I have started working as a fireman on a full size Swedish steam locomotive that was exported to Canada.

I seem to remember that a lot of mothballed steam was "up for grabs" about 15 years ago. What happened to it all? are there still steam locomotives available?

Thanks;

John Stewart
Ottawa, Canada.


Ottawa CMST Shay
freewrl-1@rogers.com

John:

A Swedish 4-6-0 is operated by the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad, out of Unity, Maine. Currently, it is down for repairs. The story I was told in Unity was that at the close of steam, the Swedes overhauled much of their fleet, greased and oiled them, pushed them into sheds as a strategic supply in the event of emergency or if the Diesels didn't cut it, and padlocked the doors. It was only a few years ago that they felt the locos were no longer necessary and put them up for bid. Now I say this without confirmation, but I was told that scores of Swedish steam locos remain stored, awaiting purchase and export. Most are ready to run. The B&ML RR also purchased a fleet of passenger cars to go with their loco. Currently, trains are hauled by a GE 70T, or an ex-B&M Budd Car.


glueck@maine.edu

> John:

> A Swedish 4-6-0 is operated by the Belfast
> and Moosehead Lake Railroad, out of Unity,
> Maine. Currently, it is down for repairs.
> The story I was told in Unity was that at
> the close of steam, the Swedes overhauled
> much of their fleet, greased and oiled them,
> pushed them into sheds as a strategic supply
> in the event of emergency or if the Diesels
> didn't cut it, and padlocked the doors. It
> was only a few years ago that they felt the
> locos were no longer necessary and put them
> up for bid. Now I say this without
> confirmation, but I was told that scores of
> Swedish steam locos remain stored, awaiting
> purchase and export. Most are ready to run.
> The B&ML RR also purchased a fleet of
> passenger cars to go with their loco.
> Currently, trains are hauled by a GE 70T, or
> an ex-B&M Budd Car.

HI!

in Northern Sweden there is severale Yards that has track by track with steam locomotives.

Regards

Truls

truls_r@hotmail.com

The Swedish reserve fleet was finally declared ready to be sold off just after the Berlin Wall and the iron curtain to eastern Europe came down.
THe Swedes placed a high price on their steam locomotives at a time when a flood of eastern Europeon steam became available and flooded the market. The Swedes waited about one year too late to declare their steam fleet surplus. I have a photo in Eisenbahn Kurrier magazine of a train of 28 steam locomotives being brought out of Poland for use in Western Europeon railroad mueseums.

jim1522@aol.com