On December 13, 2011, the Valley Railroad’s two workhorse 2-8-2’s were posed in front of the depot at Essex, Conn. Engine 40 was inspected and rebuilt in 2007, and should see seasonal service through 2014; while “New Haven” 3025 has just ermerged from a three-year rebuilding program of its own. The 3025 started life as a Chinese-built Mikado, and was purchased from the Knox & Kane in 2008. CHRISTOPHER BLASZCZYK
The Valley Railroad Company based in Essex, Connecticut, has been operating regularly scheduled steam excursions through the scenic Connecticut River Valley since 1971.
Known popularly as “The Essex Steam Train,” the ride over former New York, New Haven & Hartford rails runs be- tween Essex and the end of operable track at Haddam. As the name sug- gests, the main attraction is the steam powered excursion trains. In recent history, the railroad had maintained two steam locomotives in operating condition; if one had an is- sue, the other could take over, keeping steam trains in the public eye. But me- chanical things tend to wear out. Steam locomotives, being the complex machines that they are, not only need regular inspections to make sure all the components are in working order, but also require a complete overhaul from
PREVIOUS PAGES: Valley Railroad No. 3025 leads the second section of the sold out North Pole Express near Hadlyme station on December 14, 2011.
28 MARCH 2012 •
RAILFAN.COM
time to time. That period is governed by the Federal Railroad Administra- tion, and is required after the locomo- tive completes 1472 days of service within a 15 calendar year period (as per 49 CFR, part 230). At the Valley Rail- road, there is one locomotive that has hit that time limit, providing both a po- tential bottleneck, as well as an oppor- tunity. Over the years, two steam locomo-
tives have been moving tourists up and down the Connecticut River — 2-8-2 No. 40 (built 1920 by Alco at Dunkirk, N.Y.) and 2-8-0 No. 97 (built 1923 by Alco at Patterson, N.J.). Engine No. 40 has just emerged from the 1472 day in- spection and rebuild project in mid- 2007. The rebuild spanned about five years, and is not due again until May 2014. No. 97, however, just used up the last of her days of service permitted at the end of the 2010 season. In order to resume hauling passengers, the rail-
CONNECTICUT Essex
New Haven
road needs to do a complete inspection, and overhaul of the locomotive to meet current FRA requirements. To compli- cate matters, the last complete rebuild of No. 97, according to Chief Mechani- cal Officer J. David Conrad, could have occurred as far back as the late 1940s. With that much time, there could be is- sues hiding deep within the locomotive that will only be revealed once the ma- chine is disassembled and fully inspected. Armed with the fact that No. 97 will
be out of service in late 2010, and po- tentially being laid up for four or more years, Conrad approached the Valley Railroad’s Board of Directors in 2006 and made the case for acquiring an ad- ditional steam locomotive. The Board agreed, and in 2006 the railroad was in the market for some “new” steam. As a number of potential deals were explored through 2007, Conrad kept in contact with Pennsylvania’s Knox & Kane Railroad who owned a Chinese
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