Visit to Steamtown--Part Five--Possible Engines for a Leased Operation

[Railvt]

Following is a list of possibilities for engines that might be leased to run mainline service at Steamtown. I have not “vetted” this idea with any of their owners. The point is that there are multiple engines potentially available. Could not a deal be reached with at least one or two engines’ owners? This would provide a wonderful opportunity to showcase these engines on Steamtown’s heavily-built and very scenic mountain mainline and regardless of its ability to turn out complete renovations, Steamtown’s well-equipped shops certainly have the tools to properly keep-up an already operable engine. 

 

Already several units have served in this role at Steamtown in recent years, but usually only for fairly short periods. The magnificent Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 #261 actually spent much of 1995 running (sometimes in pseudo Lackawanna colors) out of Scranton. Reading, Blue Mountain and Northern 4-6-2 #425 has been an occasional operating visitor. And of course the NKP #765 was a triumphant Steamtown guest, running all the way over the Poconos thru the Delaware Water Gap to Portland, PA earlier this month.

 

Resident #2124’s sister Reading T1 4-8-4 2123 ran briefly in the Tacoma, WA area and has recently been relocated to western Pennsylvania. There she is being reconverted to run again on coal, rather than the oil used on the west coast. While this is a “work in progress” the engine is not out of boiler time. A true opportunity to run frequent trips at Steamtown could very well lead to a successful completion of the conversion and running repairs of this powerful engine.

 

Three Chinese “Santa Fe Class” 2-10-2s from the last steam mainline ever built (over the Jing Peng Pass in Inner Mongolia) are now in the USA. I was lucky enough to ride behind and photograph these engines on this Chinese line in 2004 and they put on an amazing show!

 

The R.J. Corman system has one, usually in storage—but serviceable, in Kentucky. The other two are on the Iowa Interstate RR, and have run recently. Part of the IAS’ original plan for these engines was the thought of selling similar engines from the now retired Chinese fleet to other US carriers and tourist roads. Of course these are not American power, but they are magnificent machines, built as recently as the late 1980s, which truly represent the last of active “regular” standard gauge steam engines in the world. All three are serviceable, and two have been modified to look “American”.

 

Two serviceable former real Santa Fe 4-8-4s are operable, or nearly so. The opportunities to run for the already serviceable example have been quite infrequent. #3715 is the property of the San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society and has occasionally stretched its legs on public trips (even to the Grand Canyon), but on the congested rail lines in southern California it gets very few chances to run.

 

Santa Fe 4-8-4 #2926 is nearly through a multi-year restoration in Albuquerque, NM. Since the state now owns the former AT&SF mainline from Albuquerque to Santa Fe this engine may get a chance to run more frequently than if it was entirely dependent on the kindness of the BNSF, but a season at Steamtown might really help with her finances as well.

 

The CMSt.P&P 4-8-4 #261 gets to run a few times a year in the upper Midwest, but as noted above this engine has a history of appearances at Steamtown. Its operators also own a very handsome set of cars, including a Milwaukie Road Skytop observation parlor car and a Pullman-built full-length dome car.

 

A substantial fleet of engines resides in Sugar Creek, Ohio at Jerry Jacobson’s private “Age of Steam Roundhouse”. Mr. Jacobson does not routinely allow outsiders to visit his (amazing) operating steam yard, but he owns several former Steamtown engines, has historically allowed several of his treasures to run on near-by lines like the (NPS owned) Cuyahoga Valley Scenic RR just south of Cleveland. Not all of his engines run, but several certainly do and he is continuously repairing additional examples. There is also a fleet of operable coaches here that could supplement Steamtown’s commuter train cars. 

 

While the SP 4-8-4 #4449 in Portland, OR has run frequent trips over several decades, the new Oregon Rail Heritage steam locomotive museum in Portland, OR also hosts former Spokane, Portland and Seattle RR 4-8-4 #700. This engine is a sister to the Northern Pacific 4-8-4 “Northern” engines whose success gave the class name to engines with this wheel arrangement. #700 is currently undergoing maintenance and is technically the property of the City of Portland, which might resist/veto her movement (even for just a season) to the east coast, but she ran in this century a trip as far east as Billings. Stable-mate #4449 (also of course a possibility) has been seen from coast to coast in preservation era operations.

 

My father had a thoughtful maxim that he used to throw back at me when I was in a pessimistic mood. “The answer is always no if you don’t ask for yes”! The engines noted above are only a few candidates for possible longer term live visits to Steamtown.

Some of their owners may not like the NPS. Others may be unwilling to part with their engines for extended periods. But it is certainly worth Steamtown's effort in trying to in effect jump the que on its seemingly unending in-house restoration backlog. To survive it must run trains.

 

It has a nearly ideal setting. The site has assured access to the heavily built (mostly laid with 130 pound rail) former Lackawanna mainline over the summit of the Poconos. Trees and brush need to be cut in the Delaware Water Gap in particular to reopen views, but Steamtown can run a routine steam operation rivalled in the country for its recreation of big-time railroading in very few other places.

 

The Western Maryland Scenic RR has a comparable steep mountain mainline. If steam ever returns to the Iowa Pacific’s Rio Grande Scenic main over La Veta Pass in Colorado it would also be a rival for recreating the Class One experience.

 

But with serviceable engines, predictable trips and decent publicity Steamtown can really tell the story of steam railroading.

 

I’m off until mid-October to escort a fall color tour through New England. When back I’ll share the Electric City Trolley Museum experience, more thoughts about Steamtown’s existing and potential support groups and some feelings about the wonderful railway heritage still visible near Scranton. I very much appreciate the thoughtful responses and hope the readers on this site have found this series interesting.

 

Carl Fowler

 

 

[K4sPRR]

Well done Carl, thank you.

[Firelock76]

Thanks a lot Carl, and enjoy your trip!

[ROBERT WILLISON]

Thanks for expounding on my thoughts

[Railvt]

"Great minds" working in common?! 

Or some such thing, but you had a good idea indeed. 

[ROBERT WILLISON]

Thanks Carl, keep up the good work and enjoy your trip.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

There's also a fair number of diesels available for this type of operation, as "Streamliners at Spencer" demonstrated.  It doesn't HAVE to be a steam locomotive.

[ROBERT WILLISON]

Steamtown has operated numerous diesel trips, including f 3 and a pair of e 8 that I was fortunatly able to ride behind.  I miss 765 trip out of Scranton this summer. The thought is to bring additional steam locomotives to Steamtown until they have their own operational.

[Randy Stahl]

CSSHEGEWISCH

There's also a fair number of diesels available for this type of operation, as "Streamliners at Spencer" demonstrated.  It doesn't HAVE to be a steam locomotive.

 

 

Then you need to change the name to diesel town.

Personally I despise interpretive centers or the idea of some one else interpreting the experience for you. The best axample I can think of would be the holocaust "interpretive" centers. No matter how you present the holocaust you will never come close to the horror it really was.

The best way is run steam, that makes "interpretation" a moot point.

[ROBERT WILLISON]

When they run their yard shuttle with the 0-6-0, its both a ride and interpretation. you watch from inside the round house as the locomotive is prepared for its run. Its backed out on the turn table, spun and coupled to the train. Its a short ridea in the yard, but  you see the entire process from start to finish. Some thing you don't see with most steam runs.

I agree longer runs would be nicer, but seeing and interpreting the shopping/ and preparing for a run shouldn't be discounted either.

[Randy Stahl]

Thats  not interpreting, thats observing, no need to interpret unless your guiding a blind person. Observing is much better than "interpreting"

[Firelock76]

"Interpreting" seems to be the vogue word now, like "docent" for museum or tour guide.

Doesn't bother me, as long as the stuff's there to be seen and enjoyed.

[zugmann]

Randy Stahl

Thats  not interpreting, thats observing, no need to interpret unless your guiding a blind person. Observing is much better than "interpreting"

 

But many of the public has no clue about railroading.  We do.  So yeah, there needs to be some interperetation otherwise it's just clueless people watching the pretty engine move around.  One of the points of the place is to educate people.  How you can do that without interperetation is beyond me.   Otherwise, just put up a loop of Thomas the Tank engine shows.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

zugmann

 

Randy Stahl

Thats  not interpreting, thats observing, no need to interpret unless your guiding a blind person. Observing is much better than "interpreting"

 

 

 

 

But many of the public has no clue about railroading.  We do.  So yeah, there needs to be some interperetation otherwise it's just clueless people watching the pretty engine move around.  One of the points of the place is to educate people.  How you can do that without interperetation is beyond me.   Otherwise, just put up a loop of Thomas the Tank engine shows.

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