Western Maryland Scenic Acquires C&O 1309

R.L.Kennedy · **Joined:** Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:37 pm **Posts:** 242

Sounds like this would be one heck of locomotive for WMS with its rugged steep grade near the end of the line. Compound articulated 2-6-6-2 with 56 inch drivers and lots of steaming ability with 78,300 t.e. Last US steam locomotive. It would be an attraction in itself unlike some other 2-8-0 or similar engine that one might see elsewhere. Hope they get a deal worked out.

Richard Glueck · **Posted:** Wed Mar 12, 2014 8:27 pm

The locomotive is unique enough that it will be an attraction in it's own right. It seems like we would have heard something regarding the loan of the locomotive if it was to bear fruit.

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:23 pm

p51 wrote:

I just read up on this engine. I've seen her a few times in Baltimore, just read she was housed in the Peach Creek Terminal Roundhouse until 1972.
Does anyone know of any photos of her when she was still there?

Links courtesy of the Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society

Peach Creek (Logan, W.Va.) 1970 C. A. Coulter photo, C&OHS Collection:

http://cohs.org/repository/Archives/coh ... -28744.jpg

In service in August 1952 with sister 1300 near Holden, W.Va.; photos by the late Gene Huddleston:

http://cohs.org/repository/Archives/coh ... s-1295.jpg

http://cohs.org/repository/Archives/coh ... s-1296.jpg

Dolled up a bit for exhibition service at the Chicago Railroad Fair; on the C&O of Indiana east of Peru in July 1950, headed for the Windy City to be part of C&O's contribution there. (Wm. Schwartz photo, courtesy M. D. McCarter Collection)

http://cohs.org/repository/Archives/coh ... -28743.jpg

If this comes to pass, it will be something to see. . .and at the same time, looking at the double-header photos, oh my, does that give one an itch to see the 1309 in steam with the 1308, which is in Huntington. . .ooh, does that itch itch!

The 1308 in Huntington:

http://www.railpictures.net/photo/65561/

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 707&nseq=9

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 690&nseq=7

In service in April 1955 near FD Cabin at Logan, W.Va., again from the C&OHS, and by the late Gene Huddleston:

http://www.cohs.org/repository/Archives ... s-1190.jpg

Oh, for this to become real:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 568&nseq=1

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 491&nseq=2

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 433&nseq=6

Txhighballer · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 10:49 am **Posts:** 773

They get her rebuilt, that's gonna be one heck of a show on that grade. Sixteen cars? No problem! We can leave those stinky ol' diesels in the barn......

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:57 pm

Txhighballer wrote:

They get her rebuilt, that's gonna be one heck of a show on that grade. Sixteen cars? No problem! We can leave those stinky ol' diesels in the barn......

Tx. Highballer's comment reminds me that the Western Maryland Scenic has the wrong cars; it should have the ex-Canadian heavyweights on the nearby South Branch Valley. Those cars would look grand in Pullman green. Most importantly, they are what should run with steam, with rivets, 12 wheels, and windows that open to let in all the sound (even if they let in all the smoke and cinders, too).

Wonder if the two roads might ever work out a trade? :-)

Well, other than more comments about how wonderful it would be to see either of these engines in steam, maybe we'd best go back to bed. Apparently nothing anyone wants to say publicly is available, and if we keep this up too much it'll upset an administrator. . .

Ah, to sleep, and to dream. . .

Dave Crosby · **Posted:** Thu Mar 13, 2014 1:31 pm

I thought they had solved the problem by leasing the 29 from Grand Canyon and renumbering it "729".

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 57&nseq=15

Too soon for April Fools? Taps micorphone... "Is this thing on?"

Dave

p51 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 13, 2014 2:35 pm

J3a-614 wrote:

Peach Creek (Logan, W.Va.) 1970 C. A. Coulter photo, C&OHS Collection:
http://cohs.org/repository/Archives/coh ... -28744.jpg

Thanks for posting that!

J3a-614 wrote:

The 1308 in Huntington:
http://www.railpictures.net/photo/65561/

I saw a note among some of these shots that mentioned a possibility of a return to operation for 1308 in the 80s. What's the story there, as I don't remember hearing about that at the time?

Mgoldman · **Posted:** Thu Mar 13, 2014 3:34 pm

p51 wrote:

I saw a note among some of these shots that mentioned a possibility of a return to operation for 1308 in the 80s. What's the story there, as I don't remember hearing about that at the time?

I only heard bits and pieces but somewhere near Cass /Durbin (obviously not Cass) there were plans to run her until a storm (hurricane) wiped out a portion of trackage.

With WV's plan to connect /combine the railroad tourist attractions in the area, I wonder if the idea would be worth reconsidering. Probably not viable having two 2-6-6-2's but...

Corrections and details welcome.

/Mitch

G. W. Laepple · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 5:10 pm **Posts:** 1182

I remember hearing folks speculate about running one of the preserved 1300's on the C&O's Greenbrier Branch, which went from Ronceverte through Cass to Durbin, as long ago as the 1970's. I believe these engines operated on the Greenbrier occasionally. I always thought the idea was little more than wishful thinking.

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 13, 2014 7:37 pm

G. W. Laepple wrote:

I remember hearing folks speculate about running one of the preserved 1300's on the C&O's Greenbrier Branch, which went from Ronceverte through Cass to Durbin, as long ago as the 1970's. I believe these engines operated on the Greenbrier occasionally. I always thought the idea was little more than wishful thinking.

Very likely so, but sometimes things come out of that, including Cass Scenic back in the day.

The talk I had heard back in the 1970s for one or both of the surviving H-6 2-6-6-2s involved two other routes, both now gone.

One was a branch out of Thurmond, W.Va. (where the movie "Matewan" was shot, with NKP 765), up to Minden; this was a route with at least one switchback in it, plus a bridge on the side of the New River Gorge. Minden was a coal mine location and also the shop location for New River & Pocahontas, a private car line supplying coal hoppers; this was a subsidiary of Berwind White Coal Company in Pennsylvania, which also had its own fleet of hoppers. Private hopper fleets owned by utilities aren't too unusual in recent history, but they were a relatively rare in the late steam era.

The other proposed operation involves much more speculation. There was an apparently very limited attempt to preserve the Chesapeake & Ohio line from Ashland, Ky. to Frankfort. There was talk of three steam locomotives being eyed for it, one of which was C&O 2700; I spoke with the owner of the locomotive at the time, when it was still in St. Albans, W.Va. Another likely locomotive may have been sister 2716, then and now owned by the Kentucky Railway Museum, which also supposedly had something in the pot according to later sources. The third engine? Maybe--maybe--the 1308.

Nothing ever came of any of this, of course, perhaps another reminder not to dream too much . . .

P.S.: Thanks for the compliment, Lee, glad you enjoyed seeing the engine when it was still at Peach Creek.

YeOldeEnjine · **Joined:** Sun Jan 11, 2009 5:31 pm **Posts:** 329

From the WMSR Foundation Facebook page............

Large Steam Locomotive of the East #1309 set to be transferred from the B&O Museum to Western Maryland Scenic Railroad for operation.
Don’t miss out on this incredible historic venture unfolding at the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad in Cumberland, MD.
Facebook fans get the info first! Official Press Release will go out at exactly 13:09 (1:09PM) today
Share this post! Spread the word!

whodom · **Posted:** Tue May 06, 2014 1:08 pm

Thanks for posting- wonders never cease!

YeOldeEnjine · **Joined:** Sun Jan 11, 2009 5:31 pm **Posts:** 329

http://www.movingfullsteamahead.com/new ... 09_2_6_6_2

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Tue May 06, 2014 1:37 pm

Text of official press release below:

Quote:

B&O Railroad Museum announces the transfer of Chesapeake & Ohio #1309 Steam Locomotive to Western Maryland Scenic Railroad for restoration and operation.

The B&O Museum of Baltimore, MD, Western Maryland Scenic Railroad and WMSR Foundation are going full steam ahead with even more exciting news of rail preservation! The transfer of C&O steam locomotive 1309 (2-6-6-2) to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad of Cumberland, MD will be an incredible milestone for steam operations in the USA! With this transfer, the B&O Railroad Museum and Western Maryland Scenic Railroad will be preserving steam locomotive history for generations to come. As one of the largest steam locomotives in the USA, this locomotive will be restored to its former glory and will be in operation on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. The Baldwin Locomotive Works built #1309 in September of 1949 as its last commercially built steam locomotive for use by a railroad in the USA.

C&O steam locomotive #1309 arrived at the B&O Museum in 1972 and has been preserved and displayed for generations of families to enjoy. Today, May 6, 2014 at 13:09 (1:09PM) Western Maryland Scenic Railroad announced the transfer of #1309 for restoration and operation.

Courtney B. Wilson, Director of the B&O Railroad Museum said “This historic agreement is a win-win for railroad preservation. It ensures the long-term preservation and restoration of an important steam locomotive which is central to our mission.”

Mark Farris, President of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Board of Directors said “With the full support of the Board of Directors, the continued efforts of the executive directors, staff and employees of the WMSR have allowed for the growth and prosperity of our wonderful tourist attraction in Western Maryland. These efforts have provided the resources to give the WMSR the opportunity to acquire locomotive 1309, restore it, and place it back into service in a wonderful mountainous setting where thousands of people can enjoy the sights and sounds of a bygone era.”

The locomotive has been moved to the B&O Railroad Museum’s restoration facility in preparation for shipment to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad shops. Once this is complete, the locomotive will travel by rail on specialized flat cars pulled by CSX.

Don’t miss out on this incredible historic venture unfolding at the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad in Cumberland, MD. Make sure you join the WMSR Foundation and are following our Facebook page for all of the most up to date info. If you would like to donate to the restoration of C&O #1309 you may contact the WMSR rail preservation group, WMSR Foundation, the where you can join, volunteer and donate to rail preservation projects. For more information go to our website or call 301-759-4400 Ext 130 or 800 TRAIN50 Ext 130. Enjoy the history at Western Maryland Scenic Railroad.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Website:
www.movingfullsteamahead.com

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/wmsrfoundation
www.facebook.com/wmsrsteam

Twitter:

www.twitter.com/wmsrsteamtrain

Jody Shaw
Media/ WMSR Foundation Coordinator
Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
A Maryland 501(c)(3) Non-profit Organization
Moving Full Steam Ahead!
www.wmsrf.org

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Tue May 06, 2014 6:47 pm

Amazing! I had hopes this would happen, but as is often the case, had doubts, too.

Congratulations to what is apparently a real gung-ho outfit in Cumberland and Ridgeley.

Hmmm. . .some speculation on how this will pan out. . .WM 734 has had all that running gear work done, she'll probably be out of the shop pretty quick on the boiler work (suggesting an alternative maintenance cycle is to work on part of the engine at a time, minimizing how much you have to do and pay for at any one time), and then the crews, with a good 734, can concentrate on the 1309.

Wonder how long it will take this energetic bunch to get their "new" locomotive running?