I know that mad dash to work on piston valves was competed and #1309 is running today I saw a few emailed pics. Anybody got something to share yet? I sure would like to be upfront and personal on this someday. Only had two weeks or so on this project and came home. Very enjoyable crew to work with and less than perfect shop but I loved it and have fond memories. Knock em down boys and girls. Hope the new repairs work out and get broke in. Regards, John.

I know I've got friends all over Facebook/Instagram sharing photos and videos left and right from the trip...are you on either platform?

Not instagram but if Gary posts I do get facebook from him. I should or could look harder there. Later today I think I will. Was just hoping someone would, so the none facebook people would see it. Sure wish I was there to see this thing run in person. Could care less about train rides. I want to watch and listen. Thanks for the advice on where to look.
Regards, John.

I went to the photo excursion two weeks ago. Definitely heard talk about last minute repairs and continued issues with the rings on the LP cylinders being off sized but overall from what we could tell it seemed to run pretty well. They actually had more problems with the diesels, at least as far as problems that caused obvious disruptions to the schedule.

Here are some pics I took if anyone is interested.

https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzEZyd

Mark -

Thanks very much for posting the photos. Very nice. And the 1309 looks great! This is also the first time I noticed that the 2-6-6-2's smokebox front was painted gray (or graphited?) and appreciate your photos showing that.

Les

Beautiful shots, thank you.

But the 'whaaaa? is on the 7471 SD40-2, wasn't that George's Creek (Gerald Althizers) unit? I didn't even think that was operational, let alone over on WMSR, that's news, I thought PNL bought it from Althizer, how did it end up here?

Thanks! Yes smokebox front and firebox are gray. I think it looks nice.

My understanding was that both the diesels were from Georges Creek. They had been in storage at the WMSR yards but this was the first time they had been used on the line. Not sure what the ownership status of them is.

Many thank ewes Mark. Most wonderful photos nice of you to share them. All the drama of can it run is hopefully over now. Man she sure looks good. Congrats to the huge #1309 team. Regards, John.

Nope, "all the drama" isn't over. No matter how many times the WMSR has addressed the question, there is still a handful that fret over #1309 not yet being on the turntable at Frostburg..... It's been explained many times "Why" and what is needed to make it happen but there are still folks bitching that the locomotive hasn't been on the turntable yet.

Tim W.

WM 7471 was operational and had been used a couple of times by the GCK to move several cuts of railcars loaded with pulpwood. The cars were unloaded in Westernport, MD on the GCK for the Verso papermill in nearby Luke, MD.

WM 7436 with it's "unique" updated control system never truly operated on the GCK.

Gerald Altizer while the face of the Georges Creek was not the "money man". Duncan Smith controlled the purse. When Verso closed the Luke paper mill, GCK lost their switching contract at the mill. The SDs were sold to Precision Locomotive and moved out of Westernport to the WMSR for secure storage. The move out of Westernport was done by CSX as a special move out of Cumberland as the CSX job at Luke / Beryl had long been abolished. The 7471 and 7436 are available for lease.

Not sure what the future holds for the rest of the GCK Fleet.

Tim W.

Thanks! It is a very impressive locomotive.


As far as the whining about the turntable- I feel that’s been explained enough by now. As we all know there will always be folks complaining about something, especially in this field!





Thanks for the info. Hopefully some kind of a deal can be worked out and they can stay at WMSR. They were certainly very well received by the photo group when they first pulled into Frostburg.

(Maybe not so much when we lost at least an hour on the second day because one kept hitting the power limit and couldn’t shove the chase train upgrade, but I understand stuff happens)