Can anybody help me identify an engine that was displayed at the Gaslight Restaurant, Hamburg Turnpike,Wayne,New Jersey in perhaps the 1960s?

The only number visible is 565 on the front number plate. The post card also shows a Caboose and a parlor car called QUEEN MARY.

Any Ideas? Not in the NJ listings of the J David Conrad books. Some other state by 1988?



ted_miles@nps.gov

> > The only number visible is 565 on the front
> number plate. The post card also shows a
> Caboose and a parlor car called QUEEN MARY.

> Is it a 2-6-0? Could it be the DL&W 565 now @ Steamtown?

superheater@beer.com

The very same engine. I read the restaurant only described as "Tony Citro's Restaurant." After going to the New Hope and Ivyland RR, this 1908 ALCO - Schenectady 2-6-0 was moved to Scranton in 1982 or 83 with a lot of help from Mike Giannetta. This was before Steamtown's arrival to Scranton in 1984. It now resides on track 24 in the Steamtown NHS roundhouse.

http://www.nps.gov/stea/
mustang746@earthlink.net

Guys,

Thanks for your help! The photo I hve is from straight ahead so I can't see the wheel arrangement. But I think you are right!

Ted Miles

ted_miles@nps.gov

This question (ie 565's past history) turns up here and on other discussion boards from time to time.

Ex-Delaware Lackawanna & Western RR 2-6-0 565 (Alco-Cooke, 1908) has had colorfull life to say the least. Unfortunately during the past 25 or years, an aborted overhaul and several changes in ownership haven't proved kind to this engine. Parts have disappeared, some have been found, while others may be gone for good.

For those interested, here's some history of this locomotive.

After serving the DL&W, 565 was sold to the Dansville & Mount Morris RR, a shortline in central NY. After the D&MM dieselized in the mid 1950's, 565 was stored and then sold (in August 1960) to NJ railfan Bill Whitehead. Whitehead was the founder of what is today the Black River & Western RR in central NJ. At the time, Whitehead's Black River RR (the "Western" part was added later) was trying to establish itself as a steam tourist line on a Jersey Central branch at Chester, NJ (where there is actually a "Black River" nearby). 565 was fired up and made a couple trial runs over the CNJ branch. However local NIMBYs and other woes prevented Whitehead from ever openning his planned tourist operation at Chester.

A few years later Whitehead moved 565 and his other equipment to Flemington, NJ for storage on sidings along the CNJ branch in that town. Ex-Great Western 2-8-0 60 joined his collection of stored equipment and later became the principal power for the BR&W tourist trains when they began running over the then-leased PRR tracks between Ringoes and Flemington in May 1965. 565 was moved to Ringoes, the railroad's home base, but the engine was never returned to operation on the BR&W.

In 1968 565 was sold to John Maris of the Morris County Central (tourist) RR, then located at Whippany, NJ on the Morristown & Erie RR. The plan was restore 565 to operating condition (to join the MCC's other 2 steamers) and some work was performed on 565 at Whippany. However things didn't work out and Maris sold the locomotive to Tony Citro (purchase date uncertain), who moved it to his "Gaslight 1900" restaurant in Wayne, NJ (move date uncertain, but I believe it was around 1970 or so). Citro had the engine painted up and lettered "Lackawanna 565". While at the restaurant, 565 was a well-cared-for display (the lights were even lit up at night). However its time there on display was fairly short. Citro bought into the Morris Country Central, which in 1974 had relocated to Newfoundland, NJ on NYS&W RR.

Citro sold his restaurant, but kept 565 for planned use on the MCC at Newfoundland. In 1975 he shipped the engine to the New Hope & Ivyland RR at New Hope, PA for an overhaul by an outside contractor. Part of the overhaul was to convert the engine from coal to oil firing (like the other MCC steamers). 565 was taken apart (and basically became the "0-6-0" you see today) and shortly thereafter the work stopped when the contractor went off to start a tourist railroad in upstate NY.

After sitting apart behind the NH&I enginehouse, eventually 565 was pushed to the end of the track in the gravel pit north of the New Hope terminal area. The engine changed owners (without moving) once or twice and was finally bought (c.1983) by the late Don Ball. At the time Don Ball was running Steamtown USA and was in the process of its relocation to Scranton. 565 was moved from New Hope to Scranton and was on hand when the first Steamtown USA equipment (2317 and some coaches) arrived from VT in February 1984. During this time, 565 could be found sitting along the old, now-gone, "high line" just west of the passenger station.

Politics got Ball replaced before Steamtown USA began it first public excursions in September 1984 and it took some "iron horse trading" to get 565 into Steamtown USA ownership (also involving the sale of Steamtown's CN 2-6-0 96 to an individual in Canada, who later sold that engine to Ohio Central). Finally 565 was conveyed into the NPS when the Steamtown NHS came into being.

Quite a long journey "home" for this DL&W steam locomotive!

Regards,
Jim Robinson

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