The 16 remaining Santa Fe 2-6-2s, save for the "Scotty" engine at Sacramento, comprise some of the saddest park engines I've seen. The one pictured below was scrapped in 1955, but represents how they looked fresh out of the Topeka backshop -- and should look again, whether they run or not. Incidently, there is part of another (No. 1035) still lying in the mud of the Kansas River, along with part of a Mikado and another whole Mikado, lost in the flood of 1951.

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?november02/11-04-02/at_sf1037.jpg
ryarger@rypn.org

Not all are so sorry looking. I visited and photographed 1139 at the Boot Hill Museum, Dodge City, KS in August of 2000. She had some minor vandalism; but had been recently repainted and otherwise looks very good; it was then a "Shiny 2-6-2". You can climb up in the cab; I forgot how complete it looks. By the way, it is displayed with the short tender shown in your picture; is that just a shop tender, or did they use it on the road as well?

I also photographed 1096 in Blackwell, OK and 1108 in Ardmore, OK in 2000; and have been sent a photograph of 1129 in Las Vegas, NM. All looked pretty fair to me; all still on outdoor display; all behind fences; all wearing faded paint but in about average condition for a park engine.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

> The 16 remaining Santa Fe 2-6-2s, save for
> the "Scotty" engine at Sacramento,
> comprise some of the saddest park engines
> I've seen. The one pictured below was
> scrapped in 1955, but represents how they
> looked fresh out of the Topeka backshop --
> and should look again, whether they run or
> not. Incidently, there is part of another
> (No. 1035) still lying in the mud of the
> Kansas River, along with part of a Mikado
> and another whole Mikado, lost in the flood
> of 1951.


Surviving World Steam Locomotives
james1@pernet.net

> The 16 remaining Santa Fe 2-6-2s, save for
> the "Scotty" engine at Sacramento,
> comprise some of the saddest park engines
> I've seen.

Bob, I read the above this morning and generated a quick web page that displays our information for the 16 remaining Santa Fe 2-6-2s. We have photos of 13 of the 16, and would certainly appreciate contributions for the other three. The page is at the link below.


Santa Fe 2-6-2s
dougb@sunserver.com

There are some photos on Evan Werkema's website below, some of which duplicate yours I think. In fairness, some of these have received a little paint since I last saw them, but most have not had the kind of preservation they deserve. My belief is that display engines should have the look and feel of a working locomotive whether their boiler passes inspection or not, and should be rollable without causing damage to the bearings. In short, it is up to we enthusiasts to restore and take care of them, not the local Jaycees, Boy Scouts nor Parks Department employees.

As to the Dodge City engine, it has been moved at least once, breaking a driver casting, and was sandblasted after moving with no protection of the running gear. The cab was open at my visit also, but was a disaster inside, bearing no resemblance to a working locomotive at all.

Hopefully, we're beginning to get over the myopic fantasies of the 1980s, when we thought every steam locomotive could be made to run again with just a bit of tinkering, and quickly set about dismantling them. That should not absolve us of our responsibilities toward display engines, however, as we fly off to Portland to shoot yet more video of 4449.



http://atsf.railfan.net/atsfpres/
ryarger@rypn.org