STEAM AND PRESERVATION JEFFREY D. TERRY
Union Pacifi c Centennial No. 6944
As part of the five-year lease agreement that brought Norfolk & Western Class Y6a No. 2156 to the Virginia Museum of Transportation,
Norfolk Southern
has repainted Union Pacific DDA40X “Centennial” No. 6944 into its original 1969 paint scheme for owner Museum of Transportation. The completed unit was rolled out of NS’s Juniata Shop in Altoona, Pa., on May 19; it is not operational (see photo on page 11). No. 6944 was one of 47 6600-h.p. DDA40X locomotives manufactured for Union Pacific beginning in 1969. The units had twin EMD 645E3A prime movers and eight traction motors, and are
essentially two GP40s combined into one locomotive. No. 6944 operated in freight service until 1984 when it was cosmetically restored and donated to the St. Louis museum.
Great Northern No. 2523
The year 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the donation of Great Northern 4-8-2 No. 2523 to the city of Wilmar, Minn. To honor the occasion, the
Kandiyohi County planned, culminating Historical
Society, caretakers of No. 2523, have designated 2015 the “Year of the Train.” Special events throughout the summer are
with an
anniversary celebration on October 10. Number 2523 is a P-2 Class 4-8-2,
one of 28 (Nos. 2500-2527) built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for Great
Northern in 1923. It was initially used in passenger service on GN’s name trains, including the Fast Mail, Oriental Limited, and Empire Builder. Retired in 1958, it was repainted into GN’s “Glacier Park” scheme and donated to the community of Wilmar in 1965. It was repainted again in 2000. The historical society is currently raising funds for a more extensive cosmetic restoration; protection from the elements is currently provided by a shelter that was erected over the locomotive in 2005. Visitors can tour its restored cab during museum hours. More information is available at
www.kandiyohicountyhistory.com.
Help Bring Home the Last L&NE Diesel
The last surviving diesel locomotive from the Lehigh & New England has a new owner. Alco S2 No. 611 has been purchased by the Lehigh & New England Historical Society from Harvest Land Co-op of Emporia, Ind., which has owned the unit since the early 1980s. The group is working in partnership with the Lehigh Valley Chapter NRHS, and hopes to move the S2 this summer to the Allentown & Auburn Railroad shop in Topton, Pa., for mechanical work and repainting. No. 611 is fully operational, but needs minor repairs. The Lehigh & New England was a Class I
railroad with a 217-mile
mainline that connected the eastern Pennsylvania coal fields with the major freight gateway at Maybrook, N.Y. One of the primary products it moved was anthracite, and for many years it was controlled by Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company. It was known for being an
Alco stronghold, operating a fleet of FAs and RS2s in addition to six Alco S2s, Nos. 611-616, which it purchased in 1948. When L&NE voluntarily abandoned operations in 1960, No. 611 was painted white
and used grain elevator during scrapping
operations. It later served the Ford Motor Company before being sold to Harvest Land, which used it to switch the
in Emporia until
being semi-retired in 2008. However, it was periodically started and moved to keep it in good running condition. Because the unit is equipped with friction bearing trucks, it must be moved on a heavy-duty flatcar. A fundraiser was initiated in May to raise the estimated $60,000 needed to ship No. 611 from Indiana to Pennsylvania. To find out how to donate, visit the “Bring Lehigh & New England 611 Home” page at
facebook.com/lne611.
Wood-Burner Glenbrook Debuts in Nevada
On May 23, Carson & Tahoe Lumber & Fluming Company 2-6-0 No. 1, Glenbrook, made its debut appearance under steam at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City, nearly 90 years after it last day of revenue service. The 140-year-old wood-burning locomotive has undergone an extensive cosmetic and mechanical restoration in order to return it to its original appearance. The work performed by Chris DeWitt and his restoration team included major repairs to Glenbrook’s original riveted boiler that will allow it to operate for many years to come. Built in 1875 by Baldwin, the three- foot-gauge Glenbrook, along with its
Rare B&O Bobber Restored at Monticello
Volunteers at the Monticello Railway Museum in Monticello, Ill., have completed the refurbishment of a rare 105-year-old “bobber” caboose of Baltimore & Ohio heritage. The caboose was donated to the museum 33 years ago by a private owner from the Chicago area who had the car displayed in his backyard as a playhouse for his daughters. The Class K-1 caboose was built in 1910 by the B&O and was transferred to the B&O Chicago Terminal in 1927, at which time it was renumbered as B&OCT C1735. It was retired in 1954. The only other operating K-1 is found on the Cass Scenic Railroad in West Virginia.
PHOTO BY DWIGHT JONES
16 AUGUST 2015 •
RAILFAN.COM
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