At Rouses Point, NY, Sunday April 29, 1973. "D&H 653" and crew await their train. L to R: Steamtown Master Mechanic Chris Ahrens, Engineer Andy Barbera (with his customary white cap) and unidentified Steamtown conductor.



At Riverside, VT, August 11, 1973-- during a Railfan Weekend, Miss Vermont 1973 poses with Bob Barbera, Steamtown Executive Director.

During that rainy weekend, 759 was steamed up and ran back and forth in the yard a bit, New Haven Trap Rock 0-4-0T #43 did the same, and Rahway Valley 2-8-0 #15 made her last run under steam.

Howard P.

Howard, what is the story behind the Barberas? Were they former railroaders or friends of Nelson?

Rob Gardner

You have to remark on the sheet metal work done to 1278 in the transformation process. That's significant money invested in the role play.

Andy was a DL&W engineer who ran the last "Phoebe Snow" in Nov 1966 and retired from the E-L a few years later. I don't recall if he was retired when the first High Iron trip operated on the E-L in Oct 1969, but I'm sure he was in or around the 759's cab that day.

When 759 went back to Steamtown in Aug 1971, Andy stayed up there as an engineer, and lived for much of the year in an old Rutland wood coach on the Riverside site.When Edgar T Mead left the post of Steamtown Executive Director, Andy's son Robert took that job, this being about the first part of 1972.

See Ross Rowland's post in the HICO/Strasburg thread for more details. I do not think Andy or Robert ever met Nelson Blount.

Howard P.

A quick glance -- before I saw the date -- told me that was NOT the real 653 (though I would love to see anything running in the post-steam era with rotary poppet valves). The following is a postcard view of 653 at the 1933-34 Century of Progress Exposition.

I think that "costume" that 1278 wore (well into 1974, by the way) made her look a bit like a CPR G-3; some of them had smoke lifters along with the horizontal Elesco FWH.

Howard P.

Chris Ahrens needs to write a book, too.

Two come to mind, British Railways Standard Class 5 #73129 based at Midland Railway Centre and BR Class * #71000 Duke of Gloucester based at East Lancashire Railway. Both engines have a modified/improved Caprotti rotary cam valve gear developed by a private firm. 30 Class 5 engines were fitted, only the above survivies, #71000 was a one off engine.

#73129: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5eYEQ296Qc
#71000: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCSUB8F7ph4

Title: "True Story. . . I Knew the Conductor on That Job"

Steve