Obscure steam locomotive restorations

speeder3 · **Joined:** Mon Sep 26, 2011 2:06 pm **Posts:** 52

Another "obscure" steam locomotive rebuild underway is the Santa Cruz Portland Cement #2 (Porter, 0-4-0T) at the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad's shop in Mineral, WA. This is the personal project of MRSR CMO Stathi Pappas and is worked on by he and and friends on one of his days off each week. Recently the (mostly new) boiler was placed back onto the frame. Stathi is hoping to have his little gem, affectionately known as "the Chiggen" under steam next year.

There is a web site for this project so you can check out the progress:

http://www.scpc2.com/1/post/2011/10/new-website.html

On a side note, MRSR currently has two locomotives undergoing repairs. Hammond Lumber Co. 2-8-2T #17 (ALCO, 1929) is in the midst of its 1472-day inspection/repairs, and ex-U.S. Army #7134 (formerly MRSR #42, ALCO model S1, 1942) is being returned to service after a long hiatus.

Brian Wise
General Manager
Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad

John Risley · **Joined:** Tue Aug 24, 2004 10:34 pm **Posts:** 951

Believe the Mc Cloud #9 is still in the shop at Northlake, Wi. Far as I know no work is being done and is just stored. Haven't talked to Steve in a long time, so possibly things have changed or moved.

Do not blieve the loco was ever donated to the Green Bay museum. The big Heisler #3 and a couple of Lack's were on site there a number of years ago with some sort of agreement made. The Heisler ran one summer on a designated weekends, then eventually all of the North Lake equipment was moved. The #9 was never moved to Green Bay.

Cheers, John.

brettcog2000 · **Joined:** Thu May 05, 2011 8:36 am **Posts:** 159

There are 2 in Vermont that I can think of.....

CV #220 (4-6-0) at the Shelburne Museum has been having work done on it for years, there has always been talk of putting her back in service. This past summer they continued with a lot of rust control, got the grates back in the firebox, as well as a lot of other things. I think she is the last best hope for steam in VT.

B&M #494 (4-4-0) owned by the town of Hartford, has had a lot of work done on it in the past, kind of fizzled, and now is kind of up and down again. I haven't seen or heard of any work days on it in a while.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6471

John Risley wrote:

Do not blieve the loco was ever donated to the Green Bay museum. The big Heisler #3 and a couple of Lack's were on site there a number of years ago with some sort of agreement made. The Heisler ran one summer on a designated weekends, then eventually all of the North Lake equipment was moved. The #9 was never moved to Green Bay.

Cheers, John.

John -

I seem to recall that Heisler number 3 was moved out west, but I can't recall to what operation. Maybe someone will have better info.

Good to see this thread, that Mr. Bailey first started way way back in January of 2010, started anew. A number of engines mentioned have since been restored to service and progress has been made on some others.

Les

steaminfo · **Posted:** Wed Nov 16, 2011 2:04 pm

Les Beckman wrote:

John Risley wrote:

Do not blieve the loco was ever donated to the Green Bay museum. The big Heisler #3 and a couple of Lack's were on site there a number of years ago with some sort of agreement made. The Heisler ran one summer on a designated weekends, then eventually all of the North Lake equipment was moved. The #9 was never moved to Green Bay.

Cheers, John.

John -

I seem to recall that Heisler number 3 was moved out west, but I can't recall to what operation. Maybe someone will have better info.posting.php?mode=quote&f=1&p=166429#

Good to see this thread, that Mr. Bailey first started way way back in January of 2010, started anew. A number of engines mentioned have since been restored to service and progress has been made on some others.

Les

Craig Mountain Lumber Co. No. 3 ( a two truck Heisler) is currently stored at Alamosa, CO. The operation for which it had been intended in Globe, AZ didn't work out. There is no current intention to work on it "any time soon". steamlocomotive.info incorrectly shows that the locomotive was donated to the Green Bay museum. This will be corrected shortly.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6471

Frederick G. Bailey wrote:

The posting about the Big South Fork and Doe River steam projects have got me wondering. How many other steam restorations are ongoing that we don't hear much about? Over the years, there've been a number of projects that have gotten started and have sort of faded into space. We've had threads in the past about locomotives being torn apart and abandoned--but I'm wondering how many locomotives there are that would still be considered "active" restorations even though they're years in the making?

Santa Maria Valley 2-8-2 #21 comes to mind. They were doing major boiler work on this locomotive a number of years back, but nothing has been posted recently that I've run across. Is this still an active restoration?

Thought I would bring up the locomotives that Mr. Bailey mentioned to start this thread about 22 months ago:

The Big South Fork locomotive is ex-M&NF 0-6-0 #14 (ex-Union Railroad #77) that Big South Fork Scenic Ry. has had under restoration for some time now. Their website says that it is "64% complete" but I don't believe that comment has changed in quite a while.

Doe River is a Vulcan 0-4-0T, long ago converted to a 2-4-2 that was at one time getting a new boiler. Update?

There was an comment later in the thread concerning Santa Maria Valley 2-8-2 #21 located in Astoria, Oregon. I stumbled across the tender to this engine last year while on vacation and can attest that it is a nicely done restoration. Not sure what is happening with the locomotive itself lately, nor if they have had any success in firming up a place to run the Mike.

Les

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6471

Les Beckman wrote:

boilerwash wrote:

There are quite a few out there. Ones that I can think of off hand are:

1. An English built 0-6-0 switcher originally used at a power station which has been under restoration for over ten years somewhere in Louisville, KY. While I've heard mention of this engine several times as well assurances from posters on local dicussion boards that this engine does exist I haven't so much as seen one picture, web post, or any mention what-so-ever from anyone actually involved in the project.

This engine has since gone to La Grange, Kentucky for display.

2. The two 2-8-0's from the West Virginia Northern and a Heisler being restored by the West Virginia Railroad Museum. While you never hear anything by word of mouth, they do tend to keep their website updated alot better than many groups.

WVN #9 (Preston Railroad #19) is was sent out for restoration. WVN #8 and the Middle Fork Heisler are still at the West Virginia Railroad Museum site.

3. The 2-4-2 Columbia type engine at the St. Louis. Iron Mt. & Southern Railroad in Jackson, MO.

Update?

4. Reader Railroad 2-6-0 #2 in Reader, Arkansas. Of course not hearing much of anything can be said about the whole railroad. The only time I hear mention of the whole group anymore is when their train gets rented for a movie shoot.

There was a recent You Tube entry showing this locomotive running on a short portion of the old Reader. The company is also operating a steam trains out of Mt. Dora, Florida I believe, but I am not sure if Mogul #2 was sent there.

5. WP&Y #71 at Dollywood

Is this engine on standby to WP&Y # 192?

6. Southern 2-8-0 #541 in Knoxville, TN.

Actual number is 154 and the engine now is running on the Three Rivers Rambler in Ashville, Kentucky.

7. Southern #722 and 2-8-0 #1702 at the Great Smokey Mountains Railroad in North Carolina. Although I think it's generally accepted work on these two is merely progressing extremely slow or has just fizzled out all together.

Updates?

8. Lee Cypress 2-6-2 #4 now at the WK&S Railroad in Pennsylvania. Was originally a restoration project in Hardin, KY that no one ever heard any news about and then the group doing it unexpectently just disbanded.

Apparently WK&S is in the process of restoring number 4 to eventual service.

9. 2-8-0 #501 at the Conway Scenic Railroad in New Hampshire.

I believe I read that there are no plans to restore the 501.

Thats just about what I can think of at the moment.

I'll add a couple more:

10. LS&I 2-8-0 #20 that is privately owned and at the old Kettle Moraine shop in North Lake, Wisconsin.

Not sure if anything is being done on this restoration.

11. GTW 2-8-2 #4070 which we recently talked about here.

No recent word on any restoration progress.

Les

Above comments made today 11-21-11.

Les

jim templin · **Posted:** Mon Nov 21, 2011 6:20 pm

Reader RR Mogul #2 is Running everyweekend at Tavares, Forida. Due to the high price of fuel oil, the engine was recently converted to burn wood.

http://www.orangeblossomcannonball.com/

Mark Jordan · **Joined:** Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:21 am **Posts:** 488

Quote:

The Big South Fork locomotive is ex-M&NF 0-6-0 #14 (ex-Union Railroad #77) that Big South Fork Scenic Ry. has had under restoration for some time now. Their website says that it is "64% complete" but I don't believe that comment has changed in quite a while.

No significant work since 2004 on the loco. Tender finished about 2006. Website photos show current status of project, with no activity due to depletion of grant funds. No current activity on this project.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6471

Les Beckman wrote:

boilerwash wrote:

I'll add a couple more:

10. LS&I 2-8-0 #20 that is privately owned and at the old Kettle Moraine shop in North Lake, Wisconsin.

Not sure if anything is being done on this restoration.

Les

Above comments made today 11-21-11.

Les

Well, I guess I AM glad that this thread was restarted because I just realized that I had the wrong ex-LS&I 2-8-0 up at the Kettle Moraine shop in North Lake. The actual privately owned Consol is number 21, NOT number 20. Number 20 went out west to the Grand Canyon but was never restored to service and has since been moved and put on display, nicely restored cosmetically.

Les

JohnHillier · **Posted:** Tue Nov 22, 2011 12:01 am

The #71 has been on hold for quite some time, though ultrasound and other prep work was done several years ago. For those that didn't know, the #70 currently runs with the drivers from #72, while I believe some the rods from #72 are in use on #73.

Paulie62 · **Joined:** Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:33 am **Posts:** 33

Hi All, on this topic there is a steam locomotive project that has been lingering along route 209 in Minersville PA. Never had the time to investigate what it is but I am fairly sure it's a Reading Company locomotive, Sloan Might have a handle on this project. Last time I past her the boiler was torn down to be rebuilt, but she was also out in the weather! Anyone know what Locomotive I am talking about?

Howard P. · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:18 am

Paulie62, do a search for "CNJ 113". It 's had extensive coverage here and elsewhere.

Howard P.

Stephen Hussar · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:33 am

bigjim4life · **Posted:** Wed Nov 30, 2011 1:22 pm

Speaking of the #4070, the Akron RR Club's blog has a bit of an update:

http://akronrrclub.wordpress.com/2011/1 ... -the-4070/

Obscure steam locomotive restorations

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