Earlier this week I asked for an opportunity to photograph the progress of Western Maryland Scenic Railroad #1309. This past Saturday morning the GM of the WMSR met me at the Ridgeley Shops to give me that opportunity.

A small crew was working Saturday on air brake plumbing for 31309.
I was told the locomotive is being readied for re-wheeling in the coming month. All of the driver's are in the shop either in front of or behind the locomotive. Pistons are in place. Noticed that a lot of the spring rigging is in place, along with all the lines coming off the lubricators. Both injectors are plumbed. Obviously missing is the air compressors on the smokebox front, but I would assume they are being kept off the locomotive until after it's lifted back on it's wheels.

I was told they are "on track" (pun) for operation in July.

Hard to take photos of such a large object in the tight confines of the old Western Maryland Carshop but here's 3 that I will offer up.

They are also working on the finishing touches to a boxcar with a large diesel generator skid unit installed that will become their new power car. The funding for Power Car came from a local business dedicated solely for that project.

Tim W.

Were the firebox sides jacketed before, or is that new?

thanks for sharing!

It's great that 4014 will be rolling out soon, but 1309 is the articulated that I am really excited about and plan to go see and ride when she is ready. I just hope that they keep the ticket prices a little more reasonable that the $5K each!

I would assume that the Mississippi River will be the demarcation line between these two locomotives. Chances that BigBoy will ever cross the river or that 1309 will get off the WM line it's on are pretty small.

But stranger things have happened and we can always dream!

There is a builder's photo at the end of Alfed Bruce's book on the American steam locomotive, but I can't find a Web version of it that I can post here. I recall that as built, the firebox legs were unlagged but overfire jet apparatus was provided.

There is a picture of 1309 in regular operation with unjacketed firebox here:
I don't know if the 'smoke consumer' system would be installed on the restored engine.

Another photo, from Trains magazine, with the engine looking very nice for the Chicago Railroad Fair. The firebox looks unlagged in the photo. C&O practice was to keep the firebox open, while WM lagged the boxes on much of its power.

And this engine is to be lettered for Western Maryland (Scenic) Railroad.

I'm guessing the overfire jets are going back on...judging by the holes in the firebox jacket. I'm used to narrow gauge steam....so the idea of jacketing a firebox seems a little silly. We just paint ours.

I do like that photo with the green boiler jacket. Sharp looking engine

Looking at all of the work done, I feel this one is going to be well worth the wait.

Does anyone know if the July operation date is still feasible?

From my understanding, it's been pushed back until September.

So the WMSR website is currently undergoing maintenance/building a new webpage. However, the ticketing link still has Saturday, July 20 as the first trip with 1309. So my question - where did you hear this information?

Never set a date until till you are 99% sure you can make it. Clearly they didn't learn that Lesson, and now that they missed another date......it will haunt them for a long time.

Username Borden Tunnel on the O Gauge Forum. And he seems to know about these things.

Guess what? Guess, go ahead, I'll wait:

https://www.times-news.com/news/local_n ... ZftHT3kJGA

Now, they find that not only do they need to postpone the July debut - they now need an extra $150K for tie replacement and trackwork in order to accommodate the engine.

Can't make this stuff up, folks...