Burlington's ceremonial 4-6-0. Back of photo says Creston, Iowa, 1952. Did it lose its long cowcatcher and fake headlight for a while during this time? Now at IRM.

http://http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?june03/06-21-03/cb+q637.jpg
ryarger@rypn.org

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?june03/06-21-03/cb+q637.jpg
ryarger@rypn.org

> Burlington's ceremonial 4-6-0. Back of photo
> says Creston, Iowa, 1952. Did it lose its
> long cowcatcher and fake headlight for a
> while during this time? Now at IRM.

Perhaps she was still assigned to the branches that radiated from Red Oak, IA, at that time. She had been "dolled-up" sometime prior to her fantrip days in 1955 and 1956. She went on display in Aurora, IL, with the "painted lady" look in 1964. I was a member of an NRHS chapter that attempted to do some restoration work on her.
The long pilot was removed and a gentleman was working on constructing a replica "cuckoo clock" style headlight for her. She did get a coat of paint but that was about as far as the interest lasted. Thank goodness IRM stepped in to save her.

Don C.


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

> Perhaps she was still assigned to the
> branches that radiated from Red Oak, IA, at
> that time. She had been
> "dolled-up" sometime prior to her
> fantrip days in 1955 and 1956. She went on
> display in Aurora, IL, with the
> "painted lady" look in 1964. I was
> a member of an NRHS chapter that attempted
> to do some restoration work on her.
> The long pilot was removed and a gentleman
> was working on constructing a replica
> "cuckoo clock" style headlight for
> her. She did get a coat of paint but that
> was about as far as the interest lasted.
> Thank goodness IRM stepped in to save her.

> Don C.

I believe that CB&Q # 637 is one of the four locomotives that IRM plans on having in service over the next decade. The others in additon to the Burlington Ten-Wheeler are SLSF 2-10-0 # 1630 (of course), UP 2-8-0 # 428 and GN&A 2-6-0 # 26. All are small enough to operate over the museums "main line." BTW, if I have the wrong locomotives, perhaps someone at IRM can correct me.

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

midlandblb@cs.com

> I believe that CB&Q # 637 is one of the
> four locomotives that IRM plans on having in
> service over the next decade. The others in
> additon to the Burlington Ten-Wheeler are
> SLSF 2-10-0 # 1630 (of course), UP 2-8-0 #
> 428 and GN&A 2-6-0 # 26. All are small
> enough to operate over the museums
> "main line." BTW, if I have the
> wrong locomotives, perhaps someone at IRM
> can correct me.

Well, the 637 is definitely a long shot for operations. The 1630 receives priority when it comes to service and maintenance and has proved to be a remarkably durable engine (not to discount the sometimes heroic sfforts of the Steam Dept). The UP 428 has 'been in the works' over 10 years and steady progress brings it ever closer to a fire in its belly. Preliminary boiler work and surveys and testing on the 26 show promise and some other work has been done on it including all new cab woodwork done by myself and a few other hardy souls.

But do not dismiss the restoring to operation of the Shay No. 5 and Tuskeegee 101 2-6-2. Those are probably closer than the 637, and a 'decade away' may be WARP speed on a locomotive restoration. [So many blank canvases waiting to be painted and so little time to do them!] All it takes is time and money.

Bob Kutella - with apologies for any innacuracies since I do not speak for the steam department



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