Thought many on the forum would like to see the current condition of Seaboard Air Line # 1003 a 1913 Baldwin 0-4-0 that somehow survives under the kudzu in Andalusia Alabama. I had the opportunity over the last few days to stop by Andalusia to see it, along with some other items that have become somewhat lost to nature.

Its almost hard to imagine a steam locomotive in 2010 ( almost ) left in this condition... The engine is on the right on the same track as the passenger car, the tender is on the left. If you look closely at the point to the left of the end of the passenger car, that is the stack on the locomotive.

Interesting to think things like a 97 steam locomotive survive ( not in a museum ) , almost abandoned in place. (along with other items )

Dean Levin

Looks like the locomotive version of Cousin It

Doesn't that stuff EVER die???

Good grief!!! What they need is the "forgotten" tank car of Agent Orange.....

Howard P.
Spray It, CT

A nice Eagle Scout project might be offered to a local troop, in the form of cutting the stuff off and doing a bit of historical research on the locomotive. Any idea of who owns it?

Is that an L&N baggage car next to it? That striping and weathered blue paint looks very familiar to me.

Thanks for posting the photo Dean. According to J. David Conrad's book, SAL #1003 is a tank engine. Wonder where the tender came from? Also, according to Mr. Conrad, the engine was built as a "steam dummy". Kind of interesting to say the least! Anyone got a photo of the loco before the Kudzu took over? Or a builders photo?

Les

I thought perhaps others would find some of this equipment as interesting as I did.. Here are two more locomotives that were nearly totally concealed by the Kudza. Its hard to say whats really going on in this town, where a bunch of this equipment appears to be virtually abandoned in place. However, here are two more examples of equipment that I thought some within the forum would find interesting. I can't say I know very much about these pieces, other than they basically must be totally concealed when the Kudza grows in the spring and summer, so perhaps this was the best time to see this equipment.

One appears to be another steam locomotive, while the other could be a smaller industrial switcher of some type.

No matter what, to find equipment in this condition really makes you wonder who if anyone owns this stuff, and why has it suffered from such neglect. I suspect that unlike the N&W engines in Roanoke that were recently rescued, the equipment hidden away in this small Alabama town are to my knowledge somewhat unknown.

I offer a few more images of some of the motive power that is obstructed due to the conditions at this location.


Dean Levin

Last I knew the equipment was privately owned by a local business man who also owns the depot. A few years ago he offered it all for sale lock,stock, & barrel. but was asking an astronomical sum and had no takers. I guess he is just hording it.
Shame!
Bil

Over at steamlocomotive.info the engines are listed as SAL 1003 0-4-0T and Forest Products #2 - the two-truck Heisler from Dry Gulch discussed in an earlier thread. The SAL engine lists "Cradle of Confederacy Museum" as the owner. A photo in the database shows the RPO in the background.

http://steamlocomotive.info/medium/al34.jpg

Wesley

Greetings:
I believe that although Forest Products Chemical Co. No.2 was at Andalusia, AL for a while c.2000, it was sold in 3/2002 to it's current owner and moved to the Thurmond, MD area.
While at Montgomery, AL, former SAL 1002 was displayed with another 0-4-0T (Vulcan c/n 2882). I list this locomotive being sold to Peter Clawsen in 1988 and moved to Chattanooga, TN; but I could be wrong...
I would be most interested in learning more about the "other" steam locomotive at Andalusia (so I don't have to go down there to do battle with the Kudzu).
J.David

J David.. ( and everyone )

Here is another photograph of the second steam engine in Andalusia. Unfortunately the conditions there are such that the Kudzu is so thick ( even in a winter months ) that just to get in to take these photographs was a major hassle. However, I have heard about equipment being hidden away in this small Alabama town and I thought it was worthy to take a chance to see what could be seen in the winter.. Unfortunately this picture, won't give you many if any more clues as to what the second steam engine is on the property. I believe in front of this engine ( in this picture ) is what looks like it was an older trackmobile.. However again it was buried in the vine like material that has taken over this area.

I will post under a separate topic some of the other interesting equipment that is sorta lost in Andalusia. The principal railroad in this small town was the L&N / Seaboard System before being sold off to a few short lines. It is interesting that 3 depots survive in very close proximity of one another.

For those that are interested I will open up a new topic for some of the other equipment.

thanks for your replies


Dean Levin

I wonder if we could interest the fire department in a "controlled burn"........ or, lacking that, a couple Molotov cocktails might do wonders for photography around there...... it's not like they have wooden cabs, after all.......... >:-)

J. David,

I can confirm the other engine was indeed bought by Pete Claussen and moved to TVRM in Chattanooga either in late 87 or early 88. I really think it was late 87. The engine left Chattanooga sometime after I did in July 1991. Where it is today I have no idea.

SAL 1003 and this engine were on display at a small private museum on the grounds of the large depot, possibly a Union depot?, in Montgomery, AL before that date. The place was really a one man operation and he seemed to have trouble just keeping the grass mowed. That may have been where the 1003 lost the saddle tank and gained a tender. I vaguely remember some kind of story but can not bring back any details. As poor as conditions were in Montgomery at least the 1003 was better off there than it is now in Andalusia.

John Bohon

John Bohon

I have to go to Asheville in the first week of 2010. My return trip could take a detour on the way back to Dallas via Andalusia if it would help clear up any details of the equipment. If anyone wants to send me what is known as to the owner(s), depots, and any local info, I shall be glad to try my luck in some hunting. Contact me at h_k_nicholls@peoplepc.com.
Harry

Harry ( and the group )

Here is a bit more information for anyone that goes down to take a look in Andalusia... From what I can see, there are three depots in this town.. A brick L&N depot ( shown below ) along with an adjacent older wood framed depot ( which could be a freight station )... the equipment is in a field adjacent to the wood framed depot... About a 1/2 mile away, is another wood framed depot, in which this N&W caboose sits ( with the name Three Notch Museum Railroad ), in which I know very little about. The area where the equipment is located has a totally abandoned feel, from abandoned trucks and cars overgrown in Kudza to the abandoned depots and such. You can see in the photographs below, that the old brick L&N building looks abandoned ( or very much neglected ) ( note the neat old signal still in place opposite the depot, along with a wooden depot ( possibly freight station ) close by...

The N&W caboose ( is that an old Wabash caboose ? ) is a few blocks away at a well maintained depot that also has a few fairmount motor cars etc etc.... Perhaps someone with some connection to this "Three Notch Museum Railroad" could offer some information on what is going on in this town, as the caboose and depot appear in good order... The old L&N double track line in town looks pretty rough these days, and appears to be operated by one of Pete Claussen's shortlines, with a bunch of Chattahochie Industrial Railroad boxcars stored around town.

The stone depot did have a for sale sign on it... I might be able to enlarge the photograph of that side of the depot to get the telephone number of the realtor which might be a start for someone to gather information on the owner of this equipment..

I hope this information and photographs have been informative and helpful. If I can be of help to anyone, just shoot me a message.


Dean Levin