Hi Everyone-

Our Lawndale #401 now has a stablemate. Thanks to the generosity of the New Jersey Museum of Transportation (and to this board's JR May for putting us in touch), the boxcar was donated to our chapter for restoration and display.

The car, while still deteriorated, is in far better shape than the Lawndale car we started on, and we feel blessed to receive this jewel in the rough.

Pics of the car and move are at http://www.tarheelpress.com/etbox/

We'll keep everyone posted on the progress of the car!

Thanks!

Matt Bumgarner
Alexander Chapter NRHS

Matt:
Only question is, how on earth did you get it out of the truck?

That aside, this really is a good example on alternative methods for moving equipment. I was moving some equipment a year or so ago and the normal over the road flat bed trailer or box trailer were by far the cheapest way to go. I just could not figure out how to load the stuff I was moving so paid for a low boy at three times the cost.

The Ivory soap (has to be bars) was a trick we learned many years ago moving stations and rolling stock with a house mover.

Anyway, this has to be one of the most creative moves I have ever seen.

Nice job guys.

J.R.

Who would have thought a boxcar would fit in a trailer?! Nice move! And just how did you get it out?

Later!
Mr. Ed

Would be nice to see a Tweetsie Railroad photo freight in a few years.

We'll be getting the car out this coming weekend.

We're going to use a combination of forklifts/ come-a-longs / jacks and cribbing.

It only weighs about 5 tons and the sills are in great shape, so we should make short work of it.

I'll have some more photos to post.

Thanks for the kind words!

Matt

You recently restored another Tweetsie boxcar also correct?

Walter,

No, that narrow gauge car was from the Lawndale/ex-Carolina & N-W/ex-Chester & Lenoir.

We do have ET&WNC #1 and #2 motorcars (they are *BIG* homemade muthas!) which will be undergoing restoration as well.

Thanks!

Matt

You guys are doing a very impressive job. You just dont see many people restoring rail cars to this extent now days, its all about the engines.

What are the future plans for both cars?

Walter-

Go to www.newtondepot.com and click on the "Narrow Gauge Museum" button.

We are in the process of raising funds and building a covered car barn for our equipment. Though the cars may never run again, we are building them so that they could. You never know when Hollywood might come knocking and need a narrow gauge freight train to be filmed along the Tweetsie RR or the Doe River Gorge.

Our goal right now is to collect as much native NC narrow gauge material as possible, restore it, and display it. We are keenly aware of the dangers of "collecting junk" and the need to keep our focus very, very narrow (no pun intended). The southeast is woefully behind other parts of the country in regards to preserving its narrow gauge history, and we merely want to protect what few pieces still exist from our state. One day we hope to become an "affiliate" of the NCTM at Spencer (only 60 miles away) and become a valuable and complementary satellite to that facility.

Now, with that being said, I hear that there are the remains of an ET&WNC tank car lying around the wilds of Alaska- anybody on this board tight with the WP&Y folks? We sure would like to have a Tweetsie tank car next to her boxcar cousin!!

Thanks again for your interest!

Matt Bumgarner

That sounds great. Good luck with the new building. It would be nice to reunite the cars with Tweetsie #12 for some kind of special event at the RR in the future.

[quote="Matt Bumgarner"]
Now, with that being said, I hear that there are the remains of an ET&WNC tank car lying around the wilds of Alaska- anybody on this board tight with the WP&Y folks? We sure would like to have a Tweetsie tank car next to her boxcar cousin!!

Outstanding idea!! I have seen pictures on the net and it looks to be one of the 2 tanks that went north, sans flat car of course. I want to say it was up at Bennett, on the ground at one of their maintenance yards, but not in bad shape, all things considered.

Mike Stillwell
Buena Vista, VA.

There was another Tweetsie boxcar preserved. The one on display in Elizabethton TN is sandwiched between a standard gauge 0-6-0F and a caboose. Funny, it seems to be numbered 434 in the photo I have found of it:
http://www.city-data.com/picfilesv/picv18643.php

To my knowledge there is a Tweetsie caboose body (or two) in private ownership. Best of luck in your efforts...
O.

Yes, the boxcar in Elizabethton, TN is incorrectly numbered. We are aware of the caboose, as well as a few other pieces we would like to see restored.

Thanks

Matt

Matt,

You have one of the best long timber suppliers in the country just on the other side of Knoxville from you. They have one of only two microwave kilns in the country and those things are phenomenal for drying hard wood timbers quickly (and that stay straight) that are long enough for rail car needs.

When I talked to them the prices were really great, so they can probably help you.

Hearthstone, Inc.
1630 East Hwy 25/70
Dandridge, TN 37725

Yes, we are familiar with this supplier. We also use Shoun Lumber in Butler, TN. You would not believe the pricing on the 32' Hemlock timbers they gave us for the other boxcar. Transportation was more expensive than the timbers!

Thanks,

Matt