What are we looking at here? This engine is on display in Grand Rapids, but I've been unable to find out where it came from, or even who built it. Anyone know?? It's 3' narrow gauge.

Jeff Terry

My guess would be a steel mill locomotive.

I've seen it listed here before:

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/lists/MI.shtml

Looks like it's a Vulcan. If I remember correctly, the company right next to it does boiler repair for live steam, and is basically just waiting for a good time to take a shot at fixing that 0-4-0.

**EDIT** More info:

http://www.viersonboiler.com/page13.html

And a bird's eye view:

http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v ... &encType=1

Looks like one of the Wanamie Vulcans that were once owned by the NJ Museum of Transportation/Pine Creek RR. I had lost track of them after they were sold back in the late 1970s.

Go to http://www.gingerb.com/cnj_nanticoke_branch.htm for some shots.

J.R.

That this engine was of Wanamie lineage jumped into my mind the first time I saw it, JR, but (at the time) I didn't think any of their engines made it to the midwest. How wrong I was! Pine Creek rostered Wanamie 4 and 9, which were evidently sold to Iowa's Midwest Central in 1990-91. It's clearly one those. I'm guessing that it's No. 9, but I don't have concrete proof...yet.

Thanks everyone!

Jeff Terry

Randolph Kean's "The Railfan's Guide to Museum & Park Displays" has a listing for an 0-4-0T No. 7 at Farmingdale, NJ:

Pine Creek RR 0-4-0T Vulcan #2484 Feb. 1916, boiler #2822, rebuilt with new boiler Vulcan #4763 April 1949
X Glen Alden Coal Co. 9 (Wanamie Colliery, Wanamie, PA)
XX Deleware, Lackawanna & Western Coal Mining Department (Loomis Colliery, Plymouth, PA)

Mystery solved!

Jeff,

I have been trying to track the location of all the Wanamie engines for years, and the search as been on RYPN in the past.

Certainly a mining lokie numbered 9 leads one to figure it is the long "lost" Wanamie engine.

When last we checked, #28 (#7) is believed to be in the Kepner collection in Oregon. That is the DL&W coal engine. #4 was believed to have been converted to hydraulic drive and sent to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. #8 was scrapped in somewhat recent history. And #9 was where????

I think you found her. The "hook" up front was exactly what coupled the Wanamie lokies to their cars.

For great pictures see Tony Organek's work at: http://www.undergroundminers.com/oldwanamie1.html

BTW with Six Flags' financial issues, is it time to make an offer for #4?

Rob

Jeff,

To answer your question on Trainorders (I ain't a payin' customer) #4 and #9 never were in Oregon. Chris Murley of Abandoned Mine Research, Inc. spoke to the gentleman supposedly in possession of them, and I later had an email thread with the Oregon gent. Nice guy. Has two Vulcans he wants to run, but they are not anthracite mining engines.

It looks like #28 was the only one ever to go to Oregon, if the Kepner story is true. I have never seen a picture. Supposedly in Klamath Falls and stored indoors.

So it looks like we can be relatively sure #4 is in Texas, #8 is gone, #9 is in Michigan and #28 is???? Maybe OR???

Rob

Rob,

Well, now I'm confused (again).

You wrote: "When last we checked, #28 (#7) is believed to be in the Kepner collection in Oregon. That is the DL&W coal engine."

Is this the same lokie-style No. 27 built for the Delaware Lackawanna & Western Coal Mining Department? There is a photo of it at the Vulcan plant in the article "Wanamie Was Wonderful," (Railroading Magazine, No. 50). However, the author states in the caption that "Lackawanna 27 was sister to Wanamie No. 9, ex DL&W 28; both were built in 1916 for Loomis Colliery at Plymouth."

So.....is the No. 9 actually the No. 27, or are we talking about a different No. 28 altogether? Or did the author make a mistake?

Jeff Terry

I see I may have answered my own question. My info says Kepner's engine was built for Glen Alden Corp. as their No. 28, and not the DL&W. Is this correct?

Jeff

Jeff,

I think I may have confused which one was the DL&W Coal engine... the number changes make it difficult to keep them straight sometimes. ;-)

I guess it is fair to ask which one is in Michigan? I assume it is the #9 from Mid-West/Allaire and not the Kepner engine.

Rob

The #28 is indeed in Oregon in the Kepner collection. The #28 was much different in appearance than the #4 and $9 in that it was a fairly normal height tank engine versus the very low profile of the Wanamie engines.
J.R.

Six Flags Fiesta Texas, along with Six Flags and their steam railroad in Arlington; are doing OK. I have seen what I believe is Wanamie 4 at the engine shed; usually the trainset with the Henschel conversion in front is running. I will try to get a picture the next time we go.

I believe Stan Matthews and Shop Services of Mt. Pleasant, IA, converted both the Henschel and Wanamie #4, and they were shipped to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. I think he passed away before converting #9, and it ended up at it's current location.

#8 was last seen derelict in the culm pile at Wanamie, and was scrapped with the site cleanup.

Wasn't #28 on display at a restraurant in Bayville, NJ? Did Kneper buy it, and move it to Oregon?

Jeff,

I can't help you with your Michigan puzzle; but here is an idea that you might want to use in a future Lineside Legacy article. There were a number of locomotives other than the Maine ones at Edaville when it closed in 1993; they are now scatted ed all over the place.

A couple in Connecticut and others further afield such as the Mexican 30" locomotive that went to Montana. I think it would make a great story.

Ted Miles

Hi James,

The lokie that was in Bayville is ex Lehigh Valley Coal, not a Wanamie lokie, and is now at the Pine Creek, where Wanamie #4 and #9 once were. Confusing, eh?

Rob