I’m not sure if this has been shared here, as the video itself is from September of this year, but it seems as if the WMSR has been working to acquire the Western Maryland 202 from Hagerstown. A facebook page called “Save Locomotive 202” has made several posts claiming a press release is coming in the next few weeks.

Hoping this one ends up coming to fruition, the K2 is a really neat locomotive.

Link to city meeting:

https://www.youtube.com/live/tH-cEf7xTL ... 8mAL9Mzg6F

Cut directly to 11:05 where the 'revisited' proposal starts.

Hi all
I would like to see the WMSR restore the Pacific and running on its home rails. The one plus is the locomotive is an oil burner,,so the railroad does not have to worry about starting fires along the right of way..

The railroad already owns (2) steam locomotives as we know,, the 1309 has been down for repairs maybe close to a year..
The Consolidation needs to rebuilt before she can run again,, and the locomotive that they would like to restore back to service WM 202,,will need a pile of work,, and be brought up to current codes...

Also does the Pacific have the pulling power to pull the current train set that the railroad owns????
All I can say is good luck if they can aquire the locomotive from Hagerstown, MD and get her back under steam.. Pat.

I was kind of scratching my head at this too. Part of the reason they parked the 734 and went for the 1309 was that the 734 didn't have sufficient pulling power and required a diesel helper, and therefore two crews. (And the crew reduction advantage of the 1309's pulling power never paid off because they can't get it on the turntable and have to use a diesel to tow it back anyways). So why get a smaller engine? Unless the intent is to use it on the Georges Creek line once that gets up and running. I'm not familiar with that territory; is the Georges Creek Division milder in grade profile?

I'm honestly a little concerned about them financially overextending themselves at this point. They're still working on the 1309, they were fundraising to restore the 734, now they're talking about getting the 202, they acquired the Georges Creek Division and are working on that, they're talking about getting the Geeps over at Georges Creek operational again.

Hasn't at least one prior management team proposed same?

Joshua

The gist of this proposal has been batted around since even BEFORE operations on the WMSR first resumed, back prior to Jack Showalter/CP Pacifics days on that track.

The problem is that like many of these "commercial grade" excursion lines (see also Grand Canyon Railway, Conway Scenic, Strasburg, etc.), the business models of these lines have now become dependent upon long trainsets to maximize capacity and revenue. A four-car train at the loco's capacity behind the likes of WM 202, GCRY 29, a CN 0-6-0, etc. just doesn't cut it any more except maybe on an "off season" or special event/charter.

The only way I see WM 202 being a worthwhile investment for the WMSR is if they suddenly decided to occasionally go the "time capsule" route--an attempted recreation of the WM of old, complete with vintage/recreated WM rolling stock and a premium price for the "throwback" experience. I say that ain't gonna happen in the dinner train/murder mystery/leaf-peeper model they now have.

For the amount of money they'd have to put in... why not just do a new build?

Interesting news. I remember seeing 202 as a kid and thinking it was the biggest thing I'd ever seen.

I have some recollection of seeing 202 as a kid (after visiting the Roundhouse, when it still existed) and someone saying that 202 was "put away cold, and could be a candidate for eventual restoration, if the City was willing to part with it".

In 1980 when I went to a nearby college, there was a group trying to restore the WM 202 and run it on the Mercersburg Railway. I don't recall how far they got, or if it ever went beyond the concept stage. Did they, or anyone else, care for the locomotive during the last 40+ years? No idea what it currently looks like. At the time it was reputed to be in great condition.

If this is being discussed again, then it would mark a sea change in the City of Hagerstown, which neglected the engine for a long time and then got upset when someone proposed taking it out of the park--at least, that's part of what I understand thing to have been like in the past.

Here's an older thread on this; I'll try to find others here if I can.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=47721&p=341557

EDIT: Found something else.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29099

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=36612

I respectfully differ on this point. All it takes is a touch too much fuel, maybe a teeny bit too little atomizer or blower, and you got a fire started. 25 years ago at Texas State RR, we ran a motorcar after the train so we could stop fires before they got out of control. Today the Georgetown Loop has equipped the #40 and #111 with a sprinkler system under the firebox (controlled by a valve on the water tank easily reached by the fireman). No doubt other operators of oil burners have devised their own strategies for fire prevention, but in any case, fire prevention doesn't just happen by itself.

The city and his citizens need to make a choice see WMSR restored 202 would be great but a group of peoples want to see 202 stay in Hagerstown.... So what next because see WM202 rusting not help so much the engine and i believe Hagerstown can put 202 in a better place..

Come to think of it, I did set the ties on fire up in Silver Plume one day with 40..........

I've been a very vocal and staunch supporter of WMSR for a number of years and still am. However, I'm going to address the proverbial elephant in the room; their primary steam locomotive has been OOS for over a year and at the current rate of progress, won't steam in 2024. Aside from the piston work, it also requires a large number of "small" improvements to further improve it's availability and reliability as previously mentioned by WMSR. They've also yet to run a single train over the supposed second operation on the formally abandoned Georges Creek RR. 734 remains in the same state it was when it was retired in 2016. Can't help but think it's a little overly-ambitious to split your already limited resources once again on yet another basket-case locomotive.

I really want WMSR to be successful but IMHO, they would be better off completing their existing projects before taking on more long-term initiatives.

Just my .02,

Jeff