The recent thread comments about preserved single sheathed box cars that were rebuilt with steel sides mentions a car in Victoria, Ark. This car is in the company of Jonesboro, Lake City & Eastern No. 73.

The JLC&E would later be merged into the St. Louis-San Francisco; two of her running mates would be 2-8-0s 76 and 77, both of which survive today, via the Mississippian Railway, followed by various other preservation efforts (not all of which wound up well).

No. 73 would later be purchased by Delta Valley & Southern, which placed her on display after her retirement.

Below are links to two photo albums featuring this tidy 2-6-0. Sadly, it looks like she and her short freight train could use a bit of attention.

https://condrenrails.com/Frisco/Frisco% ... _Pixs.html

https://www.flickr.com/photos/17627398@ ... 5260759675

A previous RyPN thread that mentions this locomotive.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5606

Some other links on the JLC&E, including a site with builder's photos.

https://hawkinsrails.net/shortlines/jlce/jlce.htm

https://thelibrary.org/lochist/frisco/a ... 1_v4_8.pdf

It looks like Delta Valley & Southern, or at least a company with that name, is still in operation, with a length of two miles.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Val ... rn_Railway

No. 73's replacement, a GE 45-tonner purchased new, appears to be interesting in its own right--and is a bit of a mystery, mainly in reference to its current location and condition.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Val ... outhern_50

http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/nat ... omotive-50

http://landmarkhunter.com/124475-delta- ... motive-50/

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/6G436-RP-1972-D ... SwhOVXfFqQ

http://www.trainweb.org/arkansastrains/ ... I80152.htm

J3a-614:

This privately owned equipment display could use some serious TLC. The Mogul and three pieces of rolling stock, all show signs of deterioration.

Les

Dandy little engine for a short tourist line operation. Nice fat tires on her.
Seen in Memphis, TN in Jan 1938 in better days.

Just noticed that some of the rods are missing including the mains and eccentrics. Wonder if they might be on the deck of the tender, or just gone? Also, the engine carried number 34 when on the JLC&E and was renumbered 73 on the SLSF.

Les

The rods that are missing are the ones you would take off to roll an engine without letting the pistons and valves move.

Don't see them sitting in the coal bunker, hopefully they are on the tender deck or even in the boxcar.

Getting all that equipment would give you an awesome 'photo freight starter kit' lol.

You are right about that!

Les

This is an old subject, but I just got onto the site!! Finally!
A little more info JLC&E 73:
I was a captain in the Army, and worked on the construction of the water control structure at Manila, Ark. from 1974 to 1975 and got to know the area. The ex- JLC&E branch from Blytheville to Lake City was still in, including a neat "lift" bridge over the St. Francis River at Lake City. The Corps built a new bridge across Ditch 81 for the Frisco, but the railroad had planned to abandon the line, and had been attempting for years to do so. They had a spot on their mainline already picked out for the bridge! One of the sisters of Wilson married a gentleman named Wesson (of Wesson oil fame) and they built Victoria as a New England town. It looked like a typical town that you find in Nantucket; he must have been from that area. The line once ran from Wilson Junction to Wilson, but had been removed before I got to Arkansas. Before the railroad was torn out Wesson had #73 run (at night as it was out of service) from Wilson up to Victoria. His plan was to build a loop of track around Victoria and run the train, but when he discovered how much it would cost he abandoned the idea. His farm shop maintained the engine and keeps an eye on it, hence the "jewelry" is till there. They started to rebuild it and I heard they removed the tubes, etc., but he suddenly died, and the project died with him. It's a neat little locomotive.

nedsn3 -

Glad you finally made it onto RyPN. Welcome! Wonder if the current owners of SLSF #73 might consider donating the 2-6-0 and the other three pieces of rolling stock to an organization that might be able to offer a home where things might be better cared for? Mr. Wesson's legacy of preserving the equipment might be better served by doing so.

Les

Jason S. knows a railroad in Florida that didn't get a locomotive earlier this year.........