David Davies reports that the Strasburg pulled in approximately 35,000 visitors with its "Day Out with Thomas" event this past weekend. Photos at the linked page below, taken out at Esbenshade Road away from the mobs.

Note: At one point Davies mixes up Strasburg's 475, calling it "425". Wishful thinking, perhaps?

Davies' News Photo Page

LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net

> David Davies reports that the Strasburg
> pulled in approximately 35,000 visitors with
> its "Day Out with Thomas" event
> this past weekend. Photos at the linked page
> below, taken out at Esbenshade Road away
> from the mobs.
Does this steam-powered Thomas ever leave the Strasburg RR? It would seem to be in high demand since this one can actually pull a train, not be a glorified caboose pushed by another (usually diesel) locomotive

mustang746@mac.com

> Does this steam-powered Thomas ever leave
> the Strasburg RR? It would seem to be in
> high demand since this one can actually pull
> a train, not be a glorified caboose pushed
> by another (usually diesel) locomotive

I hear it's been in Connecticut a few times....

hpincus@mindspring.com

> I hear it's been in Connecticut a few
> times....

Was at the B&O Museum in 2001.

eledbetter@rypn.org

Yes the steam Thomas gets around. In addition to the Valley RR in Connecticut and the B&O Railroad Museum, it has also been as far south as the North Carolina Transportation Museum at the Spencer Shops. It's also been to other RRs in PA and NY, I can't think of other names at this moment. The National RR Museum in Green Bay, Wisc. had a diesel-powered Thomas that actually moved under its own power (it was pretty homely, very short and misproportioned). I don't know what is up with that, it was at Railfair 99 in Sacramento, that's the only time I saw it. Now the unpowered dummies built at Strasburg are touring all over. Edaville has a 2' gauge version, Durango & Silverton a 3' gauge version that has been to Roaring Camp in CA and I believe the Tweetsie RR in Boone, NC.

I have yet to see the steam Thomas, but it is actually a converted BEDT (Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal) 0-6-0T Porter built in 1917. The BEDT operated steam on the waterfront in New York Harbor into the 1960s. The #16 is being restored to operation at the Railroad Museum of Long Island, Riverhead, NY.

-Ed Kelley

GTNGRR@aol.com

The Cuyahoga Valley has used this engine for our Thomas the Tank Engine event for the last four years on Memorial Day weekend.

B. Allan

http://www.cvsr.com
cvsrkahuna@aol.com

Hi Brian,

Had a great time with Thomas at Cuyahoga Valley, hope to see you next year!!

> The Cuyahoga Valley has used this engine for
> our Thomas the Tank Engine event for the
> last four years on Memorial Day weekend.

> B. Allan


Strasburg Rail Road
asholley@hotmail.com

> Does this steam-powered Thomas ever leave
> the Strasburg RR? It would seem to be in
> high demand since this one can actually pull
> a train, not be a glorified caboose pushed
> by another (usually diesel) locomotive

The steam Thomas was at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI this past April. as well as August of last year and in previous years. It is a wonderful engine that steams very well.


sutterd@hotmail.com

Edaville's homebuilt, but approved, Tommy loco was dismantled (or disfigured?) before the auction. Only the Strasburg steamer, three standard gauge 'dummies', and one 3-foot 'dummy' (all built by SRR) remain. The Greenbay mini-diesel went away several years ago, replaced by their SRR-built pushed loco.

mrcooltrains@yahoo.com

> Edaville's homebuilt, but approved, Tommy
> loco was dismantled (or disfigured?) before
> the auction.

I didn't know it was homebuilt, I always assumed it was "Strasburg-built" along with all the others.

Maybe now that a new management team is in place he'll get his face back. From what I understand the Edaville DOWT events were a big hit.

Photo: Reinhard Wolgemuth


SJHussar@aol.com

> The steam Thomas was at Greenfield Village
> in Dearborn, MI this past April. as well as
> August of last year and in previous years.
> It is a wonderful engine that steams very
> well.

Dave-

Finally saw it, the weekend after the event, when it was still sitting there. My eagle-eyed son picked it out from way down by the Smith's Creek Station. One question --- are the cylinders just "PORTER" or, is the whole darn thing?

TJ


Port Huron Museum
tjgaffney@phmuseum.org

The Edaville Thomas was built by Strasburg.

> I didn't know it was homebuilt, I always
> assumed it was "Strasburg-built"
> along with all the others.

> Maybe now that a new management team is in
> place he'll get his face back. From what I
> understand the Edaville DOWT events were a
> big hit.

> Photo: Reinhard Wolgemuth


Strasburg Rail Road
asholley@hotmail.com

> Dave-

> Finally saw it, the weekend after the event,
> when it was still sitting there. My
> eagle-eyed son picked it out from way down
> by the Smith's Creek Station. One question
> --- are the cylinders just
> "PORTER" or, is the whole darn
> thing?
Yea she is a Porter she is former Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal Railway BEDT for short 15.
> TJ


BEDT15@aol.com

> Dave-

> Finally saw it, the weekend after the event,
> when it was still sitting there. My
> eagle-eyed son picked it out from way down
> by the Smith's Creek Station. One question
> --- are the cylinders just
> "PORTER" or, is the whole darn
> thing?
Yea she is a Porter she is former Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal Railway BEDT for short 15.
=

BEDT15@aol.com

I miss running Thomas. He needs to come back, as long as it is either spring or fall. I pity anyone who runs it in the heat of the summer. The best thing about Thomas is looking below, through the johnson bar and seeing the connecting rod and drivers spin. I've almost lost a few things down there, like the radio. heh. The little platforms the fireman and engineer stand on are fun, especially if they are not bolted in, Dave.

chriss@mopedarmy.com