I am glad to report that the Wilmington and Western's Weekend Easter Bunny Trains did very well. Our 0-6-0 Steam Locomotive No.58 Headed trains over the remnants of the Wilmington and Western's Line through the Red Clay Creek Valley. Ever since flood waters on September 15 wreacked havoc on the line, we have been only been able to operate over several miles of the line between Brandywine Springs, and our interchange track with CSX. Hopefully this increased ridership trend continues throughout the rest of the year, allowing the railroad more funds for reconstruction.

I encourage everyone to take a ride on the Wilmington and Western for a fantastic railroad experience you won't soon forget!

Wilmington and Western Railroad
SteamTrain84@aol.com

Hello Fellow Dave...

Glad to hear. I'm hoping to make it down for one of the steam weekends this year. Just curious, any idea if the 98 will make a return this year, even for a special event?

Dave Crosby

bing@epix.net

Dave Crosby,

Glad to hear that you are interested in coming down for a visit! Locomotive No. 98 *should* be returning to steam along the Red Clay Creek valley sometime this summer. The link I have included below will take you to the Wilmington and Western's Web Page for the restoration of 98. This should included up-to-date information as it becomes availible. As I am writing now, 98's boiler is back on her frames, and the cab and boiler cladding is going on. Other parts are being put back on piece by piece, and it is looking good!

-Dave Haring

http://www.wwrr.com/98/index.htm

-- The Wilmington and Western Railroad, Delaware's oldest operating steam shortline railroad.

> Hello Fellow Dave...

> Glad to hear. I'm hoping to make it down for
> one of the steam weekends this year. Just
> curious, any idea if the 98 will make a
> return this year, even for a special event?

> Dave Crosby


Locomotive 98 Restoration Page
SteamTrain84@aol.com

Where is #92 now? I know they are not rebuilding it yet....but where is the locomotive?

Also, what appearence will 98 have? Will the headlight be on top of the firebox or will it be centered? Will it look like it did from 1992 to 1998 or will it look like it did before that?

Paul

pcalpin31@yahoo.com

Paul,

As far as I know, No.92 now resides inside our Marshallton Engine House, and you are right -- there are no plans currently in place to restore her to operation. She had been sitting outside the shops for the longest while, but now she's inside. We recently had a new roof placed on the Marshallton Engine House, which was a donation courtesy of the North American Railroad Foundation. Now, the roof will actually keep rain off of the equipment .

Concerning Locomotive No. 98, I believe the headlight is to be mounted on top of the smokebox, and the paint is to be black -- no whitewalls (to the dismay of some, and the joy of others!). I was hoping to get over to the shops this evening, but that didn't come to fruition--thanks again to work!

Dave Haring

> Where is #92 now? I know they are not
> rebuilding it yet....but where is the
> locomotive?

> Also, what appearence will 98 have? Will the
> headlight be on top of the firebox or will
> it be centered? Will it look like it did
> from 1992 to 1998 or will it look like it
> did before that?

> Paul


Locomotive 98 Restoration Page
SteamTrain84@aol.com

I hope they don't goof up 98 with bad lettering--it had Penn Central-type lettering from its early 90's rebuild and looked awful. Plus it had the number "98" on its tender instead of the name of the railroad--yuck! Best bet is to keep the engine all black with graphited smokebox; she would look sweet with very thin yellow pinstripes on her driver spokes, ala PRR 1223. But no whitewalls, painted handrails or running board striping--that ruins a locomotive. Keep white paint off 98; she does not look good with it. The cab should have conservative Railroad Roman numerals "98" and "Wilmington & Western" spelled out in conservative yellow Railroad Roman across the tender, and correctly-sized. No house numbers on the smokebox number plate, please; get a nice period American Locomotive Company 98 number plate custom-reproduced in brass for the smokebox--it will look first class and is worth the investment. Wayne James in Gettysburg can do it for a fee. The engine looked best when it ran in livery during the period c.1980-1985. Keep it simple and avoid flamboyance.

Just look at Strasburg's engines, take a hint on aesthetics, and you can't go wrong. 98 can look just as good. Don't feel you need to do something "different" to stand out from the rest because often it will result in a funny looking livery--trust me I've seen enough engines now that got goofed up because somebody didn't lock up the brushes when creatively kicked in.

> Paul,

> As far as I know, No.92 now resides inside
> our Marshallton Engine House, and you are
> right -- there are no plans currently in
> place to restore her to operation. She had
> been sitting outside the shops for the
> longest while, but now she's inside. We
> recently had a new roof placed on the
> Marshallton Engine House, which was a
> donation courtesy of the North American
> Railroad Foundation. Now, the roof will
> actually keep rain off of the equipment .

> Concerning Locomotive No. 98, I believe the
> headlight is to be mounted on top of the
> smokebox, and the paint is to be black -- no
> whitewalls (to the dismay of some, and the
> joy of others!). I was hoping to get over to
> the shops this evening, but that didn't come
> to fruition--thanks again to work!

> Dave Haring

Paul,

Thanks for your thoughts. Hopefully 98 will look somewhat dignified when she's done :). She is a truly beautiful engine, and I agree with the scheme of no whitewalls, and no white pinstriping-- Just polished brass handrails, etc...
Pinstriped spokes, however, are more appropriate on a Pennsylvania Locomotive, and I would personally rather see plain black drivers.
I would also like to see the W&W name on the tender, but again, I'm unsure of what's being set out scheme-wise. When I get more information, I'll be sure to include it here.

Dave H.

> I hope they don't goof up 98 with bad
> lettering--it had Penn Central-type
> lettering from its early 90's rebuild and
> looked awful. Plus it had the number
> "98" on its tender instead of the
> name of the railroad--yuck! Best bet is to
> keep the engine all black with graphited
> smokebox; she would look sweet with very
> thin yellow pinstripes on her driver spokes,
> ala PRR 1223. But no whitewalls, painted
> handrails or running board striping--that
> ruins a locomotive. Keep white paint off 98;
> she does not look good with it. The cab
> should have conservative Railroad Roman
> numerals "98" and "Wilmington
> & Western" spelled out in
> conservative yellow Railroad Roman across
> the tender, and correctly-sized. No house
> numbers on the smokebox number plate,
> please; get a nice period American
> Locomotive Company 98 number plate
> custom-reproduced in brass for the
> smokebox--it will look first class and is
> worth the investment. Wayne James in
> Gettysburg can do it for a fee. The engine
> looked best when it ran in livery during the
> period c.1980-1985. Keep it simple and avoid
> flamboyance.

> Just look at Strasburg's engines, take a
> hint on aesthetics, and you can't go wrong.
> 98 can look just as good. Don't feel you
> need to do something "different"
> to stand out from the rest because often it
> will result in a funny looking livery--trust
> me I've seen enough engines now that got
> goofed up because somebody didn't lock up
> the brushes when creatively kicked in.


Locomotive 98 Restoration Page
SteamTrain84@aol.com

It will be good to have old 98 back on the road again. More importantly lets all remember that the W&W needs money to rebuild the bridges lost in a major flash flood last year. Make a donation today!

Now back to old 98, the big number on the tender was misguided effort to try to give the flavor of her early days on the Mississippi Central. Most people agree it looked horrible but that was mostly due to the fact that the font was all wrong and they also used that horrible reflective decal material.

Old 98 is one beautiful and classic historic passenger locomotive. It is my hope that they will paint her lettering on by hand like it was done in the old days. She is a classic and she deserves to not look like a freak out of a 1970's Tyco train set, which is how she will look with reflective decals.

Tom Gears


Wilmington and Western RR

Did the custom of painting the outside edge of wheels white start at a particular time or with a particular road?

I'm no expert so I may be way off here, but I always had the sense that it was more popular with builders than with the roads--I've seen lots of Baldwin builder's photos of engines that left BLW with whitewalls and were never seen with them again once they went to work.

As for timing, I would think it came in around the time that tastes in locomtive paint changed from widespread color and ornamentation to basic black with (at most) a sober green or Russia iron boiler jacket--maybe between 1890 to 1900?


eledbetter@rypn.org

That is great news about 98 and I'm sure it will look great!!!

What about #58. Will she be in for any major repairs once 98 is done?

I would love to see 2 active steam locomotives on the W & W. A double header and photo ops!!!

Paul

pcalpin31@yahoo.com

Locomotive 58 is in full compliance with the new FRA steam Rules, and is currently fully operational. The locomotive was given its annual inspection during the winter, including the required hydro test, and passed all requirements.

Once work on Locomotive 98 is finished, there will be many possibilities for interesting operations.

Work is also proceding on fundraising and rebuilding the railroad from the September 15 flood.

For more information, refer to our website at www.wwrr.com.

> That is great news about 98 and I'm sure it
> will look great!!!

> What about #58. Will she be in for any major
> repairs once 98 is done?

> I would love to see 2 active steam
> locomotives on the W & W. A double
> header and photo ops!!!

> Paul


http://www.wwrr.com
rbailey@supernet.com

And while they're at it, please W&W guys paint up the DL&W coaches in Pullman Green, and get rid of the blue and gold livery. Imagine this:

W&W's 98 in all black with graphited smokebox, correctly numbered cab, correct ALCO bronze number plate on the smokebox, oxide red cab roof, hospital green cab interior, tender lettered "Wilmington & Western" in correct gold Railroad Roman (with a minimum of thin yellow stripping as a top and bottom border), pulling a string of DL&W coaches resplendent in Pullman Green lettered "Wilmington & Western". NOW THAT WOULD BE ONE SHARP-LOOKING TRAIN I would go out of my way to ride. Please guys, get the aesthetics right after putting all that money and time into 98's mechanics. Make her exterior as perfect as her interior. Now's the chance to paint her up correctly!

Hi Danny. Having been involved in the repaint of #571 and #603 into the dark blue & gold striping scheme (to match the #410 & #581), I must say our volunteers did a great job, and I really like the dark blue with gold lettering. I think it is a scheme superior to the older pale blue w/ yellow window framing. So now all four Bootons and the Kiamensi Springs (MP54) are matched - very sharp, in my opinion. I'm not shutting down your vision, but the blue and gold is kind of our style. I will say it was extremely cool uncovering the Lackawanna lettering when we sanded the #571 & #603 down. Almost as cool as how you can still see Chessie System AND Baltimore & Ohio under #8408's W&W paint scheme. As for the #98, I think what you and others have suggested sounds extemely cool, but I will just be so jazzed to see her roll out of the shop, I'll form my opinions on how she's lettered later on. I'm sure our shop guys will do a fantastic job. Take care. Seth


Wilmington & Western RR
sethajackson@hotmail.com