I remember reading this (somewhere) a LONG time ago how the NYSW had a lot of trouble getting the 142 from Essex once purchased from VRR to its home rails, something about the fact that it was diverted a number of times using unfamiliar trackage and going many miles out of its way than it needed to because one RR wouldn't allow a ferry move on its property. I THINK it was Conrail, can't be sure right now. If anyone can dig this article up or has access to it, I'd really like to see it. My ex-boss is a RR nut (like most of us here and I'm trying to get him to waste time in here!) and we're collectively planning a trip to Pburg this fall to ride 142. I piqued his interest in this engine and he want to learn more.
Thanks in advance.

Greetings:
I believe that you are misinformed.
I ran and/or was in charge of No.142 on that move.
As I recall, we did some movie work ("Ethan Frome"?) for the Green Mountain on the way and had the locomotive in the roundhouse at North Walpole, for a week or so.
Perhaps the engine sitting while waiting for the movie crew is the delay you have in mind.
From North Walpole we worked double headed with GMRC diesels in freight service to Rutland. Bill Drotar, Jr. fired for me.
After dead heading to Whitehall we kept the locomotive fired while being towed by the D&H to Binghamton taking water at Saratoga.
At Binghamton the locomotive was (legally and physically) turned over to the NYS&W. Walter Rich ran all the way to Utica with me coaching him along. We had a NYS&W caboose for his folks to ride in.
Walter was difficult to instruct. Going down the grade into Utica the engineer of record was yelling him to slow down. He didn't pay any attention and I finally had to get us under control while standing next to him.
An interesting ride...
J.David
PS: Three days from North Walpole to Utica.

Susquehanna Steam Express(MARK I VIDEO)souvenir tape,well documented from build to valley to NYSW,nothing in video about that,recomended video very detailed

Could that possibly have been the The Cider House Rules shoot? (Toby McGuire, Micheal Caine, and a very young Charlize Theron). I believe that was done at Bellows Falls with a steam locomotive. Date given for the movie is 1999, and although only seen in the trailer for a second, it looks like 142 was the locomotive used.

There really is a very mixed history of what kind of steam locomotive gets used in a given movie. The further we get from the steam era, the less likely an appropriate locomotive is used for the place and era of the production. A CP Royal Hudson in rural Kentucky (Coal Miner's Daughter), a Nickel Plate Berk in 1920's Harlan Co. KY, (Matewan), and Strasburg 90 standing in for numerous other times and locations makes for a strange look to anyone knowledgeable. Not complaining about giving those locomotives and owners much needed revenue. I think one of the last examples of the really proper use of a steam locomotive for time and location was SR #4501 "playing" a B&O Q-4 in Fools Parade, shot in and around Parkersburg - Moundsville, WV, on the B&O. Outside of doing what the producers of AMC's Hell on Wheels have done in building prop engines and equipment, not a lot of real choices anymore. Not like the long-ago days when a studio could buy a recently retired American or Ten-Wheeler from the SP or Santa Fe to wreck in a western, or actually use the 20th Century Ltd. as a location (North by Northwest - what a GREAT movie!) Perhaps now that she has been restored, Sierra #3 can once again be a movie star, and either David Kloke's Leviathan, or the one he built for York, PA can be used in movies set around the 1860's.

Dear Paul:
Yes, 142 was used in "Cider House Rules", but that was in 1998 as I recall, the year Vermont Railroad System borrowed the No.142 to run all over their system doing excursions and a quasi regular tourist service from Burlington to Middlebury.
I ran and/or was in charge of No.142 while on the VRS although Wayne Hebert (from Valley Railroad) ran it for the movie shoot. Other Valley people came up to fire at times. Ken Blandina fired for me on the trip from North Walpole to Burlington via the Central Vermont.
An NYS&W crew brought the locomotive as far as Whitehall with several of their coaches, then we ran to the North Walpole roundhouse to do a monthly inspection and get the locomotive "tinkered up" for the summer.
I ran the locomotive quite a bit and fired for Dave Wulfson, the President of VRS who only wanted to run if the locomotive was facing forward. On the return trips from Middlebury we ran in reverse.
The highlight of that summer for me was running from Whitehall back to Rutland over freshly laid VRS welded rail at 50 MPH.
What a nice running locomotive 1647 (oops, 142) was!
J.David

Mr. Conrad;

Thanks for that. I always appreciate reminiscences of things like that from those who were there.

Paul