Lavonia, Avon & Lakeville No. 38

Gene Garrison · **Posted:** Sun Jan 04, 2004 10:44 pm

Could anyone post photos of ex-H&BTM No. 38 running on the Lavonia, Avon & Lakeville tourist train in the 1970s? Does any one have stories about the LA&L tourist service, what happened to the equipment and who might have photos of 38 in service there?

Is the 38 close to running again on the Knox & Kane? I heard it has a new tender. Thanks.

Alan Maples · **Posted:** Mon Jan 05, 2004 7:02 am

> Is the 38 close to running again on the Knox
> & Kane? I heard it has a new tender.
> Thanks.

I believe 38 picked up a former PRR tender while at LA&L. Sloan did have a new tender built for the engine to more closely resemble its original H&BT appearance.

To my knowledge, 38 would require a complete part 230 inspection before it could operate again. Knox & Kane has been running diesel ever since the bridge was first taken out of service.

Alan Malpes

AMaples@aol.com

Randy Gustafson · **Posted:** Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:26 am

I've seen parts & pieces over to Marienville, so it still exists.

Without the bridge, K&K doesn't have either the water tank or the wye at the destination end of the railroad (both were on the far side). The diesel trips did a quick push into the remaining view of the bridge wreckage.

I saw the last trip out at the end of October. Rainy, wet day, very light ridership. Without the bridge, and not running steam, hard to say what is going to happen here.

randygustafson@stoneconsulting.com

Jim Robinson · **Posted:** Mon Jan 05, 2004 12:44 pm

First... Happy, belated, New Year to all at rypn.org

See the below link for a photo of ex-H&BTM 2-8-0 38 on the Livonia Avon & Lakeville RR in NY. A couple more links to other shots of 38 will be in follow up posts.

Yes, 38 had the ex-PRR tender while in use on the LA&L tourist trains. Prior to 38's arrival from the Rail City Museum, the same tank trailed the LA&L's first steam locomotive--ex-Elk River Coal & Lumber Co. (nee-S&A) 2-8-2 17. 38 got 17's tender when that engine was taken out of service and was later (about 1970) scrapped.

To answer the original poster's question, the LA&L tourist cars (at least most of them, including the ex-DL&W Boonton combine and ex-Erie Stillwell coaches) went with the 38 to the Gettysburg RR around about 1977 or so. IIRC, these cars carried the LA&L paint scheme for a while, before the Getty repainted them in the blue / gray scheme.

Regards,
Jim Robinson

LA&L 2-8-0 38

Jim Robinson · **Posted:** Mon Jan 05, 2004 12:49 pm

See below link for another photo from the LA&L

Regards,
Jim Robinson

another LA&L 2-8-0 38 photo

Jim Robinson · **Posted:** Mon Jan 05, 2004 12:59 pm

See below link for a photo (from ABPR archive at railfan.net) of 38, with her H&BTM tender, while she was on display at the Rail City Museum in NY. While 38 traveled to her upstate NY Rail City home under steam, she was too large to operate on their loop of track (which was home to the operation of ex-Bath & Hammondsport 2-6-0 11 for many years).

Regards,
Jim Robinson

38 @ Rail City photo

Joshua K. Blay · **Posted:** Mon Jan 05, 2004 2:22 pm

Where is B&H #11 now?

Thanks!

Joshua

Jim Robinson · **Posted:** Mon Jan 05, 2004 2:35 pm

> Where is B&H #11 now?

In Middletown, NY. Owned by the Middletown & New Jersey RR. This freight shortline acquired it as a "future energy crisis backup locomotive" (US coal vs. foreign diesel fuel), but (as far as I know) have done minimal work towards returning it to operating condition.

Regards,
Jim Robinson