Sammy -

What's in a name? I know that your Coronet Phosphate #6 is now known as "Audrey". I just found out that the Gramling's have given THEIR 0-4-2T (Coronet Phosphate #7) the name "Matilda"; as in "Waltzing Matilda". As you have said, "you can't keep a good lokie down!" Or give those girls great names! May their restorations continue to roll on!


Les

Last Tuesday was the second Anniversary of me buying Audrey, and today I'm finishing the mudring unblocking project. On to the brickwork... and a knee replacement, plus surgery on both wrists and elbows.

Thank God she isn't any bigger. I bet Gramlings have made lots better progress with their #7, too.

Anyhow, if anybody is wondering, I picked the name Audrey (bet they had other names for my engine when she worked the Phosphate pits) in honor of the carnivorous plant which starred in "Little Shop of Horrors". The "Feed Me, Feed Me" routine is very familiar to private locomotive owners, not much of a stretch, that.

Best Wishes from AUDREYLAND

VIVA Matilda !!!!

Thanks for your kind comments, Steve.

Often as I may cuss whomever didn't fix whatever, back whenever, it really could have been a lot worse in North Judson, or the Thompson place. Somebody at least cared enough and knew enough to keep Audrey's stack covered... I've seen engines with trees growing through their smokeboxes, later put back in service.

Audrey is the kind of little engine that simply puts a smile on people's faces, like Porter had a cartoonist in their design department. Every evening when I worked on her at the HVRM, there would be somebody coming to visit her, but NOT the rest of the museum. And to judge by the number of clicks on this topic, she has at least a few hundred friends around the country. I'm quite happy for that, when one considers the truly spectacular projects out there competing for attention --- such as US Sugar #148, MC 470, or UP 4014, to name just a tiny fraction.

My personal favorite is Gramling's MATILDA, Mucho Bueno Sabor !!!

Sammy -

As much non-caring that "Audrey" saw through the years, I recently read about an 0-4-0T that fared much better. Not built by Porter, but by Baldwin in 1925 for a power plant in Texas, this 0-4-0T moved only one car of coal at a time. And then, in 1927, the plant converted to oil, and the engine was retired, but not disposed of! If I read the story correctly, she was painted aluminum and put on display. When she needed a new coat of aluminum, she got it! The paint protected her. Some railfans eventually found her in the 1960's and after a donation, moved her to San Antonio, where she was fired up on occasion at the Pearl Brewery short line trackage there. Eventually the fans acquired some land of their own and started a museum and number 1 was fired up again on occasion in the 1980's. Her last operation was in 2004. Now, a new restoration to service is under way and she is scheduled to run this year. Oh, if only Porter #6 had been so well cared for!

Les

Boy oh boy, Les, did you ever open up an old wound with that one !!!! I was in seventh grade when I got involved with that restoration. For two years I mowed lawns during the week to get gas money so somebody would give me a ride to work on it on Saturday mornings. I got all the shitty jobs --- "Oh, we're too big to fit under there, YOU go down in the pit with a bucket and bail out the rain, YOU wrap those lines with asbestos, YOU dig the sand out of the smokebox...."

There were three guys that were nice to me, but the big shots picked on me constantly for their amusement.

The day we fired her up for the first time, I wasn't even allowed to ride on her. The bosses let their buddies, who hadn't shown up one single time to work on her (I know because I made it EVERY time), take turns driving.

Shortly thereafter, I went to Mexico City with an older photographer friend, and I was allowed to drive an NdeM 4-8-4 by somebody I'd never met before and would never see again. Fortunately I had some good pictures of me driving it to show the museum guys before I quit.

Taken in this context, working on Audrey ain't half bad. At the risk of repeating myself, I'm going to say once more that this project is the first time EVER that I've had a chance to work on fixing up any kind of vintage rail equipment, without somebody working behind my back to screw it up for me.

Mucho Bueno Sabor, or should I say, living well is the best revenge ???

Sorry to hear about your bad experience.

I'm glad those sadists didn't turn you away from this activity.

I wonder if any of them are around still? It might be the current crowd is a bit better.

I do wonder what kind of looks and expressions they had on their faces when you showed them the Mexican shots before you quit!

Well, one thing I pointed out was that three guys were real nice to me. They also taught me basic shop skills and workplace safety. While I remember everybody's name, I will only mention the good guys: Ernie Jordon, Leonard Schmidt, and Joe Yaeger.

Honestly, it was working railroaders who got ahold of me young and set the hook. But I also have "civilian" friends who have been very good to me, and whom I respect for their knowledge of various aspects of railroading.

Yes, maybe the current bunch working on Comal County Power & Light #1 is better, it takes all kinds, doesn't it ???

Here is a more recent photo of Audrey from Sammy's 2016 Christmas card. It is nice to see Sammy giving her some love and attention.

By the time Sam has completed his work, the little tank loco is gonna look just fine. One operating 0-4-2T is worth a yard of GE ES-4400's, hands down!

AMEN to that brother!

Gentlemen, thanks yet again for your kindness to my baby saddletanker.

It bears mentioning that a nice, shiny, functioning Maine Central Pacific is worth more than all the GEunk ever built....

And I forgot to say "VIVA Comal County Power & Light #1"

I commend your wisdom, Sammy!

I wear my #6 hat when I'm not getting dirty!

Sammy -

With two other HVRM members this past Sunday, a visit was made to the Monticello Railway Museum for the second day of their "Railroad Days" celebration. Saw the young man in this photo with a hat reminiscent of the ones you made up for Audrey (Porter number 6). You haven't "tweaked" those hats have you, and put a TM on it?

Les

New York City subway #6 line; the MTA trademarks the logos, hence the "TM". Note the kid's shirt....

Howard P.
New Yawk