Here's a photo of a really neat little 0-6-0 numbered 17 for an operation described as the StLM&S Company:

http://abpr2.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi? ... -07/17.jpg

The photographer was confused as to the name of this operation. Well, this engine is #17 of the St. Louis Material & Supply Company located in Pacific, Missouri. The Baldwin was built in 1896 for the Georgia Railroad as their #49, later renumbered as 722 and still later as #724. Sold in 1941 to the East St. Louis Junction Railroad who renumbered it 17, it was finally sold to StLM&S in 1950 and today is in the collection of the Museum of Transport.

J. David Conrad advises that Baldwin gave the 0-6-0 a new boiler late in 1923, which might explain the ancient ones longevity. The 0-6-0 is also kind of famous as being the second engine preserved from two different railroads; the forementioned Georgia and East St. Louis railroads. If she hadn't been donated to MofT in 1964, only a single steam example of these two railroads would exist.

Wonder what kind of shape she's in today?

Les

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M-K-T-steam-1522:

Thanks for the information. Really glad you found the original post from the distant past. Had a friend who visited MoT recently. I wonder if he got a photo of her current appearance? Without looking for my MoT roster, I seem to recall that they had another 0-6-0 besides number 17.

Les

St. Louis Material & Sand ran the life out of that engine. She worked in heavy grit all of the time and received little in the way of maintenance, just enough to keep her working.
My guess would be that she is really, really worn out.
I wouldn't hazard a guess who humiliated her with the multi color paint job or why.
There is an ex Frisco 0-6-0 at the MOT also.

I normally go in for big, modern power, but there's something about this little switcher. One thing that I do appreciate is that this machine is an example of what would have been a very common type from an era when many of her kind were built; in other words, she's an average locomotive, not a glamour queen, not a state of the art machine. . .

And the gift of appreciation for the average as well as the best is thanks to you here at RyPN.

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For a while I harbored a desire to kidnap the 3695 for our railfan park here and lead a cosmetic restoration of her via a loan from the MOT, but we now have a new mayor who has brought chaos with him into office and I dropped the idea.
I have memories of both 0-6-0s operating.
The prior engine at St. L M & S would have been a nice one for the MOT and was around fairly late. It was an ex Frisco 4-4-0 No. 140. She ended up scrapped.
The MOT needs a few good volunteers for these projects.
One good thing about 3695 is that a minimum of needle scaling is needed.

Frisco1522 -

Checked my Frisco rosters and finally found 4-4-0 #140. Built by Baldwin in 1888 for the Kansas City, Ft. Scott & Memphis as their number 85 and renumbered by SLSF to 140. I agree that she would have been a nice one to preserve. Any idea as to when the Frisco sold her? Also, any photos of her working for the StLM&S?

I agree that Frisco 3695 doesn't really look that bad; more a question of clean up. Hope that it eventually happens.

Les