Rob,
Here again is the second of two photographs sent to me by Paul Shiptoski in 1999. The other one is a three quarters view taken from the right side that I sent out in a Surviving World Steam Locomotive update back then, and that I think I will add to this May's update as well, since so few people got to see it. (This update is also already featuring other dumped locomotive photographs from Bolivia and elsewhere, so it will fit right in.)
You can see that while it is surrounded by culm, it was only partially buried. You can also see the dent in the edge of the cab roof; after repeatedly watching the Hawk Mountain video of the Wanamie operation, I concluded back then that this is Wanamie #8; which is listed in J. David's directory as the fourth locomotive under Unknown on page 335.
The front view shows the locomotive to be badly derelict; with the smokebox door, cylinder covers, and no doubt other parts missing.
Your poster confirmed that after years of cleaning up Wanamie Mine (which I believe was a Superfund site), the locomotive is still there as of two years ago. I too, wonder if it is still there.
-James Hefner (up with a bad case of heartburn)
Hebrews 10:20a
> OK,OK... for exactly 17 years I have
> maintained that there was a 42" gauge
> steam locomotive buried under a pile of culm
> (coal tailings) at the former Glen Alden
> Coal Comapny mine in Wanamie, PA.
> I would love to share some of the comments
> that I have gotten. Most started with
> "another ghost story..." except,
> of course, that I saw the top of the engine
> poking out of the culm pile in 1984.
> Anyway, a note appeared on the Yahoo Group
> "Antrhactie History" over the
> weekend of someone who was at the mine site
> a couple of yeas ago when the engine was
> uncovered by contractors working the site.
> Of course, the poster does not know what
> happened to it. Anyone else know?
> Rob Davis
Surviving World Steam Locomotives
james1@pernet.net