Some Goings On at Steamtown

yerkesmz · **Joined:** Tue Aug 22, 2017 2:48 pm **Posts:** 13

Hi all,

In a similar vein as the popular Strasburg posts, I wanted to share some of the things that have been going on at Steamtown. As everyone expects more running steam than what’s currently running, other projects have a tendency to get overlooked, so here’s a list of them for your enjoyment :). Unless otherwise noted, all photos are credited to Steamtown, NPS photographers, or the Iron Horse Society.

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File comment: First off, Empire Refineries Inc. #4525 was recently fully re-lettered. You all know this tank as the one that typically sits in front of the oil house/gift shop

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File comment: Bullard Company #2, the smallest steam locomotive in the collection, recently finished a multi-year cosmetic restoration. I believe the project was started before Covid, and was worked on as time allowed. If anyone has a spare Porter bell, let them know ;)

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File comment: Now onto some more recent projects. A major focus of the last several months has been coach work. CNJ #1152 has some significant truck work done, as the pedestals on the vestibule sides of both trucks were completely worn out. This work allows Steamtown to start the 2025 season with four functional coaches.

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File comment: I said above that Steamtown will start the 2025 season with four coaches, but if all goes right, they will enter the holiday season with seven. Work has begun on returning three DL&W Pullman commuter coaches (no. 330, 334, and 335) to service. All three had been sidelined years ago due to severe rust deterioration on the vestibules. Steamtown is funding the work on #330 and #334, while the Iron Horse Society (with a generous grant from the Emery Trust) is funding the work on #335. You can see the extent of work needed on all three in the first photo (of #335) while the second shows the completed metalwork on #330. Considering the IHS sold out most of their Santa trips last year, all three coaches will be very welcome additions.

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File comment: BLW #26 received some work as part of her yearly winter maintenance. The biggest piece of work was the full rebuild of #26’s air compressor. This was the first time in Steamtown’s existence the rebuild was done in-house. In addition, the mechanical lubricator from B&M #3713 (not pictured) was reconditioned for use on #26, as her current lubricator needs some TLC, and the Iron Horse Society partnered with the East Broad Top Railroad to rebuild some spare brake valves.

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File comment: Now onto some fun new projects. First off, DL&W #3621, a former Pullman troop sleeper and MOW car, was recently pulled out of the deadline and staged near the shop. The IHS and Steamtown are in the very early stages of planning a campaign to restore the car.

Photo credit: Don Kretchmer

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File comment: Next, NYC #5313, the largest remaining piece of a NYC Hudson, has also been moved from the deadline and staged in the roundhouse complex. Rebuilt as a steam generator from the tender of #5313 by the Toronto, Hamilton, and Buffalo Railroad, one can only guess as to why it was moved.

Photo credit: Sebastian Segiel

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File comment: I imagine this will make a number of people smile. Meadow River Lumber Co. #1, a two-truck Shay, has been moved into the shop and stripped down for a cosmetic restoration. Longtime followers of Steamtown will remember that this locomotive was damaged in a building collapse when Steamtown was still in Vermont; very glad to see it getting attention.

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In addition to the projects mentioned above, there have been a number of other projects for which I have little to no information other than my personal observation:

-Canadian National #3377 (younger sister of the beloved #3254) was moved into the shop some time ago for evaluation. No new information on that front.

-The Anthracite Railroad Historical Society is continuing work on both former L&N FA-2 #315 and former B&M F7B “DL&W #664B.”

-The Tri-State Railway Historical Society received their own Emery Trust grant this year to complete several necessary projects on their former B&A F3A “DL&W 663.” As this unit along with sister F3A #664 (owned by the ARHS) are the current long excursion workhorses for Steamtown, this is great news.

-Work on former EMC demonstrator SW-1 #1901 is continuing at McHugh Locomotive & Equipment.

-Steamtown-adjacent: Delaware-Lackawanna PA-4 “NKP 190” recently had a test run.

Thanks for reading :)

yerkesmz · **Joined:** Tue Aug 22, 2017 2:48 pm **Posts:** 13

Also, apologies for the quality of some of the photos. RYPN’s pixel allowances required some sacrifices on that front.

rem1028 · **Joined:** Tue Jan 24, 2017 10:32 am **Posts:** 272

A lot of very good news in this post, thank you for passing this information along. Hoping for some regular updates like this in the future. Thank you very much!

John

Patrick Fahey · **Joined:** Tue Dec 06, 2022 8:31 am **Posts:** 78

Hi
It is finally good to read that some work is being done to the equipment at Steamtown... it has taken a long time for some of the locomotives to have a fresh coat of paint..
CPR # 2929, the last time her in fresh paint, was at the old Steamtown in 1980 railfan's weekend.
Now if the crew that is working on the equipment, if they can get number of coaches to pass the Federal inspection,,Maybe they can start running trips again, and make some money..
As for seeing Steam I will not hold my breath, unless Steamtown decides to host Steam,, for a weekend...
So for now Congratulations on what has been done... Pat.

Richard Glueck · **Posted:** Mon Jun 02, 2025 10:34 am

It's nice to see somethings of a positive nature posted about Steamtown. It's been a long walk through the desert. Rebuilding another steam locomotive from the yard for service would be the icing on the cake.

Patrick Fahey · **Joined:** Tue Dec 06, 2022 8:31 am **Posts:** 78

Hi
I just wanted to add one more thing,, dealing with the Meadow River shay # 1,, for those of you who didn't know this fact about the locomotive..
Her original cab was set on fire, by vandals when the Steamtown equipment was being stored in Wakefield, Mass at Pleasure Island.
When the locomotive arrived at North Walpole, NH,,the cab was rebuild by the employees of then the Green Mountain RR..
So this will be her second cab,,once the locomotive is cosmetically restored..
The information on the cab fire came from the book Steam Trains of Yesteryear, by Rick Kfoury,,, the book is a good read,, if you are interested.. Pat.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Mon Jun 02, 2025 11:34 am

By contrast, this libertarian perspective on threatened National Park Service cuts crossed my feed this morning. It doesn't mention Steamtown specifically, but.......

https://reason.com/2025/06/02/the-gutti ... k-service/

choodude · **Joined:** Wed Jun 29, 2016 11:58 am **Posts:** 318

Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:

By contrast, this libertarian perspective on threatened National Park Service cuts crossed my feed this morning. It doesn't mention Steamtown specifically, but.......

https://reason.com/2025/06/02/the-gutti ... k-service/

I will never use the road that leads to your house.

TEAR IT UP AND SCRAP IT!!!!

The list of public goods and services that I don't think I'll personally use, but fully support is nearly endless.

Brian Helfrich

ted66 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 02, 2025 2:34 pm

There is only one Lackawanna steam locomotive at Steamtown. She is a 2-6-0 and the
volunteers were working on her front truck. For some reason the project stalled.

Is there any news about this locomotive?

Ted Miles who likes steam locomotives

wesp · **Posted:** Mon Jun 02, 2025 3:28 pm

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File comment: Next, NYC #5313, the largest remaining piece of a NYC Hudson, has also been moved from the deadline and staged in the roundhouse complex. Rebuilt as a steam generator from the tender of #5313 by the Toronto, Hamilton, and Buffalo Railroad, one can only guess as to why it was moved.

Somebody looking for an NYC water canteen to go with a Mohawk?

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2640

Is CNJ #1152 the car that was Wasatched?

co614 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 02, 2025 5:33 pm

If the new head of the Interior Dep't. gets his way and the NPS transfers all but the top 62 properties to state ownership then Steamtown will become a ward of the Commonwealth of Pa. if Harrisburg wants it.

Who knows what will happen if the State says no thanks ???

Time will tell. Ross Rowland

xboxtravis7992 · **Joined:** Wed Sep 06, 2017 11:33 am **Posts:** 195

co614 wrote:

If the new head of the Interior Dep't. gets his way and the NPS transfers all but the top 62 properties to state ownership then Steamtown will become a ward of the Commonwealth of Pa. if Harrisburg wants it.

Who knows what will happen if the State says no thanks ???

Time will tell. Ross Rowland

People be throwing stones as if "privatized Steamtown" isn't one state over already (no shade to either organization but the different standards people judge them by is wild).

rem1028 · **Joined:** Tue Jan 24, 2017 10:32 am **Posts:** 272

At Age of Steam, there are active restorations going on (Yreka Western # 19). Right now, no active operational restorations taking place at Steamtown for a couple years since work on #3713 was stopped. Also, Age of Steam has a roundhouse full of cosmetically restored locomotives, with no equipment rotting away outside looking like it could fall apart with a good gust of wind. Part of the frustration with Steamtown is that could be so much more. It's funded with taxpayer funds but has been terribly mismanaged by some of the past superintendents. Things like stopping work on the only Lackawanna locomotive in the collection, and stopping work on 3713 when so much good progress was being made, are decisions that have definitely not cast Steamtown in a positive light. It's harder to criticize a privately funded organization like Age of Steam that has done some wonderful things for preservation. Locomotives like B & LE 643 and Reading 1187, stranded in McKees Rocks and rusting in Strasburg just a few years ago, now look like they only need coal, water, and a fire to run again. One of the missions of Steamtown was always operational mainline steam and excursions, while Age of Steam has had no such goals.

John

MattJ · **Joined:** Tue Apr 03, 2018 3:19 pm **Posts:** 10

yerkesmz wrote:

-Canadian National #3377 (younger sister of the beloved #3254) was moved into the shop some time ago for evaluation. No new information on that front.

Would they start work on 3377 before finishing B&M 3713? If so, what is the obstacle preventing 3713 from being completed?

Some Goings On at Steamtown

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