Site of the first Steamtown:http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?march04/03-23-04/B+M1178atNorthWalpoleNH10-12-63.jpg

Is that Reading #2124 I recognize behind that B&M Switcher? Sure looks t-ish ;-)Also, just recently acquired a brochure for the 1965 season, which indicates they would be starting a mized-train service that year. They also indicated that they had 36 locomotives (#759, with numbers crossed-out, and CPR #2929 are in the foreground of the photograph) and 9 cabooses were there, as well as the turntable, coaling tower, etc. Any idea where the cabeese went? Also, it seems like #15 was there many power in the 60's --- when did she drop her fires, or what sidelined her?TJG

15 made a special charter run for a wedding sometime in the early 70's I think... could have been the last time she ran, but I'm SURE someone out there knows the exact details...

Last run of 15 was at Steamtown's August 1973 railfan day at Riverside. 15 and 1246 made a doubleheaded run to Chester, and either during the return trip, or at the start of the next run of 15, she blew a tube and that was it. Report at the time was that engineer Andy Barbera was standing on the deck in front of the firedoor and burned (slightly) his leg. A teenage girl was in the engineer's seat at that moment-- good thing she wasn't hurt.That was it for the 15-- she never ran again.Earlier in 1973 (March?) 15 and a couple of cars went to Hudson, MA on B&M's Central Mass branch to operate a paid wedding charter. I recall hearing it was for friends of the then-director, Robert Barbera. Some photos were in the B&M Historical Society's Bulletin at the time.

That's it, thanks Howard.

That's sort of strange they never used her again just because she blew a tube. That doesn't really say much of anything about the condition of the boiler shell itself does it? Sounds to me like it probably just needed new flues.Regards,Trevor H.

If I recall correctly, 15 was never really "restored" by Steamtown, just sort of made operable. This was quite common in the early years of steam tourist railroads. 15 was in need of other work too. Also, I believe Steamtown & GMRC liked the fact that the G5's ran faster. I think that is part of the reason GMRC was willing to sell the 89 to SRC.

The photo and discussion of 2-8-0 # 15 brings up another question. In the photo taken in 1963, the Consol had her headlight mounted on top of the boiler. I seem to recall seeing a photo of her with the headlight in the middle of the smokebox. Is my mind deceiving me? Am I thinking of another locomotive? If not, does anyone have a photo of the 15 with the revised headlight location? Finally, when # 15 was in service of the Oneida & Western as their # 20, where was the headlight mounted?Thanks! Les Beckman (Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum/North Judson, Indiana)

Remember, the Steamtown and GMRC played around with the operating engines quite a bit. Headlights, injectors (both live and exhaust steam types), Elesco heaters, you name it, all were swapped aound or removed entirely.Alan is quite right; in the early 60s, most places simply hyro'ed a loco, and then fired it up if it passed (and wasn't too worn out otherwise). Blount and a few others got some zero mileage CPR and CNR engines, fresh out of their last overhauls. NKP 759 had been given Class 3 repairs by NKP in 1958, stored afterward, and sold to Blount in 1963. The 1968 "rebuild" was little more than an intensive annual or 5-year job, with some additional work needed due to 10 years outside.Hart's 972, 1238 and 1286 were also low or no mileage engines, as was CNR 3254.Rahway Valley 15, and most of the other small shortline engines Blount collected were well-used by the time they showed up at N. Walpole.

TJ,The nine cabooses probably were the 5 steel LNE cars Blount purchased, along with the Rutland vans Steamtown and the GMRC had. Between Blount with the steel cars and the B&M purchase of wood LNE hacks, there are more LNE cabooses in New England today than in PA!Rob