Piney River Steam Locomotive early 60s

[081552]

I was looking through old Trains magazines and came across a photo from the October '63 issue. The capition says "Ex-Southern 2-0-0 #6 of recently dieselized Virginia Blue Ridge has been purchased by Earl Gil of Parsippany, N.J., reportedly for excursion use in the East." I have a color slide of the engine siting in the enginehouse. Does anyone know what happened to this locomotive?

Thanks

[Anonymous]

VBR #6 was ex-Southern Ry 2-8-0 #385. Earl Gill bought her in the early-mid 1960's and moved her to NJ. He operated her on his Morris County Central for many years as #385 in a green and gold Southern style paint scheme and also in a black freight version. I haven't heard what happened to the railroad but I understand it closed in the late 1970's. The last I heard the 385 was stored in a building there.

For what it's worth.....most of the VBR 0-6-0's also went into excursion service about the same time in NY, NJ and PA. My favorite (#7) was unfortunately scrapped. It was the first steam engine I ever got to run and was always my favorite loco.

Roger