You have probably heard that the Florida Railroad Museum is getting SLSF 0-6-0 3749 and three passenger cars that have been on display at Church Street Station in Orlando, FL for many years. Sometime during the last few days, the bell was stolen from the locomotive. If anyone hears of a "new" bell suddenly appearing in someone's collection, we would very much appreciate hearing about it as we would like to put it back where it belongs. We are checking ebay and the other usual places but I think this may have gone to a "collector". Any info will be kept confidential. Please contact me via private message on this site if you can help.

The first car, Pullman 10 sec lounge observation "Monte Rosa" was moved yesterday via Florida route 50 to US 27 then south to state roads 60, 37 and 62 to the museum's location at Parrish. It was unloaded and placed back on it's trucks today. Still to move are the SAL posting.php?mode=post&f=1&sid=9aa72ee6b1192556f7de474ec24cb157#Heavyweight diner and a U P dome car plus the locomotive and tender.

A house mover is handling the movement of this equipment. Great job, so far.

Thanks,

J R Herron

The bell from Frisco 4-8-2 No. 1501 at Rolla, MO has been missing for a long time. Too bad that nothing is sacred any more. One can only hope the scumbag who did it dropped it on his foot or ruptured himself doing it.
Good luck with the 3749 from a devout Frisco steam enthusiast.

Here is an update on the move of the Orlando train.

http://www.wmfe.org/site/News2?page=New ... _ctrl=1041

Thanks for the update. I'm in town for the weekend and I'll see if I can stop by to get a picture or two. Between this move and the new steam operating in Tavares, this is the most steam news that's happened in Florida in years.

The missing bell mystery has been solved. The City of Orlando removed the bell from SLSF 3749 for eventual display in the Sun Rail station at Church Street. How nice.

Well Jim, they'e having most of her delivered to your place, which seems like a great victory to me. Give Larry Curran a buzz about a new bell.

dave

That is truly bizarre. I would think that if you framed the argument just right and appealed to their higher angels, you might get them to reconsider that decision and restore that irreplaceable bell to its proper place on the locomotive for which they cared enough to provide a good home.

Well, I'm not in charge of this project and no longer on the museum's board of directors so all I can do is "suggest" which I have done. Also, I have no idea if this is the original bell since the engine was in a scrap yard for years before it came to Orlando. It was missing it's builder's plates and number plate back then so the bell may have been removed, too.

When Church Street got the loco, they bought replacements for the missing items but they didn't match the loco. Their number plate and one builder's plate were from BEDT 10, the other builder's plate is from Washington & Lincolnton 203 (now on the Three Rivers Rambler) and the headlight is off of DM&IR 2-8-8-4 223. I have suggested that the 203 builder's plate be sent to the present owners of the 203 but who knows what this group will do.

-JH

Hi All,



Very interested in the statement that Number plate and one builders plate is from BEDT 10.

Can someone please get me a photo of builder plate in question to confirm? It would be nice to confirm this..

Thanks!

After being in a public space for all these years I’m amazed that someone hasn’t walked off with it a long time ago.

I was able to stop by today with a friend and we got to once over the engine for a few minutes. I was surprised how many people were looking at the engine as well, including a couple with a photographer getting engagement photos made, so we weren't able to get many good pictures without being in their way.

Had I known the builders plate was off 203, I would have made sure to get a picture. Was this "swap" made when the 203 was running on the Orange Belt back in the 70's or 80's?

My friend was also curious if the boiler has had any cosmetic grinding performed to smooth out rivets along the boiler courses. This is also the first engine I recall seeing with snifting valves located on the cylinder casting below the smoke box rather than over the valve.

Unfortunately we didn't have but about 10 minutes to look at the engine. A Brooks & Dunn concert was about to start a block away at the new Amway Center and parking was a little crazy, along with the boot/sundress wearing crowd.

If anyone is interested, the second car, a SAL Hwt diner, is scheduled to move tomorrow (Tuesday) at 5:15 AM.

-JH