Not quite preservation, but cool, Civil War era steam in PA

Ed Kapuscinski · **Posted:** Wed Jan 13, 2010 5:09 pm

Looks like copies of the Leviathan might be coming to the former PRR Northern Central:
http://ydr.inyork.com/ci_14179340?source=email

Sounds like it'll be fun if it happens.

Bob Davis · **Joined:** Sat Aug 28, 2004 3:25 am **Posts:** 1025

Back in the 1980's, I visited a Civil War re-enactment near Sacramento CA. I went to the site because there was a steam locomotive running, but it was (as I recall) an 0-6-0 saddletanker from the 1920's. I spotted another visitor with a VHS camcorder, and was tempted to say, "Sir, those are not allowed. Only wet-plate view cameras are permitted here." I resisted the temptation.

tomgears · **Posted:** Wed Jan 13, 2010 11:39 pm

if these guys can come up with 5 million dollars to make this work maybe they could find $300,000 to include the Stewartstown.

p51 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 15, 2010 1:09 am

Bob Davis wrote:

Back in the 1980's, I visited a Civil War re-enactment near Sacramento CA. I went to the site because there was a steam locomotive running, but it was (as I recall) an 0-6-0 saddletanker from the 1920's. I spotted another visitor with a VHS camcorder, and was tempted to say, "Sir, those are not allowed. Only wet-plate view cameras are permitted here." I resisted the temptation.

I grew up as a Civil War re-enactor (my Dad has a cannon from the era) and ran into a couple of cases when we were going to do events with clearly way later steam engines at events. My Dad also knew how stupid that was (it’d be like a WW2 event with an Acela train) and we backed out each time.
A few years ago, I did a “train robbery” western-themed event at a tourist RR. The RR folks were great, but some of the other people I did the event with were downright scary with their safety, and I decided never to do an event there again. Felt kind of foolish acting like it was the 1880s when the engine was built 40 years after that (pulling a heavyweight car and 1970s hacks) but at least it was better than doing it with a diesel:

These days I do a lot of WW2-era living history and a few tourist operations run events with WW2 battles. I feel equally uneasy about something like that because you’re usually operating with postwar equipment and American stuff as well. To me, that would mean you’re recreating a battle on American soil that never (thankfully) occurred. Here’s such an event at IRM: http://www.anzioexpress.org/

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

p51 wrote:

Bob Davis wrote:

Back in the 1980's, I visited a Civil War re-enactment near Sacramento CA. I went to the site because there was a steam locomotive running, but it was (as I recall) an 0-6-0 saddletanker from the 1920's. I spotted another visitor with a VHS camcorder, and was tempted to say, "Sir, those are not allowed. Only wet-plate view cameras are permitted here." I resisted the temptation.

I grew up as a Civil War re-enactor (my Dad has a cannon from the era) and ran into a couple of cases when we were going to do events with clearly way later steam engines at events. My Dad also knew how stupid that was (it’d be like a WW2 event with an Acela train) and we backed out each time.
A few years ago, I did a “train robbery” western-themed event at a tourist RR. The RR folks were great, but some of the other people I did the event with were downright scary with their safety, and I decided never to do an event there again. Felt kind of foolish acting like it was the 1880s when the engine was built 40 years after that (pulling a heavyweight car and 1970s hacks) but at least it was better than doing it with a diesel:

Well, I've got to admit that the "wild west getup" with the 2-8-2T is a bit farfetched. But I sure do like the looks of the saddletanker. Seeing ANY saddletank with a headlight mounted in the middle of the smokebox door is really an amazing sight. Every saddletanker I have ever seen has the headlight mounted high up on the smokebox. Are there any other saddletanks out there besides #10 that has a center mounted headlight?

Les