One thing leads to another. A number of Bob's photo references link to images at Railroad Picture Archives.net. That got me looking through Jim Sand's prolific collection, which in turn lead me to stumble onto "Gold Nugget Junction" engine no. 4, a rather weary looking 3-foot 2-6-2, apparently from the Klondike Mines Railway.

http://jimsands2.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=69044

Curiousity lead to further digging at steamlocomotive.info which suggests this engine ended up in Oklahoma, in rather dire circumstances:

http://www.steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=1708

A footnote says the locomotive is now going to the "Dry Gulch RR" for restoration.

Not being well acquainted with narrow gauge subjects, three questions come to mind; first, what was the story of the "Gold Nugget Junction" theme park?; second, how did the engine end up in Oklahoma in such lamentable condition; and third, what is the "Dry Gulch Railroad"?

Ed Kelly, where are you?

Alan Maples

Alan,
The "Dry Gulch Railroad" is a 3' operation at a massive Christian campground facility in Adair (Tulsa area), Oklahoma. These guys have a rebuilt (as 2-4-0) Carbon Limestone teakettle as well as a 3' Crown from Kings Dominion in Virginia.

As to how such an outfit as able to maintain a railroad of this caliber is beyond me. They do, however, run for the public during the Holidays which is apparently highly advertised in the Tulsa area. I have relations in the area who have attended this event and have most interesting stories...

I was told the (previous) owner of this engine elsewhere in that state offered to donate it to the Colorado Railroad Museum, who rejected it based on its condition (and probably irrelevance to the scope of its collection)

This locomotive spent a number of years on the White Pass (holding the same number, I believe) as well.

I believe this engine worked for an operation called the "Peppermint & Northwestern" (or something like that) just south of Milwaukee, many, many moons ago. I went up and rode it. I think the track was thrown over some vacant propety. As I recall, the ride wasn't very long and featured a lot of curves (probably to fit in the space.) Number 4 had a "circus" paint scheme. Maybe someone else can shed some light on that particular operation and if indeed, this is the same 2-6-2.

Les Beckman

Gold Nugget Junction was located at Osage Beach, Missouri. I don't know where that is; but, my folks on a trip to visit relatives near Kansas City and St. Louis took a couple of photos of the train.

Conrad's list of steam locomotives from 1988 gives the following information:

sold by White Pass in 1955 to a V. Monlitor (Oak Creek Central Ry) at Oakwood, WI
1960 to Peppermint Farms (Peppermint & Northwestern) near Waterford, WI
1964 to John Denton of Sevierville, TN in 1969 to Osage Beach, MO (Gold Nugget Junction RR)
1972 to John dunton [still at Gold Nugget Junction RR]
1980 to Denny Hilton [still at Osage Beach]
9/1984 to Midwest Central RR
10/1984 to Steve Wild to a game farm near El Reno OK

Brian:

Thanks for the rundown. One other thing comes to mind now about that run over the Peppermint & Northwestern; the engine leaked like a sieve!

Les

As stated, the little 2-6-2 was the newest engine on the Klondike Mines Ry, near Dawson City, YT. It was dormant for quite a few years after the KM shut down, but was brought out to Skagway for use as a switcher when the US Army took over the WP&Y, in 1942. The WP&Y sold it about 1955 to the first of the tourist operations it worked for.

http://narrowmind.railfan.net/WPYR/late ... steam.html

I have been hearing that the recently delivered 69 will not be operating on the white pass due to many severe mechanical problems. Anyone have any idea? I thought this thing was just rebuilt?

I encountered the 'Gold Nugget Junction' actually in operaton at Osage Beach during a cross-country trip in June 1973. Osage Beach then was a strip of tourist attractions built along the old routing of Highway US-54, which passed over the dam at 'Lake of the Ozarks'. "Gold Nugget Junction" was along the crest of the ridge about a mile west of the Dam, on the north side of the road. They had the 2-6-2, and three excursion cars which appeared to have been constructed on the frames of wooden gondolas. I recall that the ride was only about a 1/4 mile long, track laid sidehill to an overlook where the Lake was visible. No turning facilities and not a continuous loop, so the train operated in push-pull fashion.

Resurrecting an old thread, I was going though some slides and found this transparency showing No. 4 that I took at "Gold Nugget Junction" in August 1975.

Accoring to an earlier thread in 2010, this engine is for sale by the folks at Dry Gulch.

http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29944

Wesley

It's still for sale. They're asking $300,000.00 for it. See the link below fo the sale add.

http://www.trains-trams-trolleys.com/home/3000.htm

Here it is as Peppermint & Northwestern #4, presumably in Wisconsin.

The little Prairie is now operational at Como, Colorado for the South Park Rail Society and lettered as DSP&P number 4.


Les

Here is a link for the locomotive and the project

South Park Rail Society

There has been on going coverage of the activities at Como on the Narrow Gauge Discussion Forum.