SECOND ANNUAL PROJECT 113 HISTORICAL RAIL SLIDE SHOW, MINERSVILLE, PA

Project 113 is presenting its annual slide show Saturday, March 3, 2012, at the Goodwill Fire House, Front and North Street in Minersville (follow the Wolf Creek Branch). This is approximately three blocks from the Minersville Station restoration site.

The doors open at 8:30 AM and the presentations start at 9:00 AM. Coffee and donuts will be available as soon as the doors open.

The cost is $30 and proceeds will benefit the restoration of locomotive CNJ 113.

Seating is limited and all tickets must be prepaid and will be sold on a first come, first serve basis.

Remit your payment to Railway Restoration Project 113, 113 E. Sunbury Street, Minersville, PA 17954. Include your address.

Registrations should be no later than February 23, 2012.

9:00 AM to 9:45 AM - Dale Woodland - Reading F units, history and modeling of these units

10:00 AM to 10:45 AM - Robert "Bob" Bahr - 1974 Western Maryland

11:00 AM to 11: 45 AM - Rich Jahn - Penn Central RR, Philadelphia and Middle Divisions

Before lunch, Joe Fusco will present the latest on his video of the restoration progress on CNJ 113.

Lunch will be served buffet style - ham, city chicken (beef, veal and pork on a stick, battered and fried), kielbasa, stuffed shells, green beans, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cole slaw and dessert.

1:00 PM to 1:45 PM - R. S. Brouse - slides from the Ed Brouse collection

2:00 PM to 2:45 PM - Larry Eastwood - railfanning the northeast United States

3:00 PM to 3:45 PM - Craig Worley - the Kantner slide collection of Schuylkill County

We also have 2012 calendars available - $5 plus shipping. They can be purchased at the show, or send remittance to Project 113, 113 E. Sunbury Street, Minersville, PA 17954

Will the 113 be fired up that day? You sell a lump of coal for $10 and let the holder throw it in the firebox.

I asked Bob if we were going to do that, but there is too much going on that day and it could be too cold and would require that everything be blown clear at the end of the day so it wouldn't freeze. I like your idea--maybe charge to blow the whistle.

Bernie

Any updates on this beauty?

There isn't too much happening. Some small odds and ends being done in this warm spring. A broken rail and ties have to be replaced on the track where she is sitting to safetly move her back and forth. She has to be moved a little to replace a crank pin which had to be removed to adjust a tire. I don't know when the next firing or movement will be. She also has to have her yearly inspection even though little firing has been done since she was initially inspected.

Bernie

looks like you could just get in, pull the throttle, and off you go.

Hope they get some boiler jacketing on her in the future.

She would look great moving cars around at Steamtown with #26! Two switchers doing what they do best! With the view from the second floor in the roundhouse the pictures you could get!

I honestly don't know where else they can go with it. I don't see the group going through the expense of trucking it around the country like the Gramling guys. Steamtown seems to be the only viable choice, especially when you consider it's a heavy 0-6-0. It can't do much mainline work.

One of the rather widespread things being tossed around is that she could run on the new "Secret Valley" tourist train on the Colebrookdale spur between Boyerstown and Pottstown (according to both the CNJ 113 Facebook page and the Colebrookdale group's Facebook page).

That Colebrookdale line has a few wooden trestles on it. And that is one HEAVY 0-6-0! Just sayin'.

The 113 at 98 1/2 tons on a short wheelbase, probably exceeds the Cooper rating of the wood trestles on the Secret Valley line (Colebrookdale), someone needs to due their homework before bringing this chunky switcher to operate on their track. Unfortunately all the weight from the drivers on switcher type steam locomotives typically falls short of spanning more than two vertical bents and they end up with a high Cooper number. Also, the last time I was on the branch, it still had a lot of under 100 lb rail, which needs additional support i.e. good ties and a good stone ballast system. I want to see this locomotive operate as do most, and I hope they can find a suitable home for her to stretch her legs after performing all that hard work. Congratulations to all who put an effort in to get her this far.

Mike Tillger

For the record, a pre-restored shot of 113 is on Digital Notebook page about the line, known as the Colebrookdale Railroad, and this page is endorsed on the official CRR page

Railroad website: http://www.colebrookdalerailroad.com/de ... spx?pg=280

Digital Notebook page: http://evan-brandt.blogspot.com/2012/01 ... -line.html

Mr. Tillger makes a valid point regarding the need to determine the bridge capabilities on the Colebrookdale line. My unscientific guess is that she'd be fine on there but that's just a guess. I have recently hi-railed the branch and can report that the track is in excellent condition and could easily qualify for Class 2 railroad.

Nathaniel Guest is leading the effort to create a new tourist shortline there and with his energy and professionalism I'm betting he'll succeed.

I wish him the best of success and yes, it would be a perfect setting for the 113.

Ross Rowland