Clinchfield scrapyard

Bob Yarger · **Posted:** Wed Nov 05, 2003 3:27 pm

In 1962. These Challengers will not survive.

http://www.cvrma.org/pictures/MISC/dfrr4093_clinchfield_rr_scrapyard_erwin_tn_1962.jpg
ryarger@rypn.org

jimwrinn · **Posted:** Wed Nov 05, 2003 5:00 pm

Rub it in, Bob, rub it in...

Now if you'll find the NS "Baby Berkshire" in the NdeM scrap heap...

And the CofG Big Apple 4-8-4 in Macon awaiting the torch...

And...

http://nctrans.org
Wrinnbo@aol.com

Rob Davis · **Posted:** Wed Nov 05, 2003 5:17 pm

> In 1962. These Challengers will not survive.

Yikes! Even though I have seen pictures of these before, it still shocks me that steam this BIG survived so LATE only to be torched.

Not that we have a load of museums with excess space a 4-6-6-4 could fill, but still...

Makes me sad. If they said "Delaware & Hudson" on the tender... it'd be even worse! ;-)

Rob

rdavis@rypn.org

Phil Mulligan · **Posted:** Wed Nov 05, 2003 6:22 pm

In 1962, B&O had its own museum but scrapped EM-1 2-8-8-4's and T-3 4-8-2's with none going to the museum.

What B&O didn't have was money and the steamers could bring some in.

Electric City Trolley Museum Association

Howard P. · **Posted:** Wed Nov 05, 2003 7:38 pm

> In 1962. These Challengers will not survive.

Weren't these engines moved to Florida, and finally cut up about 1970-71? I seem to recall seeing a photo of them being rendered, and it was labeled and dated as such. The trusts probably had not run out on these, so they sat around, but didn't other roads simply "roll over" the equipment trusts on some modern steam power, so they could get diesels?

hpincus@mindspring.com

Alan Levy · **Posted:** Wed Nov 05, 2003 8:56 pm

Howard,

There was an article I read a long time ago regarding the finances of the railroads as they
scrapped steam and bought diesels. I cannot remember where I saw it, but I try and recall.

The info in the article was about banking, trusts and loans. Also how a value was set for a steam locomotive etc...

-Alan Levy

alanl759@aol.com

Jim Tighe · **Posted:** Wed Nov 05, 2003 10:59 pm

> Rub it in, Bob, rub it in...

> Now if you'll find the NS "Baby
> Berkshire" in the NdeM scrap heap...

> And the CofG Big Apple 4-8-4 in Macon
> awaiting the torch...

> And...
MANY years ago in "Trains" mag. there was an article about steamers C. of G. was saving, and one was a "Big Apple." Whatever became of it??

justighe@bright.net

L Beckman · **Posted:** Thu Nov 06, 2003 1:49 am

> MANY years ago in "Trains" mag.
> there was an article about steamers C. of G.
> was saving, and one was a "Big
> Apple." Whatever became of it??

Jim:

From what I understand, a "Big Apple" WAS set aside for preservation only to have a new administration come in and order the 4-8-4 pulled out of a roundhouse and scrapped. Not the first time that happened unfortunately.

Les Beckman (Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum/North Judson, Indiana)

midlandblb@cs.com

Jim Herron · **Posted:** Thu Nov 06, 2003 4:49 am

Yep. They went to the D. J. Joseph scrap yard in Tampa which was just east of the ACL's Uceta Yard.I have no idea why they were sent down here when Joseph had yards closer such as in Cincinnati.

http://www.herronrail.com
hrvideo@mindspring.com

ge13031 · **Posted:** Thu Nov 06, 2003 9:11 am

> In 1962, B&O had its own museum but
> scrapped EM-1 2-8-8-4's and T-3 4-8-2's with
> none going to the museum.

> What B&O didn't have was money and the
> steamers could bring some in.

Lets See ... in 1964 we were BUYING RR equipment for scrap prices at around $15.00/ton. Heaven knows what the scrappies were paying on volume buying but these prices might bring in about $3000/loco at best ...if you had a hundred or so locomotives you could make at least one of your quarters look good for headquarters.

The saddest part was to tour the B&O roundouses and see the EM1s hot and ready and then the next year lined up cold on the scrap line.

lamontdc@adelphia.net

Phil Mulligan · **Posted:** Thu Nov 06, 2003 1:44 pm

Ant that was when B&O was at its brokest; the Museum had to be closed and the C&O bought in right afterward.

Electric City Trolley Museum Association

jason sobczynski · **Posted:** Thu Nov 06, 2003 9:16 pm

> Jim:

> From what I understand, a "Big
> Apple" WAS set aside for preservation
> only to have a new administration come in
> and order the 4-8-4 pulled out of a
> roundhouse and scrapped. Not the first time
> that happened unfortunately.

The locomotive was saved, but after a while the city of macon decided they could nolonger care for the locomotive. After noone could step up to the plate as a care taker, the loco was scrapped by the city.

jasonsobczynski@yahoo.com

L Beckman · **Posted:** Thu Nov 06, 2003 10:28 pm

> The locomotive was saved, but after a while
> the city of macon decided they could
> nolonger care for the locomotive. After
> noone could step up to the plate as a care
> taker, the loco was scrapped by the city.

Jason:

Are you sure about that? I was in Macon a number of years ago and saw CofG 2-8-0 #509 on display in Macon's Central City Park. She was the first park display locomotive I saw that had a roof erected over her and she appeared well cared for. I don't quite understand why the City would do that for one locomotive and not the other. But if you are correct, then it joins a very dubious list of engines scrapped by cities they were given to. And maybe I have been mad at the CofG officials for all these years without reason!

Les Beckman (HVRM)

midlandblb@cs.com

Ray Montgomery · **Posted:** Thu Nov 06, 2003 11:08 pm

> first park display locomotive I saw
> that had a roof erected over her

> Les Beckman (HVRM)
If I remember right the roof and paint job are recent additions not original.

karenandray@bellsouth.net

Don C. · **Posted:** Thu Nov 06, 2003 11:19 pm

> Jason:

> Are you sure about that? I was in Macon a
> number of years ago and saw CofG 2-8-0 #509
> on display in Macon's Central City Park. She
> was the first park display locomotive I saw
> that had a roof erected over her and she
> appeared well cared for. I don't quite
> understand why the City would do that for
> one locomotive and not the other. But if you
> are correct, then it joins a very dubious
> list of engines scrapped by cities they were
> given to. And maybe I have been mad at the
> CofG officials for all these years without
> reason!

> Les Beckman (HVRM)

Les,
I have to agree with you. I have heard this story several times now but it seems to get a different twist each time. If it really had been placed on display, I would think that at least one photo would have surfaced by now depicting the "stuffing and mounting" of the locomotive. Usually those sort of dedications drew fans with cameras and newpaper people who wrote goofy headlines like, "Old Choo-choo can't because it is at the END of the Line" or some other inane message. What sayeth the Macon newspaper files from the time of the allegedly display and scrapping? Certainly one or the other incident would have been newsworthy. Or is this another urban legend like the NYC Hudson in a coal mine in Pennsylvania....?

Don C.

http://www.261.com
milw261@sbcglobal.net