Does anybody here have info on this GP-7 being repainted at TVRM. http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=116763http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=116666Also, what about the passenger cars being rebuilt in the background?Many thanks,Tom Cornillie

Tom,The GP-7 is Georgia Railroad 1026, now owned, I believe, by the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, GA. It was formerly owned by Gulf & Ohio Railways, and for a brief period in the late 1990's was here in Albany on the Atlantic & Gulf (one of the G&O lines, later to become Georgia & Florida RailNet, now Georgia & Florida Railway under new owners Omnitrax). It was painted solid black with "GEORGIA" in white letters on the sides. Andrew D. can probably provide more details on the SERM acquisition.

The GP7 was donated to TVRM by G&O owner Pete Clausen. Although it was not our original plan we decided to dispose of the locomotive when we located ex NC&StL GP7 710. Because it made sense to send the GP7 somewhere closer to "home" we contacted the folks in Duluth and arranged a sale. They asked us to paint the locomotive which we are doing. At that point it should be ready to head south.The passenger car being the 1026 is a private restoration of ex-IC sleeper lounge "General Beauregard". Sticking its end out of the shop is ex-Southern coach 1037 getting close to the end of a multi-year rebuilding (it was in storage for almost fifteen years after being received from the Southern). Microphor toilets, conversion to roller bearings, some AC work and a paint job remain.Tim AndrewsChattanooga

How about an update on 630?

Any chance of restoring this coach and maybe others in pullman green with Southern lettering?It would be nice to see 630 pull some SR heavyweight coaches.

Locomotive 630 is inching closer to a hydrostatic test on the boiler and I do mean inching. The unexpected passing of two of our shop employees this summer really upset work flow in the shop. Our two major projects, Coach 1037 and Locomotive 630, have suffered delays as we have had to shift resources around to meet other needs.The welder we certified per ASME Section IX do the welding on 630's boiler has been off on a project at a Nuclear Plant but we do expect him back within a week or so. When he returns, he will be able to complete some welding that will allow us to reinstall the braces to the front tube sheet. He will also be able to complete repairs to the fire door opening and weld out the large inside and outside corner patch being installed on the right rear of the firebox. Machinists are working on the replacement of the boiler studs and I am wrapping up the design of a replacement dry pipe (including the end pieces). We also still have to address the replacement of the flange of the steam dome cap. Completion of these items should put us real close to a hydrostatic test.We have a pile of new parts all ready for the running gear but we still have much work to do on the frame and cylinders. I suspect that we will not put wheels back under the locomotive until past the hydrostatic test.Cab restoration is coming along nicely. We are also going to contract out the construction of a new tender tank. The new tank will be built along the lines of a 10,000 gallon, all welded tank that would have been produced by Coster Shops in Knoxville. This new tank will be mounted on 4501's original tender frame since it is about 3 feet longer. This too was also done in the steam days on Southern Railway. In fact, 630 does not have its original tender now.I will attempt to get some pictures and have them uploaded to our website in the next couple of weeks. When that happens, I will let you know.