Monticello RR Museum

Steam Purist · **Posted:** Sat Jul 17, 2004 12:03 am

Does anybody know what steamers were operated at the Monticello Railroad Museum? I believe one had a very high steam dome, perhaps an 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 tender engine. I saw a picture but have no idea what the engine is.

Erik Ledbetter · **Posted:** Sat Jul 17, 2004 5:23 am

Are you sure it was Monticello? I ask becuase your description sounds more like East Broad Top 0-60 No. 6, which ran for a few seasons at the Whitewater Valley RR in Indiana. It has the high steam dome you describe--see images at the link below.

EBT 6
eledbetter@rypn.org

JCG · **Posted:** Sat Jul 17, 2004 6:39 am

> Does anybody know what steamers were
> operated at the Monticello Railroad Museum?
> I believe one had a very high steam dome,
> perhaps an 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 tender engine. I
> saw a picture but have no idea what the
> engine is.

The engine that you refer to is an ALCO saddle tank 0-4-0T with the tank removed. The tank is now back on the engine and the engine is displayed at the entrance to the museum.

http://www.mstrp.com

Alan Levy · **Posted:** Sat Jul 17, 2004 3:02 pm

Does the museum plan on operating steam again at some point? Beside the 0-4-0t, the 0-6-0 191 don't they have a sister to SRR 385 (ex MCC)? Maybe the 401?

Remember NKP 587 being there for some repairs so I assume that they have some kind of shop facilites.

-Alan Levy

AlanL759@aol.com

Bruce Backus · **Posted:** Sat Jul 17, 2004 6:13 pm

> Does the museum plan on operating steam
> again at some point? Beside the 0-4-0t, the
> 0-6-0 191 don't they have a sister to SRR
> 385 (ex MCC)? Maybe the 401?

Plans are to have 401 ( a SRR 2-8-0) running in a few years.

Bruce Backus
Monticello Railway Museum

bebackus@bellsouth.net

L Beckman · **Posted:** Sun Jul 18, 2004 4:30 pm

> Does anybody know what steamers were
> operated at the Monticello Railroad Museum?
> I believe one had a very high steam dome,
> perhaps an 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 tender engine. I
> saw a picture but have no idea what the
> engine is.

Dear SP:

I believe that MRM has operated the following steamers over their museum trackage:

1. The 0-4-0T reconfigured as a 0-4-0 tender engine with the tank removed (now on display again as an 0-4-0T).

2. Republic Steel 0-6-0 #191 (now on display).

3. NKP 2-8-2 # 587 on a limited basis operated after repairs were made to the locomotive (returned to ITM in Noblesville).

I understand that the museum plans to put a new welded boiler on Southern 2-8-0 #401 for future use. I am not sure where that project currently stands.

Although the museum currently operates the trains
from their museum site into downtown Monticello on a pull out/push back basis, I should point out there is a wye at Monticello that I believe could be utilized in the future. In the opposite direction from the museum site to White Heath, their is also a wye in place. Tie conditions on this segment of track have prevented operation by nothing heavier than motor cars in the past but I believe MRM has a tie replacement program currently in the works. Thus, future steam operations could conceivably entail a run from the museum site to either end location and then by utilizing the wye, a "turn around" of the train to get it back to the museum. Not many museums today could boast such a setup.

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

midlandblb@cs.com

EDM · **Posted:** Sun Jul 18, 2004 4:37 pm

It would be tough to top the EBT, with a wye at each end, or the WMSR, with a turntable at one and and a wye (which only the crew sees at the beginning or end of the day) at the other. Still a neat idea, though. And doesn't TVRM have a wye in Chattanooga?

edm5970@earthlink.net

Steam Purist · **Posted:** Sun Jul 18, 2004 7:17 pm

Thanks for the help. Does anybody know where there are pictures of this 0-4-0 operating at Monticello on the web?

Also, the Grand Canyon Railway utilizes a wye at the Grand Canyon end of the line to turn trains. I don't know what is used at Williams.

I had heard that the WMSR, on a regular steam day, substituted diesels when they volunteered #734 for a firefighters event. The person that told me went there to see steam, which wasn't there. It was a good cause though and nice to see RRs helping the community.

John Bohon · **Posted:** Sun Jul 18, 2004 7:59 pm

TVRM has a wye at Grand Junction and a turntable at East Chattanooga. On the Georgia trips they now also have a turntable at Summerville, GA.

John Bohon

jhbohon@yahoo.com

G. Jenista · **Posted:** Mon Jul 19, 2004 1:23 pm

> Thanks for the help. Does anybody know where
> there are pictures of this 0-4-0 operating
> at Monticello on the web?

Not on the web, but a video instructional documentary, "Running a Steam Locomotive, Volume 1" was produced using the Monticello 0-4-0 engine. Not sure if it's still available [check on eBay]...

hi_plain@yahoo.com

WOOLY · **Posted:** Mon Jul 19, 2004 2:32 pm

I just looked at my copy of (Running a steam locomotive vol. 1)& the sleeve says PUBLISHERS CHOICE VIDEO &NATIONAL SYNDICATIONS INC. if that helps you at all There is no address or phone on the sleeve.........Wooly

> Not on the web, but a video instructional
> documentary, "Running a Steam
> Locomotive, Volume 1" was produced
> using the Monticello 0-4-0 engine. Not sure
> if it's still available [check on eBay]...

wooly421@charter.net

Steam Purist · **Posted:** Mon Jul 19, 2004 3:20 pm

I have the Volume 3 of this series, it's well-done. They still sell Volumes 2 and 3 at Schrader's Railroad Catalog. Volume 2 features UP 844, SP 2472, and Nevada Northern 40 (passenger locos) while Volume 3 features RC&BT Shay 1 "Dixiana", Yreka Western #19, and N&W 1218. I'll look around. If all of the videos are as good as volume 3, I'd reccomend to all.

K.R. Bell · **Posted:** Mon Jul 19, 2004 10:44 pm

This falls under the "Where Are They Now" category...Whatever became of Charlie Day, the Travelling Engineer on the Monticello & Sangamon Valley Ry? I believe he was the talking head in the "How to Run a Steam Locomotive" video with 0-4-0T No. 1. Is he still active at the museum?

> TVRM has a wye at Grand Junction and a
> turntable at East Chattanooga. On the
> Georgia trips they now also have a turntable
> at Summerville, GA.

> John Bohon

Peter Nicholson · **Posted:** Mon Jul 19, 2004 11:05 pm

> This falls under the "Where Are They
> Now" category...Whatever became of
> Charlie Day, the Travelling Engineer on the
> Monticello & Sangamon Valley Ry? I
> believe he was the talking head in the
> "How to Run a Steam Locomotive"
> video with 0-4-0T No. 1. Is he still active
> at the museum?

I regret to report that Charlie Daigh passed away on October 17, 2002. The Monticello Railway Museum held a memorial service for him on October 20 of that year including a funeral train and services at the Wabash Depot in Monticello. Charlie remained a vital part of the Museum until shortly before his death, and was instrumental in recruiting many younger members to the Museum.

pnichol6@prodigy.net