Check out this fine article at the Mammoth Cave RR on the NRHS Web site:
http://www.nrhs.com/web_exclusives/m_cave/index.html

denmeg_hogan@msn.com

I guess there's a better way to introduce the Web link on this discussion page. Let's see if it will show up below.

A Little Railroad to a Big Hole in the Ground
denmeg_hogan@msn.com

Very interesting story. The little Dummy and coach look pretty well preserved after all these years.

bobyar2001@yahoo.com

> Very interesting story. The little Dummy and
> coach look pretty well preserved after all
> these years.

It is the last steam dummy in the USA to still retain it's carbody. It was in good shape when I saw it in person; my photograph of it appears in "Surviving World Steam Locomotives".

However, the platform on the "dummy" end of the coach in front it was falling off, causing the engine to tilt in the front. Since my visit, the Kentucky RR museum had moved it to their shop for a cosmetic restoration; is it still there?

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a


Surviving World Steam Locomotives

james1@pernet.net

I visited the the caves and railroad in 1980 or 81. The locomotive had extensive corrosion of the water tank, but still retained its builders plates. Its a shame that the huge oil burning lamps on the locomotive were apparently lost during wartime scrap drives. I was impressed at the ancient hardware on the set, including complete vacuum brakes and old (Van Dorn?) couplers.
The passenger car must have an interesting lineage. I wouldn't be surprised if it were much older than the locomotive, and was a coach for the L&N or a predecessor.
At the time, I wondered if they could ever revive the pair for limited exursions along the visible old R-O-W. It was a scenic and hilly ride, winding upwards by hugging the sides of hillslopes. The current access road intersects the rail line in many places, making a revival impossible. It would be a nice trail, however!

"It (The Mammoth Cave locomotive?) is the last steam dummy in the USA to
still retain it's carbody."

What specifically is a steam dummy? Is it a steam locomotive enclosed in a carbody, or haveing a carbody built around it, in order to make it look less like a locomotive? Would the NMOT's inspection locomotive "Black Diamond" count? If not, how would she differ from a "steam dummy?" (As she is still very much in posession of her carbody.)

Sincerely,
David Ackerman


david_ackerman@yahoo.com

> It is the last steam dummy in the USA to
> still retain it's carbody. It was in good
> shape when I saw it in person; my photograph
> of it appears in "Surviving World Steam
> Locomotives".

> However, the platform on the
> "dummy" end of the coach in front
> it was falling off, causing the engine to
> tilt in the front. Since my visit, the
> Kentucky RR museum had moved it to their
> shop for a cosmetic restoration; is it still
> there?

> -James Hefner
> Hebrews 10:20a
After years of neglect, the locomotive was finally restored, recently arrived back at the park and was placed back on display.
Glad you liked the article.
Hank Morris, editor, National Railway Bulletin
NRHS

hankmorris@earthlink.net

> I visited the the caves and railroad in the 1960s as I had my father's family in the area. The engine was one of the first steam engines I climbed on as a child.
I am glad to see that it has been painted and lettered properly for the first time in many years. It is a good example of what a lot of good a simple wood shed can do for a Park display steam locomotive.
Ted Miles


ted_miles@NPS.gov

Speaking of Mr. Hank Morris, here's an exclusive article he wrote for the NRHS Web site.

If Diesel Could See His Dream Now
denmeg_hogan@msn.com

Dear David:
A steam dummy is a locomotive enclosed in a carbody as opposed to an inspection locomotive (Black Diamond) or a steam rail car.
Jack White had a nice artical on steam dummies in "Invention & Technology" a couple of years ago.
J.David

jdconrad@snet.net

The #4 went back to Mammoth Cave several months ago. I think we still have to attach the reproduction builder's plates, and a few "small items" when the weather warms up.

wilkidm@wku.edu

David is as usual quite correct. I exchanged letters with him about the Mammoth Cave engine.
Which he had written up but the editor cut out of his article.

His responce about the steam dummies is tha they were intended to be used on city streets before the development of traction.

The engine missing its body by the way is Southern Pacific #2 at Travel Town Park. She worked here in San Francisco and later down South on the California Motor Road (a steam operation)

There is one operational example in a museum in I think, New Zealand.

ted_miles@NPS.gov

As Jack White mentioned in this article (I concure, it was a great article), there are six known surviving steam dummies (or tram engines) in North America. Four were built by Baldwin; two by H.K. Porter.

One of the H.K. Porter engines were unearthed in Washington state, and is in storage (I think). One of my "Surviving World Steam Locomotive" users got access to it, and photographed it for me; it and and a picture of the other remaining Porter dummy are on "Surviving World Steam Locomotives".

Worldwide, there are nearly 90 tram engines remaining; I have pictures of about 10 of them in "Surviving World Steam Locomotives". Yes, "Kitty" at at the Ferrymead Tramway in New Zealand is operational (also pictured), but there are also 20 operational worldwide. They include one on the Chiemsee-Bahn railway in Germany (also pictured) that I believe has been in continual operation since it was built in 1887. Another is a "flame thrower" (wood burner) still thought to be operational in Paraguary, it was photographed by Colin Garratt, and is pictured in several of his books.

Several were also still operational in the 1970s or 80s on Java in Indonesia and in Suriname. Rob Dikinson has them pictured in on website; I also have a picture taken of one of the Suriname engines when it was in great shape in the 1980s. Unfortunately, they are quite derelict now.

In regards to North America, I mention "known" because of a "lost locomotive" story I was told. It was a locomotive shown to a contact of mine when he was on a hunting trip as a little boy. It was located in woods north of Interstate 10 between Baton Rouge and Ponchatoula, LA.

It was in a depression surrounded by a group of trees; he said it was invisible until you were on top of it. Based on his description and the location, I am almost certain it was one of the Baldwin tram engines used by the Garyville Northern Railroad. A Shay from that same RR is upside down in a canal just outside of Garyville; the tracks and some cars can still be found in swamps and are on most topo maps.

Unfortunately, he does not where it is now. The man who showed it to him was in poor health at the time, and has since passed away; I can only assume he took it's location with him. I list in my database, but with in incorrect location of "Livingston".

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

> David is as usual quite correct. I
> exchanged letters with him about the Mammoth
> Cave engine.
> Which he had written up but the editor cut
> out of his article.

> His responce about the steam dummies is tha
> they were intended to be used on city
> streets before the development of traction.

> The engine missing its body by the way is
> Southern Pacific #2 at Travel Town Park. She
> worked here in San Francisco and later down
> South on the California Motor Road (a steam
> operation)

> There is one operational example in a museum
> in I think, New Zealand.


Surviving World Steam Locomotives
james1@pernet.net