Steam locomotive Dead Headed on NS Harrisburg Line ?????

Schuylkill Valley · **Posted:** Tue Apr 14, 2009 3:30 pm

Hello all,
I was sent a email asking if I saw the dead head movement of a steam locomotive on the Harrisburg Line of Norfolk Southern this past Sunday (Easter Sunday) Dose any one in here know of such move? I blocked out the guy's email Address.
Thank's,
Len.

Here's the email I got.
Subject: Pottstown, PA on Easter Sunday
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 2:23 PM
From: "Geoff Littlefield"
To: Conrail6370@Yahoo.com
Did you see the steam engine that was deadheaded through town? I missed it, my brother-in-law saw it on his way down through Douglassville, PA. heading east.

Rob · **Posted:** Tue Apr 14, 2009 7:53 pm

A PRR B8 perhaps?

steamtown observer · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 3:11 pm **Posts:** 371

Was it still dripping water after being in the quarry?

...sorry, couldn't resist.

Schuylkill Valley · **Posted:** Tue Apr 14, 2009 10:45 pm

Stay on the topic.

Len.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Tue Apr 14, 2009 10:59 pm

You fail to indicate whether it was supposedly on its own wheels, on a flat car, or floating on a life preserver.

Maybe the Alco C855 set pulled up from behind the UP GE turbine, en route to Illinois Ry. Museum?

On a more serious note, what is the fate of CP 1098? Anyone seen that in Jim Thorpe lately? (Which would also raise the query: Who now holds title to CP 972, and what do they plan for it, considering their shop now seems to have enough work for the next dozen years?)

Trainlawyer · **Posted:** Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:43 pm

I would be a tad skeptical if only because said engine would have passed several of the more prolific train spotters on various Yahoo groups and nobody caught it.

GME

DavidKaplan · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:17 am

Could this W&W loco have been it? I'm not sure how long this loco has been at Strasburg but the caption sounds like it just arrived.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 994&nseq=0

Just a thought.

Trainlawyer · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:14 am

The travels of number 37 were documented by Brother Anderson in a thread below which should have been titled: "Abbot and Costello Move A Locomotive".

GME

See:
http://rypn.sunserver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=27307
The Latest from Outside the Strasburg Rail Road Shops...

Tim Botti · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:49 am

Trainlawyer wrote:

The travels of number 37 were documented by Brother Anderson in a thread below which should have been titled: "Abbot and Costello Move A Locomotive".

GME

Indeed, the #37 move was done by truck (with props to all involved for working through the headaches), so chances are it wasn't seen coming down the Harrisburg line. I think Len's buddy may have seen something other than a steam locomotive. The throngs of railfans in the area generally catch that kind of move.

Who's on First, What's on Second, Nathan Low Water Alarm's on Third...

Trainlawyer · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:32 am

East Penn sold the Boyertown branch to Berks County a few weeks ago and ceased operations. EPRY 52 (an SW someting-or-other with its own history) was apparently set out for interchange at Pottstown in mid-March for movement elsewhere. Given the postulate that we tend to work with here, that the shortest distance between two adjacent points is via Wyoming and/or Guadalajara, could he have seen this engine passing through its start point on the way to wherever it was going?

GME

Schuylkill Valley · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2009 11:17 am

I thought of No. 52, but it's still sitting at CG interlocking as of Sunday afternoon. When I went out for a bit of railfanning.
I sent a email back to that person but I haven't recived and back yet. I can't figure out what he saw.
I'll be visiting a friend today that lives in Monocacy near the quarry, but this guy claims to have the locomotive bell off of RDG 1187 before it became No. 4 . He said his Grandfather worked for the Steel Co. in Birdsboro where this loco was at. That the C&F Iron Co. took off the 1187 bell and replaced it with the one that's on it now. I'll be taking video of it ringing and pictures of it too.

Now on to CP 1098, R&N owns it and its in the engine house at Thorpe. The CP 972 is own by Strasburg and has been since 1996.

Len.

Richard Glueck · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:19 pm

It wasn't a locomotive. I suspect your friend saw a string of reefers.

Howard P. · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:45 pm

Richard, you win the prize. That's the best response yet!!!!

Howard P.
No Toke, CT

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:02 pm

Hold on a minute, Howie--

Did Knox & Kane Chinese 2-8-2 58 get to its new destination yet, or might THAT be a possibility for being seen?

Though it couldn't have gotten down the NS Buffalo Line without getting by a covey of excellent spotters on the Buffalo Line YahooGroup.........

Howard P. · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:14 pm

All I know about #58 is that it's going via truck, not rail (either flat car or on own wheels)-- see the "other" thread about all that.

Some of it arrived in CT a few weeks ago (tender & some parts); JDC should be able to let us know if the rest of it is in Essex or not.

Howard P.
529 Preservation Cave Rd.
Litchfield County, CT