5, 65 Ton, was built by Porter in April 1944, #7646, as Jackson Iron & Steel Co 5. It was sold to B&NW as 5 in 1981 and later sold to Lonesome Pine RR.

I thought Porter only made small steam engines.

Per facebook posts from Mike Tilley with the Watauga Valley NRHS chapter, there is a 1943 Porter diesel in Bristol, VA. Used in conjunction with the Bristol & Northwestern shortline. Last operated 30 years ago. Rebuilt trucks, but friction bearings. Will have to be trucked out. Owner is willing to let go for scrap value, but time is VERY limited.

Any serious offers, please get in touch with Mike Tilley of Watauga NRHS. I do have a phone number for Mike Tilley if needed.

How complete is it? Does anybody know how much it weighs?

I rode the B&NW, and always wondered why it failed.

SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA SCENIC RR
Ran in late 1974 and during 1975 on a portion of the Southern Ry Bristol line. Ran east from Hiltons, VA. Beautiful scenery, but was off the beaten path=few riders. Used some of the ex-Quakertown & Eastern excursion equipment including ex-Buffalo Creck & Gauley 2-8-0 4 and fleet of ex-Reading steel coaches and the "Reading Rambles" baggage car. Also had a Baldwin diesel switcher from Tennessee Eastman. The equipment made its way to the NCTM at Spencer, NC.

BRISTOL & NORTHWESTERN RR
Same line, different direction, different chooch. Ran the SOU Bristol line west out of its namesake town briefly during early 1980's. Leased famed CB&Q 2-8-2 4960 (then still in CB&Q appearence) from then-owner Mid-Continent Railway Museum. 4960 hauled several lightweight coaches. A classy little operation that died along with its owner/operator Harold Keene.

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy No. 4960, a big 2-8-2 built in 1923 by Baldwin, was delivered by the C&NW under its own steam to the Mid-Continent lead as a donation by Circus World Museum in Baraboo in 1966. Apparently this locomotive was donated to Circus World Museum by the Burlington to pull their circus train to Milwaukee and CWM did not want it. The locomotive was driven into the south yard at Mid-Continent where it sat for years, being too big for the Mid-Continent main line. CB&Q No. 4960 was leased to the Bristol & Northwestern in Tennessee in 1981 where it ran for two years before it was dismantled for repair. No progress and few rent checks were made over a number of years so the locomotive and parts were sold to the Grand Canyon Railroad.

In other coal news, Harold Keene (old timers will remember that he owned the short lived tourist railway: Bristol & Northwestern and operated former CB&Q No. 4960 on lease from Mid-Continent) has sold his coal operations to Jewell. Harold's coal was a bit smokey but he always seemed to have enough in stock to fill small orders.

Jewell has moved their corperate offices from coal country (Knoxville) to the commodity capitol: Chicago.

My understanding is that it will be saved. There are two interested parties, with one being a bit faster to stake its claim than the other.

Rest easy gentlemen.

Chris