If I'm not mistaken, this loco, a GE 65-tonner, was being leased/borrowed/used for a spell by the Wilmington & Western during the 1980s........... Loco was a former military loco (the 7349, said to be written on the back of the builders plate, seems to confirm that), not to be confused with the ex-Black River & Western 7079, which the W&W also used for a spell......

As I recall, the loco got sent back to the South Branch Valley RR after the W&W duty. I've tried to contact those who have connections with the SBV or know that stuff, but no avail on a holiday.

But hmmmmmm......... the seller says he's located in Yorklyn, Delaware, along the W&W.......... sorry, this sounds WAY too much like someone should be wearing asbestos gloves while handling these things, unless somehow I'm mistaken and the W&W scrapped said loco........ anyone?

I believe this GE 65-ton centercab (ex-South Branch Valley) is currently the shop switcher at the Cass Scenic RR (now CSRR 21). It came to Cass with other surplus SBV RR stuff (including 3 other diesels) in 1985, something like a week prior to the flood that washed out the connecting C&O Greenbrier line.

Regards,
Jim Robinson

Oh, holy cr*p.

Now we get to reignite the whole da**ed "the plate belongs with the locomotive" versus "they got the locomotive without the plate" hissy fit.

Except...........

.... if the W&W only *borrowed* or leased the locomotive.............

[getting offline to place phone calls..........]

If this indeed is the shop switcher at Cass, I would like to see the plate or plates returned to Cass and kept with the locomotive or maybe kept in their collection. I recently found the builder's plate from B&M GP-9 #1732 in a group of plates that we purchased. This locomotive is owned by the Railroad Museum of New England in Connecticut. I contacted Howard Pincus and mailed the plate up to them. This is not the first time that I have done this. I just like to see the proper thing done in these cases. I hate to see a market created and ebay has helped to bring many "stolen " items to the forefront.

A very nice surprise from Mr. Muldowney!!! And one very much appreciated by RMNE. One of those things that "make your day"! Thanks again, Ron!

I go away for a weekend in Florida and come back and all kinds of stuff is happening! In the early to mid 1980's I all but lived at the W&W. I was there for everything and missed very little. One fine sumer I was trainman on every train they ran and the next I alternated between student fireman and trainman. Here is the the story on the center cab locomotives.

W&W leased #7079 in the late 1970's and it ran as #9. She was a real boomer and I think ran at Black River, New Hope, W&W, Octoraro, Anthracite RR and now might be somewhere else. A year or so after she left locomotive #7349 came from SBVR. She was a bit more modern than #9 in that she had hydraulic throttles and #9 was mechanical linkage.

Locomotive #7349 was numbered #34 on her days at W&W and part of the deal for the loan/lease was much work was to be done to her prime movers. At the time W&W had a diesel mechanic who worked for one of the manufacturers who was to not only be in charge of repairs but also instruct other members in the finer points of diesel mechanics. There was a big story about the whole thing including her renumbering from 7349 to 34 and the training program in one of the issues of the Lantern. I will have to look to find my copy but it is probably 1982 or 1983. I think some others out here might have back issues of the Lantern who can also see for themselves.

The engine was repaired and operated on the W&W for a while and did a pretty nice job. One day a West Virgina state trooper came calling to find the locomotive. Shortly after that the locomotive headed South. I don't know the details of why that happened.

The seller of these items has been contacted and has emailed me that there indeed has been an honest mix-up and he is going to cancel the auction. The W&W has nothing to do with this auction and most of the present management probably does not even know anything about ever leasing this locomotive.

I double checked the Cass roster and the centercab in question is indeed the Cass shop switcher 21. See the below link for a photo (by Werner Anschutz) from North East Rails. The unit does appear to be missing its builders plate(s).

Regards,
Jim Robinson

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/cass21.jpg

I spoke to the seller again and he has contcted Cass and the jewels will be reunied in the near future. This was a honest mistake. Let's hope that this one is the start of a few more happy endings for locomotive jewels in 2005.

Question?

Dose any one remember when Ex. Gulf Moble & Northern No. 425 was at W&W railroad?

Len.

oh, hell, yes. It was always the greatest "unrealized potential" of the W&W. Not like the W&W was the right *place* for it.......

The 425 was leased by Malcom Ottinger to the Valley Forge Scenic RR in the late 1960s or early 1970s to the Valley Forge Scenic RR in Kimberton, Pa. The VFSR only operated in the 1960s, and I don't even remember if 425 steamed there, but it sat around for a while. Then the W&W (through member Brian Woodcock) got it and added it to its then-expanding loco fleet at Marshallton. It never operated there, and in a sense it was a blessing that Andy Muller acquired it from the W&W in 1984, for he gave it a place to stretch its legs and truly run.

Good ole 425 was 1/3 of the trio of Southern Belles at the W&W. Mississippi Central 98 and Atlanta Birmingham & Atlanta 58 both now servicable at W&W made up the other 2/3rds. They were and are indeed 3 of the prettiest steamers you will ever find.

I have seen photos of 425 pulling trains at Valley Forge Scenic and she was steamed up once in a little known event at W&W. Old 98 was down and the train was to be diesel pulled but it was very cold. So they fired up 425 and got the train good and warm and then sent it out with a diesel which was boomer #9 (7079) mentioned earlier in the thread. 425 did make her way around the property a little and then remained cold until she was sold to BM&R.

No. 425 did in fact run on the Ex. Pickering Valley branch of the Reading Company through Kimberton to Ironsides and back. That locomotive was my very first interduction into steam. My Father worked at C. Wilson & Sons IH dealer across Kimberton Rd. ( Old Rt.113 ) for 41 years.

He took me a ride on the train when I was very young that was in 1973.
I remember as a kid seeing the two steamers sitting down on Bridge St. in Phoenixville next the PRR frieght station, No. 58 and No. 425.

I remember talking to Mr. Muller at a Tamaqua (QA) Summer Fest in 1995 about when he bought No. 425, He told me " We bought No.425 for $23,000 in cash from Bob Ottinger of Phoenixville, Pa. . It was beeing least to W&W railroad at that time. When Muller bought it , they brought it up the W&N of the Ex. Reading Co. to Coatsville where it then went over the rails of the Ex. PRR main line to the Trenton Cut off of the PRR then onto the Reading rails at Norristown, Pa. up to Abrams yard for over night.
In the morning Conrail shiped it to Reading Yard, then to the Ex. Schuylkill Valley branch of the PRR ( Blue Mountain & Reading Railroad )

Leonard.

The 425 did in fact steam at Valley Forge Scenic and is pictured in the book "Steam Pikes Along the Turpinkes", a guide book to tourist railroads published in the 1960's. There is a photo of the 425, unlettered, pulling two Readging Co. commuter cars. A good friend of mine, Andrew Ottinger (no realtion) was able to pick up an advertising decal from the VFS this winter, where "Valley" is spelled "Vally" without the "e". Curious indeed.

Dave Crosby

A little known fact is that 425 was fired up only once on the W&W back in December 1978. 98 was down for repairs and the crew needed steam heat for the train. Without having done a hydro (mind you, the engine had not run since the late 60s and tube time had long since expired), the crew decided to light a fire in 425 and brought it up to pressure. After steam-heating the train, the crew ran the engine through the yard a few times that day but that was it! It never ventured outside of Marshallton after that fateful day. Brian Woodcock gave me the photos of it under steam a few years ago so I can indeed confirm that it did happen. Good thing a federal man wasn't present ;-) Of course the major participants are now long gone and the W&W has come a long way mechanically and professionally since that era. Another one from the chapter of classic tourist railroad stories of years past.

Woodcock also told me that Malcom Ottinger, owner of 425 and 58, was never permitted by Guy Obrecht, the VFS general manager, to run his engine on the Valley Forge Scenic. When Woodcock was engineer on the W&W many years later, he let Ottinger run 98 for a brief while. He recalls Ottinger cried at the end of the experience--he said that it was the only time in his life when he was given an opportunity to run a steam engine. Must have been a moving experience. Not long thereafter that episode, he died.

No. 425 and No. 426 both built by Baldwin in 1928. Only No. 425 is still around for 426 was scraped. No. 425 has 69" divers, 22" x 28" cylinders, 213,000 pounds.

No. 425 operated on the Valley Forge line from 1968 to 1973 when V.F.S. was made to give up their railroad because a well known lawyer that had an office in Kimberton looked into the railroad and found that they didn`t have amusement license. In other words the Lawyer wasn`t a railfan.

From the News Paper

Saturday was a " Red Letter " day for the valley Forge Scenic Railroad Company, now in its second year of operation between Ironside station and Kimberton.
On this day was celebrated the 100th anniversary of the old Pickering Valley Railroad Co. which operated between Phoenixville and Byers, near Chester Springs.
Traditional ceremonies were held Saturday, including the laying of the " Golden spike " which was the same ceremony used by the Union Pacific when the railroads opened up the west a century ago.
In the spike ceremony, are, Guy Obercht, Valley Forge official, holding the spike, while East Pikeland Supervisor Earl Emery hammers it. Others, from left, are L.K. Fox, Malvern, president Malcolm Ottinger , vice president Ronald Shupard, Phihp Lauery and Carl B. Meister.
A plaque was also placed in the station at Kimberton, calling attention to the 100th anniversary. The present Valley Forge Scenic Railroad Co. uses about three miles of the old Pickering Valley track.
( Daily Republican )

Through the efforts of Malcolm Ottinger president of the Valley Forge Scenic Railroad Co., people today can experience the same thrill that their Fathers and GrandFathers enjoyed.
Old Engine No. 425 now running along the tracks between Kimberton and Ironside station, was found by Ottinger in New Orleans two years ago. Ottinger got permission to haul his engine over the several rights of way between New Orleans and Phoenixville. The engine survived the long journey despite vandalism and red tape to bring the age of steam back to life on the Valley Forge Scenic Railroad. Number: 425 is the only steam passenger locomotive of its type in existence.
( Daily Republican )

Leonard.