The recent discussions regarding the Reading FP-7 builders plates lead me to ask: are there any plans for the FP-7's to operate this year?

I know that Mr. Levin's Pennsy E's were supposed to be going to Spencer this weekend, but aren't. I believe they will be going to Baltimore for the NRHS convention in July, and I'd be surprised if we didn't see them elsewhere later in the year.

As someone with eastern Pa. roots, I'd sure like to see the Reading and PRR units side-by-side someplace, if only on two separate-but-somehow-coordinated fan trips that would meet or pass somewhere.

Lastly, there was a very short thread on another board about some restored NYC E-units being retired from service. Talk about hiding one's light under a bushel. I have never heard of these units even existing, let alone operating, and now they are being retired? They are apparently associated with the Tennessee Central Railroad Museum in Nashville, but are privately owned? What's the story?

Apparently they never venture out onto the high iron like the PRR units, and that's a shame. I know you probably can't re-create the Broadway and the Century racing out of Chicago, but...

Oh well, at least they have been preserved and some people have seen them operate.

rwilkes99@yahoo.com

> Lastly, there was a very short thread on
> another board about some restored NYC
> E-units being retired from service. Talk
> about hiding one's light under a bushel. I
> have never heard of these units even
> existing, let alone operating, and now they
> are being retired? They are apparently
> associated with the Tennessee Central
> Railroad Museum in Nashville, but are
> privately owned? What's the story?

> Apparently they never venture out onto the
> high iron like the PRR units, and that's a
> shame. I know you probably can't re-create
> the Broadway and the Century racing out of
> Chicago, but...

> Oh well, at least they have been preserved
> and some people have seen them operate.

The NYC E's are privately owned (#4080 & #4068). The units will not be retired, but their use in Nashville is coming to an end.

> The NYC E's are privately owned (#4080 &
> #4068). The units will not be retired, but
> their use in Nashville is coming to an end.
To my knowlege, they aren't even of NYC heritage. I believe one of those was at Steamtown for a time.

> To my knowlege, they aren't even of NYC
> heritage. I believe one of those was at
> Steamtown for a time.

Both units ARE originally NYC. They were also part of the NJ Transit collection. They are currently sporting the original numbers.


2003 Steam Schedule
webmaster@lakecentralrailtours.com

A race would be interesting, but they better feed those NYC horses some good hay. I rode behind Mr. Levin's E-8's on the Harrisburg NRHS Port Road excursion last year and they made 90 MPH like nobodys business with 16 or 17 cars including two heavyweight Pullmans. I can't wait to do it again in July. I also rode the Altoona Railfest trip to Pittsburgh and I know we hit 80 for miles. When you see all the good stuff out there like the Reading FP's which I have not had a chance to ride behind and the PRR E-8's its hard to believe its 2003. Great job to all envolved, I'm 60 and never did I think I would see this kind of stuff run like this again.

> The recent discussions regarding the Reading
> FP-7 builders plates lead me to ask: are
> there any plans for the FP-7's to operate
> this year?

> I know that Mr. Levin's Pennsy E's were
> supposed to be going to Spencer this
> weekend, but aren't. I believe they will be
> going to Baltimore for the NRHS convention
> in July, and I'd be surprised if we didn't
> see them elsewhere later in the year.

> As someone with eastern Pa. roots, I'd sure
> like to see the Reading and PRR units
> side-by-side someplace, if only on two
> separate-but-somehow-coordinated fan trips
> that would meet or pass somewhere.

> Lastly, there was a very short thread on
> another board about some restored NYC
> E-units being retired from service. Talk
> about hiding one's light under a bushel. I
> have never heard of these units even
> existing, let alone operating, and now they
> are being retired? They are apparently
> associated with the Tennessee Central
> Railroad Museum in Nashville, but are
> privately owned? What's the story?

> Apparently they never venture out onto the
> high iron like the PRR units, and that's a
> shame. I know you probably can't re-create
> the Broadway and the Century racing out of
> Chicago, but...

> Oh well, at least they have been preserved
> and some people have seen them operate.

> Are they still plannning on running the NYC E's on May 10th in Tennessee?

Also, if their service in TN is coming to an end, where are they going to go?

> To my knowlege, they aren't even of NYC
> heritage. I believe one of those was at
> Steamtown for a time.
Yes, 4068 was at Steamtown for a weekend or so, to show off its restoration by Delaware Lackawanna RR shop workers. This display, in Oct 1995, was a nice addtion to the Grand Opening year's activities. That was one of the weekends that Milwaukee Road 261 ran fall foliage trips to Pocono Summit. While I can't remember the exact heritage of the E8, it was stored in the Colonie NY shops of the D&H for a while with the Mexican 4-8-4 that is now in New Hope, PA. The DL restored it under contract for its owner, who apparently owned the 4080.