.

To the best of my knowledge, the loading of the '26 went smoothly. 1925 was the one that was dropped at Bear Creek, when Cass attempted to purchase the engine in 1987. The ensuing damage, and controversy, spelled the end of the Cass deal, and eventually led to Spencer acquiring the locomotive.

The 1926 was still sitting in Milltown, having been stripped for parts almost 20 years before, following 1925's runaway on the mountain. By the time 1987 came around, half of the 1926 was masquerading as the 1925, so there wasn't much of an engine left to begin with.

The last I heard, Cass has gotten title to the '26 to be used as a parts source.
Kevin

I remember when GCRy 1925 came to the 1999 RailFair in Sacramento--with a banner on the rear telling of its "Y2K compliance".

From what I have been able to gather - 1925 was the one that was dropped in '87. 1925 also had a bent frame from the runaway in '68 that led to the combining on the 1925 and 1926. 1926 was sidelined about the same time with a bad boiler - firebox in particular. I'm not sure what parts ended up where, except that the cabs were switched with 1925's damaged cab eventually ending up on the Little River Shay in Townsend, where it is still today (This shay was on display at GCRR in the tourist era - it had a wooden cab which rotted away). I was hoping John Bohon would weigh in here as to what the situation was when he was at GCRR in the early 80's. From what I remember from him, 1926 was indeed heavily stripped at Milltown and many mechanical parts like the line shaft were tossed in the creek. John retrieved these parts, although 1926 did seem to lose her engine set over time, and I do not know where that went. I want to say Cass has it, as I've seen a set that looks appropriate. The other possible source for Cass' is Meadow River, and the last Shay they parted did not have a Cast Bed set, but rather an earlier design. I have heard that 1926 still does have trucks and some other parts with it.
When I asked at Cass' a couple years ago - a shop worker told me they were interested in 1926's boiler for Meadow River #7. While I'd be soked to see Shay 7 up, it occurred to me that the 2 boilers were very different, with 7 being a soak and 1926 being superheated. 7 also has a decent firebox, it's the front courses that were bad, where 1926 was the opposite, although I'm pretty sure the 2 could not be put together as well.

If anyone can add, correct or collaborate - please feel free to do so!!

Mike Stillwell
Buena Vista, VA.

Thanks for the great photo of a fine locomotive. Kevin and Mike have pretty well summed up the story of both the 25 and 26. I do not think I had heard that 26 has lost her engines. That makes me sad because when Ted Burdette and I looked at her in the early eighties we both felt barring something inside the boiler and we could not see and with enough parts the 26 was a restorable locomotive. She was just more torn down than most we start with. I am not sure if the 26 boiler could be used on the 7. Changing the flue sheets and steam piping to the cylinders could possibly convert the superheated boiler to saturated. I guess combining the 2 boilers could result in a good boiler for the 7 even if only the front course was used from the 26. The big question is, are the 2 boilers close enough to the same size and pattern to make the swap? Cass 7 is one of those special engines that would go over her head when conditions required. She deserves to be back in service but I surely would hate to lose the remains of another old freind to get one back.

With the likelyhood of the 25 returning to steam at Spencer anytime in the near future all but nill, having part of a GC shay under steam may be about all we can hope for if the boiler swap idea were to come true. I am torn between wanting to see the 7 run again and losing the remains of the 26. Oh well, what happens will happen and these days we have to be happy with any steam we can find.

John Bohon

Although I hate to see any steam engine parted out, I think Shay 7 was one of the best looking shays to ever run and it deserves to run again..