Anyone know who attempted to restore this engine to operation back in the 80s? http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 07&nseq=23

I can't answer, but the display is immaculate, and the watering column and position light sets it off wonderfully.

This location is my hometown.

The engine is generally well kept, with a fence around the property to keep the bad people at bay. The headlight and numberboards are lit of evening, and are impressive while driving by. Look closely and you'll see a G scale track running on the edge of the crossties, which circles the loco.

Also to note:

Not far from this location is HERITAGE FARM, a recreated early agricultural / industrial site. At certain times each year, the traction engines provide the steam for a whistle blow.....including several RR whistles. Thus, you can plan a visit to see.....and "hear" this loco.

http://www.newrivertrain.com/museum.shtml

I'm not aware of any work done towards operating this engine in the 80's. Someone may have looked at it, or there may have been the usual "wishfull thinking" rumors floating around.......

A friend on Facebook mentioned she was considered for the Greenbrier line through Cass before the floods ended the line as a viable route.

What is that series of devices on the side of the firebox just below the running boards?

Joe, Those are overfire jets, to introduce air into the firebox just above the grates in order to provide more complete combustion. They were quite common on C&O and N&W locomotives, as they reduced emissions considerably and provided a small increase in fuel economy.

Isn't this engine equipped with roller bearings? I know the friends of the 261 were looking for a roller bearing engine,the 1308 could run on some lines that a 4-8-4 would be restricted from.

Johnny -

It's funny that you should mention that restriction. The Chesapeake & Ohio displayed both Kanawha 2789 and a sister of the 1308 (2-6-6-2 number 1309) at the Chicago Railroad Fair. But 2-8-4 #2789 could not travel over the old C&O of Indiana to reach Chicago because of the weight restrictions of various wood trestles on the line. But, number 1309 WAS able to run (under steam yet!) over the line even though the weight on the drivers on the articulated was about 37 tons more than the Kanawha! The difference of course, was the lower axle loadings of the 6 axle 2-6-6-2.

As to whether the 1308 is equipped with roller bearings, that I just don't know.

Les

I've seen her sister 1309 at the B&O Museum and she was not equipped with roller bearings.

When acquired by the State of West Virginia, the part of the line from Cass south to Ronceverte was turned into a bike trail. The portion of the line from Cass north to Durbin was used for occasional train operations. The first of the three one hundred year floods that ravaged the Greenbrier over an approximately ten year period literally washed away large portions of the right of way between Durbin and a point about ten miles south of Cass. To rebuild the rail line from Cass to Durbin would have cost millions of dollars to replace the now vanished right of way, plus all of the environmental studies about the impact on the river of doing this. Just riding my bicycle south of Cass after the flood, there were places were I had to gingerly climb over rocks and boulders while carrying my bike on my shoulder. The West Virginia Central has restored approximately five miles of line from Durbin south towards Cass. They operate a small diesel and a climax steam locomotive called the Durbin Rocket pulling a couple of open cars and a caboose. There website is:
http://mountainrailwv.com/