Current Steam Locomotive Restoration Efforts

Western Maryland is restoring a compound articulated, number 1306.( or is it 1308?) I have no ETA on this one.

Norfolk and Western Class "J" 611 will be in steam this spring/early summer.

The New Mexico Steam Locomotive & RHS is restoring Santa Fe 4-8-4 Northern 2926. Getting ready to stuff flues in her belly. Should see a fire in the firebox sometime this summer.

UP has no operating steam and it looks like that may continue through 2015. I doubt if we see 4014 in steam by 2020.

There's probably some smaller players under restoration, but these are the big hitters I can tell you about.

WMSR's 2-6-6-2 is #1309. After spending many years watching it rust and climbing on it as a kid at the B&O Museum, I can't wait to see her alive. The WMSR folks have every intention on having the 1309 in steam and pulling their train for their season opener in May 2016. Maybe one day CSX will let her make a trip to Baltimore again. One can only hope.....

 

The Gramling family and their team of tank engines should have their third tank engine finished this year and begin traveling the country. www.haveenginewilltravel.com

 

The B&O Museum is working on rebuilding 4-4-0 William Mason, their former B&O Wood burner built in 1856. 

 

The Railroad Museum of Long Island is working to raise the funds to rebuild their LIRR 4-6-0 for operation at Strasburg. www.rmli.org. 

 

2015 will be the last year for Western Maryland Scenic's large 2-8-0 #734 for a few years before undergoing the federally mandated rebuild. This is a massive 2-8-0 and one impressive engine to see climb the mountain.

 

Norfolk Southern has resurrected their steam program although on a much smaller scale than in the past. Southern 4501, Southern 630, NKP 765, and soon N&W 611 all are a part of it. Union Pacific's steam program appears to be dying a slow and painful death. 

 

The new website for the restoration of Boston & Maine #3713 in Scranton, PA at the Steamtown National Historic Site launched today. Of note is the latest newsletter and fundraising activities.

 

Also, O-scalers will be interested in the fundraising raffle. Details are on the site. 

 

If you are at the West Springfield, MA show next weekend be sure to stop by the Project 3713 booth. You'll find members of the team at our spot in The Better Living Center at booth 40 D-E.

 

http://project3713.com/

Southern 4501, 2-8-2, is under steam again at Tennessee Valley RR. in Chattanooga.

They also have Southern 630, 2-8-0, which you can see on youtube double heading with 4501.  TVRR has another 2-8-0, 610, that is due for restoration but haven't heard when that will take place.

Thank you to each of you who responded as I appreciate very much.  Any word on 614?

 

The Illinois Railway Museum has a few on going restoration projects. They just completed Frisco 2-10-0 #1630 last year, and are now focusing on their Shay, J. Nelis Lumber Company #5. They look to have her ready possibly by either late 2015 or early 2016. Also in their shop, though being restored on a long term basis, it Union Pacific 2-8-0 #428. That project currently has no set ETA on it's completion.

The 614 was going to be restored for the now terminated Greenbriar Presidential Express tourist train. 

 

It now sits painted and lettered in Clifton Forge, VA for the train, but there are no further plans I'm aware of for operational restoration.

 

 

Rusty

Boy that's a shame.  Beautiful engine....

Reason why it sits, three letters, CSX. CSX has a no steam policy which prevents the 614's operation on mainline excursions. It was supposed to pull that luxury train, but CSX again said no steam. Then Ross decided to use three ex-NS diesels, then finally tack the train to the end of Amtrak's Cardinal. Last I heard the train won't operate at all and cars are being auctioned off. Maybe it should have stayed at the Reading and Northern and run for them if they don't want to restore 2102. CSX is a pain in the a to deal with for special passenger trains that aren't regularly scheduled Amtrak trains.

All well and good but, C&O 614 still would require the FRA mandated 15 year boiler inspection and Form 4 recertification. I'm pretty sure that Reading 2102 requires the same thing.

Ross said that before it runs again, it will need to go through a rebuild (like 611) and only when the conditions are favorable for it's operation, that is when CSX lifts its steam ban. So, it could be years before it runs again, if ever. It's a shame that Michael Ward doesn't see the same value in running steam excursions for the public unlike NS's Wick Moorman. CSX used to permit steam on their lines through 1994 or so, then like NS at the time, they turned sour toward steam like David Goode at NS did causing 611's 20 year slumber at the VMT. How did John Snow feel toward steam? T. Hays Watkins at Chessie System must have been pro-steam because from 1977-1981 they ran Chessie Steam Special with 2102 and Chessie Safety Express with 614. I believe both locomotives even visited Philadelphia, PA on excursions which is 55 miles south of me. The old B&O line now CSX goes from Philly to Baltimore. CSX also owns the ex-Reading into NJ through West Trenton. You won't see any steam excursions in the areas between NJ and Washington, DC because the only lines available are owned by Amtrak and CSX.

Cliffside Railroad No. 110 is undergoing restoration by volunteers at the New Hope Valley Railway in Bonsal, NC;

 

Disneyland Railroad No. 1, the C.K. Holliday, built in 1955, is undergoing restoration;

 

Walt Disney World Railroad No. 2, the Lilly Belle, built in 1928, is undergoing restoration at Strasburg.

I believe that people are working to restore the 819 as well.

 

Also, don't forget Strasburg 31 and Baldwin 26 (which is almost done!)

Well sort of. They don't have much money, and not many experienced personnel, and of course; no place to operate it.

Nevada State Railroad museum's narrow gauge 2-6-0 "Glenbrook" is nearing completion

 

Mid Continent railway museum is finishing up restoration of Saginaw Timber Company #2 and are also working on C&NW 1385.

 

Northwestern Railway museum is working on the restoration of Northern Pacific 0-6-0 #924 and plan to begin the restoration of Canadian Collieries 4-6-0 #14 is set to be the next locomotive restored to operation.

 

 

 

 

The Union Station Foundation in Ogden, Utah is raising money to restore the D&RGW narrow gauge 223 steam engine and restore the moonglow car from The Train of Tomorrow, among other things.
The Union pacific 618 is undergoing. Boiler inspection for use by the Heber Valley Railroad in Heber, Utah.

Austin Steam Train Association's SP Mikado #786 is currently being reassembled at its home yard in Cedar Park, Texas.  (I just now realized it will turn 100 years old next year!)

The 223 is not a Union Station Foundation project, but an independent group that has a shop at the Union Station. They work 3 hours a week on it, not holding out too much hope of anything more than a cosmetic restoration at best.

As for the Moonglow, that is an entirely different train wreck. The Foundation keeps saying that if someone will "just give us a million dollars" that they will get it done. No active fundraising on it right now, and honestly several botched attempts at restoration have pretty much destroyed any chance it will ever be restored.  Do a forum search, I have posted pictures and an article about it's current condition.

I went by Heber last Friday, no one seemed to be around so couldn't find out much about the 618. But since the 75 has been out of service since 2002, when I helped take it apart, hard to say what they will be doing there with the 618.

Midwest Railway Preservation Society in Cleveland is working on their GTW 4070.  I was last on site about a year ago helping to remove cab appliances, but since then I've seen updates on their Facebook page (here) showing cab, stoker, superheater header, and main appliance removal along with a grid on the boiler for inspection purposes.  Seems to be progress in the right direction.

 

 

N&W Y6a #2156 is supposed to be moved to Roanoke to be put on "display" for 5 years but there's wild rumors floating around that it is to be restored.

Kasar please email me.  Thanks Bruce Clark Ford Model Railroad Club

What's going on with the C&O 2789 up in Indiana? I thought they were suppose to get it back into operation again?

 

I talked with the guys at the Kentucky Railway Museum, and they are in the process of overhauling their Little L&N Pacific to run on their tourist line out of New Haven, to Boston Ky.

 

I also asked them about the old C&O 2716 that was used by Southern and Ft.Wayne years gone by. They said they would love to do it, but they don't have anywhere to run it. It would have to go out on the CSX, and everybody in the free world knows that story!...........Brandy! 

Let's not forget the other LIRR G5s!  #35 parts are headed SOUTH!

 

Jon  

Alaska Railroad Steam Locomotive #557 is another project underway.

 

http://alaskarails.org/pix/former-loco/557/index.html

 

 

Guys, don't forget about #261 Milwaukee S-3 up in Minneapolis.  Re-restored about two years ago and has led a number of excursions in the Midwest.  Good fan trip locomotive, capable of puliing 25 to 30 passenger cars at good track speeds.

 

Paul Fischer

Paul, the initial post wasn't about engines that have already been restored--it's asking about restoration projects that are currently under way.

Robert, Just to clarify, The Chessie Steam Special was pulled by 2101, not 2102.  2101 was used since it had just finished pulling the Eastern US American Freedom Train.  The engine is at the B&O Railroad Museum where it was traded for 614 after being in the Roundhouse fire in Kentucky.

My wife and I were at Steamtown on Monday, and the 3713 is coming along nicely. The two Canadian locos are out of commission though. Our tour guide told us that there will be steam for the up coming season. Not sure if that's going to be the Baldwin, but it's just about done. I'm not too keen on the green color, but it's painted according to original blue prints. 

Don

 

Yes, that will be the Baldwin Switcher #26.

Mountain State Railroad & Logging Historical Association's 3-truck, 70 ton Climax locomotive is coming along nicely.  She is at the MSRLHA's shop at the Cass Scenic Railroad.

 

If you haven't visited Cass, you MUST get there!  Geared locomotives (all Lima Shays, along with one Heisler and the Climax) are very fun to watch and to hear working very hard.  And the bonus is the great scenery.

Thanks everyone, I hadn't realized that there were so many different projects underway.  Very heart warming news honestly as all of these projects require some serious funding to complete along with having the right talented people to complete the restorations correctly.  My hats off to all involved. 

 

I'm disappointed to learn that CSX has maintained their No Steam policy and that it has had a negative impact on the restoration of 614 and a couple of others.  Though from management perspective I can understand their dilemma in that the corporate attorneys are probably advising them to stay away from steam excursions due to liability issues with the public. 

 

But you'd think that they'd at least offer up some cash or a location for restoration of some equipment which was once a vital part of their rich history.  Companies need to watch their bottom line, but they need to have a soul as well.  After all who are their customers, real people not machines or account ledgers or buildings filled with offices and equipment.  Real people make up not only their customer base but their organization as well. 

 

Any restoration project would help boost their employee moral and involvement with the company sponsored project or some other charity.  Just the public relations angle would benefit the company and how it is perceived by prospective investors.  They need to be good citizens and try to assist those who trying to make a positive difference.

Maybe some good news out of Heber Valley?  

 

http://www.sltrib.com/news/209...ning-to-heber-valley

 

Would be great to see some steam operations when we're visiting there this summer!  Now if any of you have a couple million to spare to help out with fixing up the track.

RE: C&O 2789... I doubt if the group in North Judson ever get close to finishing the restoration on it. It's been disassembled for what now, 20+ years? If I were to hit the lottery for millions I'd either buy it or fund the resto.