The 261 thread got me to thinking about the surviving Burlington 4-8-4's. If I remember correctly, there was some discussion about bringing one or both of the engines in Wyoming back to life. Just wondering what kind of shape they are in.

I believe that I read somewhere that the boiler on the engine in Colorado is in poor condion. I know someone will correct me if I am wrong.

Next to the S2 (GN 2584) in Havre, Montana, these engines seem a logical choice for a group such as the Friends of 261.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Jd Johnson, Morehead and North Fork Railroad Historian

Well, the 5629 at the Colorado Railroad Museum was used as a stationary boiler in Lincoln, NE for two years prior to its move to Colorado. Whatever life that was in it was used up by the time it went to Denver.
It was mechanically sound enough to be towed to Denver, however.

The reason our men didn't drive the 5629 to Denver is that her tubes were expired. She was greased and exercised infrequently in Lincoln before that time came, and was towed dead in train to Denver in a track speed move with no delays.

When BN looked at her in the late 80s, we had help from the FRA, and a several very experienced steam men whom I won't mention by name. Everybody we asked said she was an excellent candidate, given the resources available to us. It was politics that flushed that project. While we could have prevailed, the company rightly felt that it would have been bad public relations to fight over it.

We Denver Diesel Shop employees were disappointed, as were the many who wished success to us. I sure hope somebody at last gets one of our Burlington engines fixed up and drivable again, considering how many good ones were donated, and considering the loss of C&S 71 and 9, as well as the drivable, but unrecognizable as Burlington, 4960.

BEST OF LUCK TO WHOEVER !!!!

What about the condition of the two that are in Wyoming?

Are they good candidates as well?

JD Johnson, Morehead and North Fork Railroad Historian

My information could well be out of date, so I apologize in advance for any errors:

The engine in Sheridan was on railroad property last I knew, making her a much better candidate from the start. She was on live rail by the depot, right across from the shop --- I don't know if they even have a shop there any more. We talked it over, but I had already been through the wringer with a couple other failed Burlington Lines projects after the 5629, so by that time I was more ready to take a buyout than move to Wyoming. We never looked at her, but with only a couple exceptions, the Q saved the best steam they had when the axe fell.

In Douglass, the display includes a Budd trainset, a way car, and some freight cars, but everything is away from live rail in the city park. Again, I've been gone from the Burlington for 18 years, but last I knew the museum was a civic project of Operation Stop, or of the employee side of the employee assistance program. Again, these are folks you can reason with, but they aren't likely to let their pet O5 leave town for too long at a time, and if they did, it would be a job to get her out of the park and return her later. Again, we didn't go look, but the Q didn't save too much junk and she's been cared for, so chances are she'd be worth it if somebody could solve the problems, as always.

Hope somebody DOES,
Sammy