I haven't seen these negatives in close to 50 years, so I was delighted to make re-acquaintance with George Hart's 1286. One of her traits that I liked was the hump in her pilot where, some years before, she had jumped the tracks. Just a little testimony to a working locomotive that put in her time.

The Diesel helper was, I believe, for Jack's Mountain. I do remember how embittered I was to have a (ugh!) GP9 in front of the Pacific. Today it doesn't bother me so much.

Reviewing them, it's not too bad for kid with a Yashica A.

That ding in 1286's pilot was the result of a derailment during the first few weeks of operation on the Maryland & Pennsylvania out of York in 1965. Gorge Hart was operating excursions behind 1286 between York and Yoe, Pa., 6 or 8 miles down the Ma & Pa. There was a short runaround track at Yoe, a small village just north of one of the two tall wooden trestles between Yoe and Red Lion, over which 1286 could not operate.

Anyway, one Sunday, 1286 was scooting along a couple of miles south of York where the line skirted the base of a hill on a long curve to the left. There had been heavy thunderstorms the night before, and a large quantity of gravel and dirt had washed down a farm lane and buried the crossing. 1286 came swinging around the curve, the fireman saw the track was buried and hollered to Dave Dunlap, the engineer, to dump the air. He did, but momentum carried the engine up onto the gravel and off the rails, and when she came to a halt, the pilot was resting on the outside rail of the curve. A Ma & Pa diesel was summoned and pulled her back onto the rails, none the worse for the wear except for that ding.

Good story. Thanks!

I have a list of all known rail excursions operated in the Baltimore area (even cancelled ones), compiled by Warren Olt, Harry Gesser, and others, here beside me, and it appears this trip was Sept. 10, 1966 out of Baltimore, operated by Rail Tours out of Baltimore. Oddly enough, we don't have a destination for this trip listed. Was there one?

i love the B&W photos with steam locomotives, give you the feel of another time, truly unique, ed blaine

I'll go out on a limb and say the destination was Gettysburg. Is that even possible?

Regarding the images themselves, thank you. I always thought they'd wind up in some book, but the fact is, few people get to see them when they're squirreled away for half a century! They were shot so other people could enjoy the record. I am pleased to read others doing just just that.

More will come as I scan the negatives.

Richard, Nice pictures. I'd be interested in using some of your impressive pictures of that era in my upcoming book.

If that's possible please PM me and we'll go from there.

Thanks, Ross Rowland

I believe this trip was a Baltimore-Hagerstown round-trip via the WM main line. Some of the view are at Highfield, where the "Dutch Line" via Gettysburg and Hanover branched off. Notice no auxiliary tender. The first coach behind the engine is a Western Maryland car, there is also a B&O car in the consist, and I believe the last car is one of the Canadian Pacific "Rocky Mountain" observation cars. The whole train was turned on the wye near the roundhouse in Hagerstown. I spent a fair amount of time in 1965-66-67 as a volunteer for Rail Tours Inc., although I didn't ride this trip. 1286 was one sweet locomotive -- ran like a watch, rode like a Pullman and could really pull a train. Thanks to George Leillich, who was WM"s V-P of Operations at that time, 1286 (later paired with ten-wheeler 972) got to stretch her legs on the WM a number of times.

Looking further on the "All-Time Baltimore Excursions" list, I have a more likely date now: Sept. 1, 1968, a circle trip over the WM to Hagerstown with 1286 in conjunction with the 1968 national NRHS Convention. I'm 99.9% that the servicing photos we're seeing are in Hagerstown.

Those servicing photos are definitely in Hagerstown. By chance, did they back that train down the B&O branch to City Park? If so, that was my first encounter with steam. Thanks so much for sharing these.

One of the other contributors identified the trip correctly as being part of the NRHS Convention. I do remember the yard and servicing area was open to railfans. The train was pulled around by a BL2 and calf. In the service area, I shot the FA2's, still in service at the time.

I think ADM is correct with a 1968 date. The 1967 photos of 1286 on HICO trips over the Jersey Central show the locomotive still carried her Elesco Feedwater Heater system (coil type) during that year. Mr. Glueck's photos show 1286 without that system; and 1286 is in that configuration to this day.

Howard P.

Howard, any idea why those feedwater tanks were removed? I remember 1293 and 1246 had them, as did 1286. I saw 1278 with the Elesco tank installed by Nelson Blount. 1238 didn't have one when I saw her run. I think 1201, in Ottawa had hers removed as well.

CPR 1200 water supply devices tutorial (or, "Everything You Never Wanted to Know About The Things"):

1200 and 1201 (the prototype CPR-Angus Shops-built first pair) had Worthington S-type FWHs and one non-lifting McAvity (Hancock) inspirator on the engineer's side. 1201 still has that system.

1202-1271 had the engineer's side inspirator and an Elesco Exhaust Steam Injector under the cab on the fireman's side.

1272-1301 had the engineer's side inspirator and an Elesco Coil-type FWH on the front top of smokebox, with the Elesco water pump on the fireman's side of boiler.

Blount's shop people installed an older "bundle" style Elesco on 1278 (127), because FNB liked that look better (1965-66).

1246 had the exhaust injector removed during the initial GMRC rebuild for service in 1969, and a lifting injector installed ahead of the cab on the fireman's side.

I had thought the 1286's FWH system was removed after Geo. Hart sold the 1238/1286 to Red Clay Valley in late 68/early 69; looks like it happened before that.

1293 is the only 1200 class engine (beside 1201) that has the original water supply devices (both of them) intact and operable as built.

Trival pursuit, Feed Water Heater Edition!!

Howard P.

Greetings:
I believe that the gent on the fireman's side of 1286 in the head on shot while servicing is none other than Steve Bogen, owner of "Connecticut Valley" No. 97, featured in Richard's other thread...
J.David
PS: Updates on No.97 can be found on old postings on "The Enginehouse Blog" at: www.essexsteamtrain.com
JDC