Buried in the same website as the announcement below about the railfan trip is some rather startling news I didn't believe at first, then didn't believe I hadn't seen here. But since the Museum is posting it on their website, it's apparently now official, or at least a badly-kept secret. I have taken the liberty of cobbling together several of their releases below:

Two steam locomotives are coming back to West Virginia. The West Virginia Railroad Museum has announced that the newly formed non-profit organization based in Elkins has purchased two Baldwin Consolidation type (2-8-0) steam locomotives from the Leap family of Hyndman, Pa. The locomotives were manufactured in 1904 and 1906 for the West Virginia Northern Railroad that was based in Kingwood. The steam engines later served on the Preston Railroad before their retirement in the 1960's.

"Acquiring these locomotives is consistent with our museum mission," museum president Jim Schoonover said. The local banker added, "We want to rehabilitate and return these railroad artifacts to West Virginia for the enjoyment and education of state residents as well as those from outside the region."

The museum purchased the locomotives by securing private funds for the down payment and now must raise some $100,000 to complete the purchase agreement and move the locomotives.

In addition, the West Virginia Railroad Museum has signed an agreement with the North Carolina Railroad Museum for the acquisition of Heisler locomotive No. 7 from the Middle Fork Railroad. The engine was the last Heisler to be manufactured before the plant in Erie, Pa. closed in 1941.

Number 7 was used by Moore-Keppel & Company on its lines from Midvale, where it interchanged with the B&O RR, to Cassity.

The locomotive has been disassembled for inspection, and both boiler and metallurgical tests have been completed. No. 7 is presently stored in the Raleigh, N.C. area awaiting transportation back to West Virginia.

Transportation costs from North Carolina are estimated to be about $15,000 and must be raised by the Museum.

[A usually-reliable source indicates the sale price was $1.]

The WVRRM also must raise additional funds to rebuild them, added Lars Byrne, museum vice president. Byrne, a newspaper publisher in the region, noted that the IRS 501(c)(3) organization hopes to rebuild the locomotives as part a "living exhibit" for the museum, and when rebuilt, "We hope to lease them to the nearby West Virginia Central Railroad to make back the money put into their rebirth. This will allow people to see these pieces of history actually running on the rails and not just viewing the engine as a static exhibit."

It will take a year or so said one museum board member to put one of the engines in service and "several" more years for the second.

In addition(!), the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum has donated several vintage pieces of rolling stock from its collection to the West Virginia Railroad Museum. Included in the equipment transfer were a B&O class I-18 caboose, Fruit Growers Express refrigerated box car, a B&O class O-41 drop-end gondola, and an E8 B&O passenger locomotive [the only remaining ex-B&O loco, later used by the USDOT and currently a gutted shell].

Two of the cars have been transported to rails operated by the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad. The caboose, C-3014, is presently at Belington while the reefer, FGEX 56547, is at Durbin. The D&GV RR donated the transportation costs of these two pieces and has leased them for use and display on its operations out of Belington and Durbin.

The gondola, B&O 350370, is at Tunnelton and the E8 locomotive is in Baltimore, Md. and should be delivered early in 2004.

Although the rail museum has yet to establish a building to operated from, the group has been active in securing historic railroad equipment from the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Md. as well as from the State of West Virginia and Western Maryland Railway Historical Society.

A special rail fan weekend will be held April 24-25 to raise funds for the new museum. An internet site (www.wvrailmuseum.com) is up and running, Byrne added.

Anyone wishing to join the museum or send a tax-deductible contribution should contact the West Virginia Railroad Museum at Post Office Box 203, Elkins, WV 26241.



WVRRM website

LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net

Wow! Nice post! That's quite a bit of good news. I'm glad those WVN locos will be out for public view. Too bad they can't go back to their home railroad to run. It was a fun ride!

It is hard to believe there was no info about this on "Interchange" until now.....

Best of luck to those guys in W.V.!

-Alan Levy

alanl759@aol.com

There was a post earlier, a few weeks ago I think? It was brief, but had a link to their website.

Joshua

Wow! I have personally laid hands on all three of these. They couldn't have found too many more intensive projects if they had specifically sought them out. Best wishes.

dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

> It is hard to believe there was no info
> about this on "Interchange" until
> now.....

When negotiating to purchase significant items from a private collection, it is often more effective to work quietly and out of sight until a deal is at hand.

The Middletown & Hummelstown RR looked over the Preston engines before deciding too much time and money would be needed to bring them back to life. The owner subsequently contacted me and I inspected both locomotives about two years ago. We had some tentative discussions, but the investment was more than I could justify.

These are nice little engines and I am glad to see them going to a group that appreciates their heritage and will hopefully be able to gather the necessary resources to undertake restoration. The 19 has been pretty much undercover for years but the 18 has sat outside since it's arrival at the Leap property in the early 1960's. The Preston Railroad had already started to cannibalize the 18 before they quit, and it is in poor condition today.

Alan Maples

AMaples@aol.com

> When negotiating to purchase significant
> items from a private collection, it is often
> more effective to work quietly and out of
> sight until a deal is at hand.

Having dealt second-hand with many of the parties that have approached the Leap locos--including, I'm sure, some who were involved with the current proposal--I'm happy to have to "eat crow" about my years-long declaration that "the only way those locos will leave the Leap property is in pieces in a scrapper's truck just to spite the best-presented preservsation proposal".

Nonetheless, at the moment the only thing all these pieces, locos and cars, have is INTENT. Until the pieces are safe and sound off of the Leap property and off CSX, there are no guarantees. Even if they reach Elkins/Belington/whatever, their arrival is ONLY the first step. Rest assured, it's entirely possible that rustbucket 18 could be scuttled to get 19 operable. If that happens, so be it. I hope those who are cheering are readying both their donation checks and/or their vacation hours to help restore these jewels in the rough.

WVRRM website
LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net

Rest assured, it's
> entirely possible that rustbucket 18 could
> be scuttled to get 19 operable. If that
> happens, so be it.

There's nothing left on 18 worth removing - just as buggered as what's on 19. The new old stock spare saddle and cylinders, now - that was interesting.

Just getting these out of there is going to be a large job.

dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

> Wow! I have personally laid hands on all
> three of these. They couldn't have found too
> many more intensive projects if they had
> specifically sought them out. Best wishes.

> dave

Those of us involved with the West Virginia Railroad Museum, and its current goals, are well aware of the difficulties we face ahead, especially with the final acquisition and movement of the former Preston RR/West Va. Northern steam locomotives back to Mountain State soil. Already we have doubters and critics of our cause and projects, with many of these same individuals not even willing to contribute their membership into our effort. We believe we can accomplish our goals, but that effort will not come easily or inexpensively. Hopefully, we will be one of the many such "little engines" of the railway industry preservation movement, that "could" and go on to become one as recognized for our own such efforts, as other such interest groups have done for themselves in the past. If one goes back to the original beginnings of many of our most recognized railroad museums of today, they might discover that these same museums/historical groups also began much as we now are. How we grow and what we accomplish is yet to become known, and rests upon our shoulders to achieve. Our fate is basically in our own hands, and those who become involved later in our efforts and goals.

The former Preston/W. Va. Northern 2-8-0s are both in poor condition today. The #18 was not cannibalize for parts for its sister, the #19, upon the Preston Railroad as some claim. I know, as I was there then. What is now missing on either locomotive was so done after these locomotives departed the Preston's rails. For those who really inspected the #18, they know why the Preston ceased its usage -- plus there is also the reasons stated to the ICC at the time, the Preston sought to abandoned its operation. For all the comments and guessing by many persons as to what will be, or won't be done, with these two locomotives, it all is just speculation on their part. A complete and proper inspection must first be accomplished upon each, after they are relocated back to West Virginia, to discover what is required to possibly return one, or both, to a steam serviceable condition again, suitable to FRA and West Virginia regulations/codes.

Myself, I agree the purchase price was too expensive, but there was a, seemingly, endless line of people and groups that were knocking on their former owners' doorstep, which created the false impression that these two locomotives were worth a "million dollars". Unfortunately, a lot of these persons had no real interest in preserving these locomotives, but merely desired to see and photograph them. They gave false impressions of the value of them. Our Museum has gone beyond what others attempted, in that there is a signed contract, with a deposit already given, to acquire them. We feel the price is worth it, to have these two locomotives returned to West Virginia soil and preserved for the heritage of those who come after we, ourselves, have departed life.

We would enjoy having anyone else so interest, to join our museum. Right now, all you will receive is a membership card, as the money is going towards the final acquisition and transportation costs of these two locomotives. You need to decided if it is worth the $25.00 cost, or a waste of your money. If you desire to aid us, and become involved -- see the link below.
We welcome you, should you chose to join us!

http://www.wvrailmuseum.com
gafizer@iceweb.net

> The #18 was not cannibalize for parts for its
> sister, the #19, upon the Preston Railroad
> as some claim. I know, as I was there then.

I made that comment in an earlier post based on information that was provided to me by Mr. Leap at the time I looked at the engines. I apologize if I am in error.

As to the value of the engines, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and they are worth whatever the buyer and seller agree they are worth. They will be a challenge to move; I had a contractor's quote and it wasn't cheap. Still, they are nice little engines and I hope the West Virginia Railroad Museum is successful in its endeavor.

Alan Maples


AMaples@aol.com

Go for it! By definition, railroad preservation projects always are long shots.