Thought you would all like to see the progress being made on Simons Wrecking #2 -- yes, this is the same 1919 Porter-built 0-6-0T which languished in an automobile junkyard in Newbury, Massachusetts for 'almost' 20 years. If it were not for RyPN'er Richard Jenkins and his "Lost Engines" site, the fate of this locomotive might have been quite a bit different -- for it was on that site that most of us first heard about Simons Wrecking #2.

#2 was actually part of the Steamtown collection in Vermont, but was sold at the time of the Scranton move, twice, eventually to the junkyard owner. His reason for buying the locomotive was not for scrap value, but rather for use as an advertising gimmick for a business venture which never materialized. His slight interest in trains (he purportedly owns a restored wooden B&M caboose), unfortunately did not provide enough inspiration to find the Porter a new home. He trucked the engine to Newbury, MA where it sat in pieces -- out of sight, and out of mind. Several years ago an attempt was made by members of the CT Eastern RR Museum to free the 0-6-0 from her confines. But before the deal could be finalized, the junkyard owner became embroiled in a battle with the EPA to clean-up the site. One of the major issues was of course, gobs of asbestos which had been dripping onto the groud beneath the engine for 20 years. The junkyard owner was handed a hefty bill for the clean-up, and summarily pulled the plug on the deal to donate the engine to the CT group.

Another several years later, enter the City of Peabody, Massachusetts. The city needed space to store public works and other equipment and found it at the now cleaned-up Newbury, MA junkyard site. During a walkthrough of the yard, the director of public works, who happens to be a fan spotted the sad looking Porter and an escape plan for old #2 was hatched!

She and all of her parts have now been moved by the City of Peabody, MA to a freshly purpose-built staging area constructed for her rebuild. Her rotted saddletank has been repaired along with her airpump and dynamo. Eventually she will be relocated to the head of a new rail/trail. Major kudos! to Peabody Public Services Director Richard Carnevale for making this happen, and please keep him in your thoughts and prayers as he underwent kidney transplant surgery this past week.

Stephen

I'm curious about the steam dome being cut off. I know it was on there when the engine was in the scrap yard. Pretty much assures that this one will never operate.

I don't know why Bill, it is just a dome. Domes can be replaced.

If anything would prevent an operating restoration, it would be lack of a good plan to create one, which would include a means and location for its productive use after restoration.

Nice locomotive in a very doable size with little of finicky complexity to get in the way. Best wishes and good luck.

dave

Indeed Mr. Lathrop, I would be shocked if an all welded construction dome finished complete with riveted installation to the original dome base would run more than $10,000 for a boiler of that size.

dave, jason,

What I was getting at (and that's what I get for posting without finishing my first coffee!!) is that I hope it was really necessary to torch off the dome. Obviously not impossible to fab up a new one....but that money could be spent elsewhere on the locomotive's restoration.

My son in law first spotted the locomotive being set up in Peabody, and sent me images taken with his camera-phone. Stephen's images are clearer, for obvious reasons. One thing I have not spotted in any of the photos is the saddle tank itself. I know it was laying on the ground nearby the locomotive while it was at the scrapyard. I hope the dome is reattached/replaced and the saddle tank properly painted and re-hung. Any word on this part of the restoration? You have to hand it to Peabody, for taking an abandoned siding and locomotive, then making them both into something worthwhile.
Hopefully, the locomotive will had some kind of protection from vandal and so-called "taggers".

Agreed Bill, and I am most curious as to what it was that required the removal of the dome. She is a short and stout little girl and I just can't imagine why the dome would have needed to come off.

And I am curious as to why the asbestos abatement people didn't do the cylinders while they were at work.

dave

As one of the guys that worked on trying to get her to Willimantic, her height is very deceiving. The dome was 3-4 feet tall and the boiler is 5-6 feet in diameter.

IIRC her height over the rail was almost 14 feet to the raw steam dome. To move her we were planning on separating the boiler from the steam chest and putting it on one truck, the running gear on a second truck and the rest of the stuff on a flatbed truck.

So in the case of the move by the town of Peabody the dome was most likely removed for height clearances (piece of least resistance and imagination).

Regards,

Rich Cizik
MoW Foreman
Ct Eastern RR Museum
Willimantic, Ct
www.cteastrrmuseum.org

Thanks for the update (and pics). Between this and the last of the Northwestern Steel & Wire engines in Galt finding homes recently, I guess the "Other Lost Engines" page has served its purpose. Now if only the VMT would get moving on the "Lost Engines" that started it all...

I believe that the steam dome was cut off to clear bridges on the way to Peabody. It is lying on the ground with the rest of the "parts". No idea where the saddle tank is. This truly is a basket case of the first magnitude! I wish them luck, because they're going to need it!

Guys Read the original posting...



The saddle tank is not missing nor are the other parts, truth is in the details, read carefully and some of the above posts would not have been necessary.