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| 20 December 2000 United Kingdom LocoWatch UK | (Settle-Carlisle steam) Steam-powered freight operations returned to England's beautiful Settle-Carlisle line yesterday. The movement was operated by Railtrack North West to celebrate the reopening of the line, which was closed for three weeks while 20.5 miles of track was renewed. "8F" 2-8-0 48151 took a train of 20 hoppers from Hellifield to Ribblehead for loading, then forwarded them to Carlisle in weather described as "appalling." (You haven't seen darkness until you've stood at Lunds Paddock or Selside at noon, and have to open the back of the camera to get an exposure . . . ) With the current situation for railways in the UK, it took real courage for the management of Railtrack to approve this operation. Thank you, gentlemen, for the wonderful Christmas present. (Thanks to Richard Tuplin.) | |
| 13 December 2000 USA Great Smoky Mountains Railroad | (ex-SOU 2-8-0 722) Southern Railway 2-8-0 722 returned to the Murphy branch yesterday for the first time in over 48 years. Local media were out in force as three Norfolk Southern diesels left Asheville around 7:00am and towed the locomotive to Sylva, arriving shortly after noon. There a Great Smoky Mountains Railroad diesel took the engine through town to the Dillsboro shops. On Saturday, 722 will repeat the GSMR portion of the journey in a "Welcome Home" event for the press. After that, shop forces will begin the work of returning the locomotive to service by spring 2002. Forward your donations of black paint care of GSMR, Dillsboro, NC. (Thanks to Kevin Gilliam and Jim Wrinn.) | |
| 1 December 2000 USA Museum of Transportation | (ex-DL&W 4-4-0 952 & ex-N&W 2-8-8-2 2156) The Museum of Transport is making progress on this "Camelback" locomotive (see below); a test-fit of the cab prior to riveting it together is complete. Work is expected to continue on the locomotive for some time to come. MOT has also finished a cosmetic restoration of Norfolk & Western Y6a 2-8-8-2 2156 - it appears the compound has a boiler jacket again for the first time in quite a while. There are other non-steam projects detailed on the projects page (link at left). Take a look. (Thanks to Ron Goldfeder.) | |
| 1 December 2000 USA Wilmington & Western RR | (Wilmington & Western) The Wilmington & Western is back in steam after Hurricane Floyd's floods closed the line in September 1999 (see the archive). | |
 Wilmington & Western's ex-Alabama, Birmingham & Coast 0-6-0 no. 58 powers a test train to Mount Cuba picnic grounds on 24 November. Photo by Tom Gears. Copyright 2000 Tom Gears, all rights reserved. | ||
| A test train on 24 November to Mount Cuba picnic ground, the W&W's traditional destination, revealed that "all systems were go" for the Santa trains on the 25th. By spring the line should be opened all the way to Hockessin, W&W's end of track. Funding for the rebuild came from a combination of state and federal disaster relief and private fundraising. Congratulations to the W&W; it's good to have you back. (Thanks to Tom Gears.) | ||
| 1 December 2000 USA | (ex-UFCG 2-6-0 17) The Hesston Steam Museum in LaPorte County, Indiana, has acquired United Fruit Company of Guatemala 2-6-0 17. This 22-ton, 36"-gauge engine will join sister 22 at the "Flying Dutchman Railroad," Hesston's operating collection of 15", 24" and 36" steam locomotives. No. 17 has spent the last 30+ years under cover at the Gilmore Classic Car Club Museum north of Kalamazoo, MI. Plans are to have the engine serviceable by Labor Day 2001 for the group's open house. Also in the group's collection is New Mexico Lumber Co. Shay 7, the last narrow-gauge Shay built. No. 7 started life in Dolores, CO, hauling logs to a Rio Grande Southern connection before moving to Oregon and eventually ending life on the remnant of the Sumpter Valley Railway in Baker City. (Thanks to Ted Rita.) | |
| 17 November 2000 United Kingdom Swanage Railway | (ex-BR 4-6-2 35027) With mainline excursions cancelled by the dozen, the Settle-Carlisle line closed, and repairs expected to last for months, there's little to be happy about on the UK railway scene right now. But there is at least one: "Port Line" is back in service. | |
 "Port Line" gets the right-away from the signalman at Swanage station. Photo by Andrew P. M. Wright. Copyright 2000 Andrew P. M. Wright, all rights reserved.  A visitor takes in the details of "Port Line's" running gear. Photo by Andrew P. M. Wright. Copyright 2000 Andrew P. M. Wright, all rights reserved.  Before and after: an unrebuilt, slightly smaller "Battle of Britain" class 34072 "257 Squadron" is shown next to "Port Line," illustrating the changes in cosmetics after rebuilding. Photo by Andrew P. M. Wright. Copyright 2000 Andrew P. M. Wright, all rights reserved. | ||
| As mentioned in March (see the archive), 35027 will spend a year running on the Swanage Railway before getting a "heavy general" overhaul. She joins "Battle of Britain" Pacific 34072 "257 Squadron" in traffic, and "West Country" 34028 "Eddystone" is expected to emerge from the shops in 2001. (Thanks to Andrew P. M. Wright.) | ||
| 16 November 2000 USA Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum | (TVRM steam) There's a lot of work going on in the Tennessee Valley shops in Chattanooga these days, and even more planned. | |
 George Walker works on removing the throttle rod in the boiler of Southern Railway 2-8-0 630. Photo by Steve Freer. Copyright 2000 Steve Freer, all rights reserved.  Mike Brown cuts tubes out of the boiler of Kentucky & Tennessee 2-8-2 10. Photo by Steve Freer. Copyright 2000 Steve Freer, all rights reserved. | ||
| The boilers of Kentucky & Tennessee 2-8-2 10 and Southern Railway 2-8-0 630 are being prepped for their boiler inspections required for a new Form 4. US Army 2-8-0 610 will get its boiler inspection after Christmas - it's scheduled for "Polar Express" trains through mid-December - and be back on the road by spring. The jury is still out on the timetable for returning 630 and 10 to service. But it's not out of the question that 630 will operate on the "Dixie Land" excursions next fall. (Thanks to Steve Freer.) | ||
| 13 November 2000 United Kingdom | (UK Flooding) As England and its railways slowly return to normal after the worst flooding there in over a century, word is that two preserved railways - the Severn Valley and the Kent and East Sussex - have suffered damage. The Severn Valley, located west of Birmingham, has been severed by two washouts near Knowlesands Tunnel, just south of Bridgnorth (the north end and main shops of the sixteen-mile railway). Services from Kidderminster (the south end and mainline connection) will continue, and two locomotives will be hauled by road from Bridgnorth to handle the trains. The Kent and East Sussex, near Hastings and Rye, has also suffered damage near its west terminus of Northiam. It's too early to speculate on the completion of repairs to either line. Let's hope it's soon - both lines offer extremely authentic, if very different, glimpses of railway preservation in England. (Thanks to David Rogers and Sandy Mitchell.) | |
| 10 November 2000 USA Manitou & Pike's Peak Ry. Snow page | (M&PP 0-4-2T no. 4) The Manitou & Pike's Peak Railroad had Vauclain Compound 0-4-2T no. 4 fired up this week, and operated a short distance from the Manitou Springs station. No. 4 was delivered by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1896 and operated in regular service on the M&PP until September 3, 1958, when it pushed the last steam-powered passenger train to the summit of Pike's Peak. It was used occasionally in snow-clearing service (see the link to the left for a series of photos) until 1968 when it was retired and donated to the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden. (M&PP no. 2 is on display in downtown Manitou Springs, and no. 5 remains on the property.) | |
 M&PP 0-4-2T no. 4 at Manitou Springs station. Photo courtesy the Manitou & Pike's Peak Railway. | ||
| After only 11 years on display, however, the locomotive returned to Manitou Springs and has operated from time to time since. It was converted to burn oil in 1990 prior to monthly operation during the M&PP's centennial season in 1991. It last powered a passenger train in 1993, and got new flues in 1995. Since steam locomotives had to take water more than once on the 8.9 mile climb, and some of the water tanks have been taken out of service, it's not likely that no. 4. will ever get above the timberline again. Her exploits have been, and probably will continue to be, confined to the few miles near the station. Spencer Wren, traffic manager for the M&PP, says "we are quite proud that this part of our rail heritage is operational once again, and with good luck and lots of hard work and loving care, we will operate a very limited run with the equipment, although any dates are still undecided." (Thanks to Spencer Wren and "rackrail.") | ||
| 3 November 2000 USA Rio Grande Pacific | (ex-SP 2-6-0 1744) Rio Grande Pacific's Mogul is loaded onto flat cars and will soon be headed from Fort Worth to New Orleans. Union Pacific will haul the cars. Operation of the locomotive is planned on RGP's New Orleans and Gulf Coast property, which reaches the Mississippi River directly across from the French Quarter. (Thanks to Jim Hollis.) | |
| 3 November 2000 United Kingdom BBC flood pictures | (UK Flooding) The severe flooding in England (the worst since World War II) is claiming some of the nation's best preserved railways as victims. The Severn Valley Railway, which follows the river Severn along its entire length, is expected to be especially hard hit, but there is also heavy flooding all over the country. The Bluebell Railway and the Kent and East Sussex line are also threatened. This is a heavy blow to groups that set the world standard for true preservation, not just "playing trains." Lines like the Bluebell and the Severn Valley take great pains to create an authentic atmosphere around their stations, and get the details right. Here's wishing a quick recovery to these wonderful properties. (Thanks to Sandy Mitchell.) | |
 The high street in Bewdley, near Kidderminster, on the Severn Valley Railway. Photo from the BBC. Copyright 2000 British Broadcasting Corporation, all rights reserved.  A signpost to the Severn Valley Railway barely shows above the floodwaters. Photo from the BBC. Copyright 2000 British Broadcasting Corporation, all rights reserved. | ||
| 25 October Canada 6060 Web Site | (ex-CNR 4-8-2 6060) Canadian National 6060 returned to service on the Central Western Railway last Sunday, powering the scheduled trip from Stettler to Castor and return. Repairs to the front flue sheet were accomplished by volunteers. While the front end was disassembled, the superheater units were inspected and tested, and new blower jets installed around the exhaust nozzle. 6060's minders pronounce her ready for the 2001 season. (Thanks to Al Watch.) | |
| 18 October 2000 USA Elizabethton Star article | (Doe River Gorge) The 50th anniversary of the last East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad train through the Doe River Gorge was celebrated on Sunday and Monday in fine style. The Christian camp held its annual open house on Sunday, and over 2,000 people toured the new cabins and activities for campers. And over 400 of them rode behind steam through the Gorge to Pardee Point. It wasn't the prettiest or most luxurious train ever run there - Opryland Railway's "Rachel," and five motorcar trailers with hay bales for seats - but it seemed to make folks happy. Members of the ET&WNC Historical Society were on hand with displays and answered questions, and a commemorative booklet and ticket was available. | |
 Descendants and those who made it happen at Pardee Point Monday, October 16, 2000. Photo courtesy Ken Riddle. Copyright 2000 Ken Riddle, all rights reserved. | ||
| On Monday, the actual anniversary, descendants of ET&WNC employees were on hand to share memories with over 250 visitors. There were more runs to Pardee Point and a few speeches. Chris Robbins of the Tweetsie Railroad said "whoever knew that a section of track would be reopened again. I'm sure most people gave up on that many, many years ago. This is a tremendous achievement." Robbins also reiterated his willingness to see ET&WNC 4-6-0 no. 12 return to the Gorge one day soon. There's more good news to come, I'm sure. But in the meantime people like Terry Maughon, Phil Raynes, Mark Milbourne, and Ken Riddle can bask in the knowledge that they have created something truly significant, something to build on in the future. | ||
| 18 October 2000 USA Nevada Northern Railway | (NNRY steam crane) The Nevada Northern Railway is the recipient of this year's Kalmbach Preservation Award, a $10,000 grant that will be used to cosmetically restore the railroad's 1907 coal-fired crane. The crane has been used in a number of recent photographer's specials, and it's refurbishing will add even more stature to one of the best-preserved yet least-known steam railroads in the country. (Think Chama or Orbisonia with standard-gauge track.) Congratulations to the Nevada Northern. | |
| 13 October 2000 USA White Pass & Yukon Railroad | (ex-WP&Y 4-6-0 52) The White Pass & Yukon has inked a "long-term renewable lease" with the Skagway Railroad Association and transported 2-6-0 no. 52 from its display site in Skagway to the WP&Y shops for evaluation. A decision will be taken whether to restore the locomotive to service, or to dress it up cosmetically. The engine was built by Brooks in 1881 as Utah & Northern 2. In 1890 U&N was converted to standard gauge, and the locomotive moved to the Columbia & Puget Sound in Washington. In 1898 it was acquired by the WP&Y as its first locomotive. It was taken out of service in 1936, and left on a siding at Taku until 1964, when it was returned to Skagway. Since 1971 it has been on display. If the locomotive is restored to service, work is expected to take at least two years. There are photos of the move on the White Pass site. (Now, how long before we see all those WP&Y engines in the lower 48 head back home? . . .) (Thanks to Brian Norden.) | |
| 12 October 2000 | There are new photos added to Michael Allen's China Travel Resources contribution. If you've already read it, go back and look at the new photo contributions by Robert Horlacher and Tim Lab; if you haven't, you'll learn a lot about the last steam stronhold in the world, even if you have no plans to visit. Also, Wayne Laepple has sent in another excellent group of photos for his tutorial on PRR K4s 1361. It's amazing the amount of work being done to the Pacific, and you'll want to see it. | |
| 12 October 2000 USA Museum of Transport | (ex-DL&W 4-4-0 952) Cosmetic work is progressing on the controversial Lackawanna "Camelback" 4-4-0 at the Museum of Transport in St. Louis. | |
 Lackawanna 4-4-0 952, dolled up as "Oswego and Syracuse No. 1," at the Oswego, NY, roundhouse in 1948, on the occasion of the centennial of the railroad. Photo by Barbeau Studios, courtesy Ken Hojnacki.  Lackawanna 952 in October, 1992. Photo by Chris Jacks. Copyright 2000 Chris Jacks, all rights reserved.  Lackawanna 4-4-0 952 undergoing cosmetic work. Photo by Chris Jacks. Copyright 2000 Chris Jacks, all rights reserved.  | ||
| For those of you not aware of the situation, Lackawanna 952 was dolled up in the 1930s as a PR tool by the railroad, receiving a "backdated" wooden cab and other cosmetic touches, and used for display and on some excursions. It was eventually donated to the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society, who later entered into an agreement with the then-National Museum of Transportation to house the locomotive. Some Lackawanna fans in the northeast have critical of MOT's stewardship of the locomotive, and lobbied to have the locomotive returned to the New Jersey - Pennsylvania area where the locomotive ran. MOT says R&LHS loaned the locomotive permanently; paperwork of the transaction, such as it is, is vague. While that plays out, the museum is doing a cosmetic restoration of the locomotive to its appearance before it was dolled up. A new metal cab will replace the rotted wooden one, and paint is already going on the engine. (Thanks to Chris Jacks.) | ||
| 12 October 2000 USA Heber Valley Railroad | (Heber Valley Railroad) Heber Valley Railroad will work with the FRA and local emergency response teams next month to train for possible "incidents" during the 2002 Winter Olympics. One of the ski venues during the Games will be Soldier Hollow, a stone's throw from the HVR line along Deer Creek Lake, and HVR will be operating steam-powered trains to transport ticketholders. EMS crews will be trained on dealing with a variety of steam-related injuries, and how to remove an injured person from the cab of a "live" steam locomotive. Heber Valley is inviting other steam locomotive operators to participate in the training. Contact the railroad if you are interested; the program is timed to coincide with the Tourist Railway Inc. convention in Ogden in early November. (Thanks to John Rimmasch.) | |
| 1 October 2000 USA Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad | (C&TS Report) I'm just back from three days in Chama, where the C&TS is holding together and the fall colors are spectacular. There's no doubt the locomotives are tired, and ready for some tender loving care this winter. But the shop crew has done a terrific job of keeping them in service despite three years of neglect and a winter of lean finances. Yesterday the railroad carried 785 riders and ran a tripleheader out of Chama to Cumbres. | |
| 1 October 2000 USA St. Louis Steam Train Assoc. | (ex-SLSF 4-8-2 1522) Frisco 1522's return to excursion service this weekend was tainted by the derailment of a freight train which blocked its return home, stranding the train in Hannibal, MO. Passengers were bused back to St. Louis, and the Sunday excursion cancelled. Cheer up, guys. From what I hear the engine is running great, and your bad luck's gotta run out soon. | |
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