Featuring Nickel Plate Road #765 and Viscose Company 0-4-0T #6. See http://www.cvsr.com/page10533046.aspx for more information.

This is some great news. Until very recently, the park service was not sure that the roof on the new concrete box culvert at Ira Rd would support the weight of the larger steam engines. They claimed that the new structure had been designed to the same lower Cooper loading as the original instead of making sure it would meet Cooper E80. Part of the park's philosophy to replace structures in kind instead of designing to a higher standard so as to not ruin the historical integrity I guess. Over the past 10 years or so, they have replaced 2 major deck plate girder bridges in Peninsula and a number of short single span structures. So it sounds like someone did some more homework and convinced them otherwise so 765 can travel the entire length of the line.

The high bridge in Akron over the canal will be quite a shot to get. I only walked the structure a handful of times when I was Supervisor of Engineering. It's probably 100' above the canal.

This is a great piece of railroad with 131#RE and 132#RE rail, mostly welded, with great tie and surface conditions. This area has really missed having steam on it since 4070 went out of service in the early 90's.


Rob Gardner

So, how many times can use use the phrase "largest locomotive" on one page? :)
I'm all in.

I plan on buying tickets. Plus, if this goes well maybe it will convince the Midwest Historical Society to continue working on #4070. Steam has been in the valley a couple of times now, so if it wasn't profitable and successful they wouldn't keep bringing it back.

Emmo 213, while it would nice to see them make a hearty effort at restoring 4070, she's a very tired engine in need of a lot of work. To make things more difficult, the roundhouse is still under a condemnation notice from the City of Cleveland due to the partial collapse of the far stalls of the roundhouse a few years ago. No one, even memebers, are allowed insde the roundhouse. They do manage to pull her out on the turntable during special events each year. They really need to get the No.3 set of drivers back under her as the pedestal binders aren't even in place right now. That is not good for the life of the frames.