Another great paint job.

http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=208605&nseq=5

Do this girl operate or is she a static display?

Absolutely gorgeous. We were there on the 19th to ride the "Autumn Leaf Special" the next day. She was all masked off then. I had no clue that this was what was under there.

As much as I'd like to say it is, its not ours.

This RS3 is being prepared to move to Onieda TN for operations on the former NS/SOU/Tennessee Railroad. It and several passenger cars have been acquired to operate as the New River Railroad.

The owners have been using TVRM facilities and personnel, on a contract basis, to work on the equipment and get it ready to go.

The Southern Railway Historical Association provided technical assistance in getting this done.

Tim Andrews
TVRM
Chattanooga, TN

Was this a Southern unit originally? If not, what did it start life as?

Howard P.
Amplidyne, CT

I've tried to find out the heritage of this unit but all I've come up with so far is that it is of Reading heritage and was one of at least 2 Reading units that operated on the Magma Arizona Railway, maybe this one...

http://algomacentral.railfan.net/images ... sma_dh.jpg

Hopefully, someone will have better info than that.

It was built as Reading #520. Sold with 3 others to San Manuel Railroad to become San Manuel #9.

Ahah!



More photos available at:

http://algomacentral.railfan.net/magma.htm

Is the 520 an authentic number for a Southern RS-3? Or is this a case of using "the next available number" for the series? Hopefully it is the later.

Les

Its not in any correct number series for Southern RS-3s (2025-2062, 2131-2145, 6208-6239 [CNO&TP], 6875-6882 [NO&NE]). Apparently they decided to go back to the original Reading number instead of keeping the single-digit number (No. 9) from the Magma or "inventing" a new number. They could have left it as No. 9, which would be correct for one of the Carolina & Northwestern RS-3s (5-10). All of the Central of Georgia RS-3s that were received by Southern had 3-digit numbers, but they were in the 100 series. I suppose they could have selected "2007" or some other date-significant or horsepower-related number like has been done by some railroads. However, I think going back to the original Reading road number, even though not in or at the end of a "proper" Southern series, is a nice touch. I may be prejudiced, but I'd rather see a green Southern-painted RS-3 with a number acknowledging its Reading origin operating in Tennessee than having a Reading-painted unit operating there! (BTW, one of the Southern's J-class 2-8-0's was numbered 520!)

Stephen -

I have no problem with the RS-3 honoring its Reading roots by being given its old RDG number. Not a bad idea.

Les

Note that the steps appear to have been modified from standard.

There are also some additions to the hood and hood just aft of the shutters. Any idea of the function(s) ?

Dave

This unit is now at the Oklahoma Railway Museum in Oklahoma City. Before that it was at the Blacklands RR in Sulphur Spring. I believe BLRR bought the unit from Magma. In the picture the second RS3 is Rock Island 743.



http://www.oklahomarailwaymuseum.org/im ... nt/RS3.jpg

Boy, there for a minute, I thought this was former ET&WNC #210, which used to be CofG #109, which is also at TVRM as far as I know. I saw it rotting away at Elizabethton, TN during the 1980s. I'd love to see her in this kind of shape someday, even if it isn't in the ET&WNC paint.

That was my reaction at first, too! The 109 is at TVRM. Here's a recent photo found on Railpictures.net (taken last Saturday-October 27, 2007):


There are a few folks out there hoping to see 109 restored to its original blue and gray CofGA livery...and I admit to being one of them...but no matter how TVRM decides to restore it, it will still be the sole surviving CofGA RS-3. I just think it would be great to see it running again, if that is economically feasible or possible.