I have always been interested in The Wanamaker, Kempton & Southern Steam Railroad (WK&S) . I always thought that the black little critter on their site was owned by The Anthracite Railroads Historical Society. Not until lately did I hear that it was recently operable, and was being used to run a small freight train for the visitors last year. Does the WK&S own this locomotive, and is it still operable? Any information would be appreciated! Thanks in advance!

Aaron B.

Photo and Link: The photo below is of the #602 being stored behind The WK&S's #2 (A Porter 0-4-0T with a makeshift tender.) . Also seen in the background is The WK&S's #65 (A Porter 0-6-0T.) . The Link is to The WK&S's website.

http://www.wknsrr.com/index.php

norfolk_western_611@hotmail.com

Aaron,

The ARHS still owns the 602 and leases it to the WK&S. We had some fuel pump problems with the unit that we resolved last year, so at least one of the prime movers was operational. We also recieved a donation of batteries to get it fired up and ready to run.

hoffmannwj@nswccd.navy.mil

Walter,
I searched The Anthracite Railroads Historical Society's website, and I couldn't find any information regarding this unit. Do you know the history of this unit? Thanks again!

Aaron B.

Photo and Link: The photo below is of the #602 being stored behind The WK&S's #2 (A Porter 0-4-0T with a makeshift tender.) . Also seen in the background is The WK&S's #65 (A Porter 0-6-0T.) . The Link is to The WK&S's website

http://www.wknsrr.com/index.php

norfolk_western_611@hotmail.com

The locomotive is on long term lease to the WK&S from the ARHS. It was built in 1944 for the US Army Transportation Corp, sent to Europe during the war and was returned to Baltimore in 1945. It was sold back to Whitcomb, rebuilt and re-classified into a 70 tonner. It was sold to Gulf Oil in Port Arthur Texas around 1948 and was used there along with a sister. They were Gulf #7 and #8. It was transferred up to Philadelphia around 1963 and ran there until the early 1980's. The other Whitcomb came north in the mid-'70s to provide parts. Gulf donated both locomotives to the Cornell Chapter, NRHS in 1985. The Cornell group could not find the funds to move them to New York and donated them to the ARHS. The ARHS really had no use for them but one of their prime movers worked at Gulf, then Chevron, and helped with the donations. The ARHS looked for a home and offered them to the WK&S. Apparently, the lease called for the re-number to 602, like another LNE engine 601. It was moved to Kempton in 1988 and they got her running the following year. It was never repowered and the engines are old and tired. I think they may run it again this year, or at least try to. You might want to check out the Jersey Central Chapter web site for photos of the freight from last year.

> The locomotive is on long term lease to the
> WK&S from the ARHS. It was built in 1944
> for the US Army Transportation Corp, sent to
> Europe during the war and was returned to
> Baltimore in 1945. It was sold back to
> Whitcomb, rebuilt and re-classified into a
> 70 tonner. It was sold to Gulf Oil in Port
> Arthur Texas around 1948 and was used there
> along with a sister. They were Gulf #7 and
> #8. It was transferred up to Philadelphia
> around 1963 and ran there until the early
> 1980's. The other Whitcomb came north in the
> mid-'70s to provide parts. Gulf donated both
> locomotives to the Cornell Chapter, NRHS in
> 1985. The Cornell group could not find the
> funds to move them to New York and donated
> them to the ARHS. The ARHS really had no use
> for them but one of their prime movers
> worked at Gulf, then Chevron, and helped
> with the donations. The ARHS looked for a
> home and offered them to the WK&S.
> Apparently, the lease called for the
> re-number to 602, like another LNE engine
> 601. It was moved to Kempton in 1988 and
> they got her running the following year. It
> was never repowered and the engines are old
> and tired. I think they may run it again
> this year, or at least try to. You might
> want to check out the Jersey Central Chapter
> web site for photos of the freight from last
> year.

Yeah, what he said!!!! I remembered the part about Gulf Oil and the Cornell Chapter and how the 602 wound up on the WK&S, but couldn't remember the older history and didn't want to post a falsehood inadvertantly. I remember seeing that unit at the Gulf (now Sunoco) refinery in S. Phila. You could see it while driving over the Platt Bridge, and I always wondered what it was. It was not until I joined the ARHS in 1990 that I finally found out.

hoffmannwj@nswccd.navy.mil