"JerseyJoe" posted the below linked photo over on Trainorders. It's dated 8-30-79 and shows ex-Canadian Pacific 4-6-0 972 in service on the Strasburg Railroad. At the time 972 was owned by George Hart and was normally based out of Jim Thorpe, Pa. From time to time 972 journeyed to Strasburg for contract repair work and no doubt this photo was taken during one such visit. I never knew they ran her on revenue service "test runs"--guess you had to be just lucky with your visits! 972 made at least two additional "repair / maintenance visits" to Strasburg after this photo was taken and (as most here already know) was acquired by the SRC while in the last time for a major overhaul.

Jim Robinson

972 operating @ Strasburg

I was in my mid-teens visiting SRC with my Dad this same day(I think). It was summer and they were using two locomotives. #90 and #972 were that days's power. They were just putting #972 into the enginehouse. I believe this was before the backshop was built. I remember the conductor complaining that they ran late most of the day because of a stiff or sticky throttle on the #972.

It was neat to see the photo as I didn't have a camera that day!

-Alan Levy

alanl759@aol.com

According to my notes, George Hart's 972 was repaired (retubed?) by Strasburg RR and test-run on the half-hour train on 8/29/1979 and 8/30/1979. The work was done prior to 972's outing on an off-line trip over ex-NYC tracks at Bigler, Pa., where a new coal washing facility was opening with special events. RTIX 972 also had work done at SRC in 1981 and 1983, before coming back for good in December 1986. SRC purchased 972 from Hart in December 1995. George M. Hart, former owner of 972 (from 1965-1995), always maintained a close relationship with the SRC Mechanical Department; he was founding Director (1969-1983) of the Railroad Museum of PA right across the street, and also contracted at various times with SRC for passenger car repairs and conversions of his Rail Tours, Inc., equipment. Linn Moedinger, President and CMO of SRC, and an occasional poster on this message board, has worked on and run 972 at various times over the years, and I believe he may have run 972 at Bigler in 1979.

> I was in my mid-teens visiting SRC with my
> Dad this same day(I think). It was summer
> and they were using two locomotives. #90 and
> #972 were that days's power. They were just
> putting #972 into the enginehouse. I believe
> this was before the backshop was built. I
> remember the conductor complaining that they
> ran late most of the day because of a stiff
> or sticky throttle on the #972.

> It was neat to see the photo as I didn't
> have a camera that day!

> -Alan Levy


http://rrmuseumpa.org

Here's a few notes on 972 from my all-time SRC roster:
972 4-6-0 Built by Montreal Locomotive Works, Montreal, Canada (c/n 51106) in 9/1912 for Canadian Pacific Railway No. 972. Former Canadian Pacific class D10j No. 972. Sold 12/31/1965 to George M. Hart, Rail Tours, Inc.,York, PA; second to the last CPR steam locomotive to be wiped off CPR company books by 12/31/1965 (Hart). Entered RTI service on Maryland & Pennsylvania RR on 7/3/1966. Last used in regular RTI/Ma & Pa service on May 23, 1967 and to Peach Bottom, Pa., on November 23, 1969. Transferred 9/1971 to Jim Thorpe, PA; test-operated on SRC half-hour train 8/29-8/30/1979, repaired at SRC 7?/1979-9/1/1979, 7/29/1980-10/1981, 1983 and 1985; transferred 12/1986 to Strasburg, PA for contract repair work. Sold 12/1995 to the Strasburg Rail Road Co. #972. Stored disassembled out of service. Currently out of service, undergoing rebuilding. Partially-built Belpaire firebox added by SRC in 1997-98. Cab sold in 1999. (200 lbs. p.s.i. 33,000 lbs. TE. Fuel: Bituminous soft coal; Cyl. 21” x 28”, drivers 63”, eng. wt. 205,000 lbs.)

> According to my notes, George Hart's 972 was
> repaired (retubed?) by Strasburg RR and
> test-run on the half-hour train on 8/29/1979
> and 8/30/1979. The work was done prior to
> 972's outing on an off-line trip over ex-NYC
> tracks at Bigler, Pa., where a new coal
> washing facility was opening with special
> events. RTIX 972 also had work done at SRC
> in 1981 and 1983, before coming back for
> good in December 1986. SRC purchased 972
> from Hart in December 1995. George M. Hart,
> former owner of 972 (from 1965-1995), always
> maintained a close relationship with the SRC
> Mechanical Department; he was founding
> Director (1969-1983) of the Railroad Museum
> of PA right across the street, and also
> contracted at various times with SRC for
> passenger car repairs and conversions of his
> Rail Tours, Inc., equipment. Linn Moedinger,
> President and CMO of SRC, and an occasional
> poster on this message board, has worked on
> and run 972 at various times over the years,
> and I believe he may have run 972 at Bigler
> in 1979.


http://rrmuseumpa.org

http://rrmuseumpa.org
Kurtrbell@hotmail.com

Kurt, what is the latest on 972 being rebuilt? I know it is sitting outside, but it appears no work has occurred since 1997. I know they plan on adding a belpaire boiler, and it faces alot of work, but all this sitting outside exposed to the extreme PA weather can't be good. Will she ever steam again

Paul

Perhaps one of the SRC shop guys could jump in here and elaborate better than I. Basically 972 has been a "rainy day" shop project; that is, when the SRC has had a slump in contract work which in recent memory has been a rare occurance. In the late 90's they started forming the hip sheet for the Belpaire. I recall hearing that the heat from the job was so intense that one of the welders' masks began to melt! As for a target finish date (an anomoly in this business) I'll defer to SRC on that one.

> Kurt, what is the latest on 972 being
> rebuilt? I know it is sitting outside, but
> it appears no work has occurred since 1997.
> I know they plan on adding a belpaire
> boiler, and it faces alot of work, but all
> this sitting outside exposed to the extreme
> PA weather can't be good. Will she ever
> steam again

> Paul


http://rrmuseumpa.org

I have seen the Belpaire PLATE that you mentioned. As I recall it is detatched from the locomotive, and is beside it.

I would love to see this locomotive run. Although it will look nothing like it did in the past. I think it may look good when they finish it, but I loved it's old appearence. I, the same as you Kurt, LOVE Canadian Steam

Paul

I just had to jump in here on these No. 972 comments. Jim Rice and I were talking about No. 972 early Wednesday morning while working on SRC parlor car No. 88 "Marian". This is not the "official word" that Paul or Kurt were looking for - that's not my place to say. Jim and I were remembering the summer of '79 because we worked twelve hour days on No. 972 for two months. As I recall, Linn Moedinger and Jerry Herr worked on running gear and rod bushings while Jim Rice and I focused on the boiler tube job and reconditioning that nasty superheater unit.

After the engine was shopped, I road along with John Bowman at least for two weeks as a traveling engineer to see that she broke in correctly. That autumn, as Kurt noted, No. 972 hauled a six-car excursion train on the Bigler branch. Linn ran the engine while Jim and I spelled each other firing. If my memory serves me correctly, the Bigler branch is fairly steep, approaching two percent in some places. No. 972 worked fine and steamed fine.

Later in the mid-80's, we ran and fired No.972 on a series of excursions based out of Reading. Jim and I recall her as a stable engine - rare in ten-wheelers - with an airy, comfortable cab and a large grate area for good steaming. Her only defect that we could recall, and this is readily apparent from the aspect of her firebox mudring, is the steep pitch of the front grates. A fireman would find his fire creeping forward and his arches soon plugged if he wasn't careful.

My most memorable moments on No. 972 are blasting westbound through Pottstown at fifty miles an hour, and later in the afternoon hearing her exhaust echoing off Neversink Mountain east of Reading. I remember pausing over the shovel, looking up at Linn on the seatbox and and hollering, "Man! Aren't we there yet?!"

A fine engine, and one I hope to run again before I retire.

Stephen Weaver
Strasburg Rail Road

> "JerseyJoe" posted the below
> linked photo over on Trainorders. It's dated
> 8-30-79 and shows ex-Canadian Pacific 4-6-0
> 972 in service on the Strasburg Railroad. At
> the time 972 was owned by George Hart and
> was normally based out of Jim Thorpe, Pa.
> From time to time 972 journeyed to Strasburg
> for contract repair work and no doubt this
> photo was taken during one such visit. I
> never knew they ran her on revenue service
> "test runs"--guess you had to be
> just lucky with your visits! 972 made at
> least two additional "repair /
> maintenance visits" to Strasburg after
> this photo was taken and (as most here
> already know) was acquired by the SRC while
> in the last time for a major overhaul.

> Jim Robinson


ssweaver@paonline.com