Unloaded this afternoon at Virginia Museum of Transportation - 4 Minute Video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRJX5WPDnrg

Any whistle collectors out there, come on out for our whistle blow Friday afternoon starting at 6 PM. BYOW, this is a free event. We are planning on having the engine hot by 2 PM for switching and practice runs.

What's the story with this loco? Was it purchased? Donated? Will it be a permanent part of the collection there?

See this thread

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=33223

Photos of the loading and trip up on Monday

http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?s ... 749&type=1

While we may covet some of the grander efforts of our friends in the UK, the portable 0-4-0 idea is worthy of some applause and recognition.

Wesley

Just on loan from the New Hope Valley Railroad in Bonsal, NC (just outside of Raleigh). Runs about once a month from spring to fall. Nice little operation.

17 is now safely back home in Bonsal, NC after a very successful weekend in Roanoke. Photos & videos of the weekend and the move back will be posted soon. The New Hope Valley crew is one of the finest groups of people I've ever had the pleasure of working with.

We took the kids down Saturday afternoon. Bev Fitzpatrick told us that it appeared to be the best attended event they had ever had. It was quite full, but with lots of activities so everyone stayed entertained. It was very professional and there were lots of volunteers - all easily identified. I saw you Gary, but you looked like a man with a lot on his plate - so I figured we catch up with you at some other time. Met plenty of other Roanoke Chapter members and enjoyed speaking with them. You all did a great job. Congrats!

Mike Stillwell
Buena Vista, VA.

Thanks, Mike. A bunch of people put in a lot of work to make this event happen. Much "waste material" hit the "air circulation devices" during the planning and preparation, but everything went very smoothly during the event. The only operating problem that we had was that some of the waste oil fuel that was donated was liquid, but not particularly flammable. We may have solved the mystery of what happened to Jimmy Hoffa's body, but we sealed that drum back up and set it aside very quickly.....:)

That trailer has permanent rails built into the bed. Looks like it came from the factory that way. I was not aware that there were detachables that had built in rails.

We used an Aspen detachable, extendable railway bed float to move our ex-CNR snowplow from Ottawa, Ontario, to Smiths Falls in November 2010. This is a gorgeous rig belonging to G.C. Hudson of Brockville, Ontario.

Due to ground clearance on the plow nose we had to load the car with a crane, rather than roll her on, but these floats are wonderful for moving fairly short railway equipment:

http://public.fotki.com/elliottd/sfrmeo/snowplow-cnr-55400/imag2256-jpg.html

Steve Hunter
RMEO

Just got an email from Bev, the final numbers are 1824 visitors, and 1607 train riders. Not too shabby....

Is that the Hudson that builds the contractor ballast cars?

http://www.ballastcar.com/

They build some of the finest ballast cars I've ever seen. You can get a variety of options on them, and they're well designed and well made. In fact the only downside to them is that quality costs some serious money.

Hi, Bob:

Not related. GC Hudson Supply is a float service from Brockville, Ontario RMEO has been doing business with for nearly thirty years:

http://www.hudsonsupply.ca/

The Hudson who builds the ballast cars is also fairly close to Smiths Falls, but in another direction at Hawkesbury, Ontario:

http://www.ballastcar.com/

I sure would love to have access to one of those great little cars!

Steve Hunter