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& Washington Coach Returns Home
Waynesburg The Greene County Historical Society
of Waynesburg, Pa., has reacquired a narrow gauge coach that once operated on Waynesburg & Washington Railroad, a 28-mile local short line. The wooden car, W&W No. 6, was built along with a sister coach, No. 5, in 1892 by Jackson & Sharp. It served its entire working life on the W&W, which eventually became a three-foot-gauge subsidiary of Pennsylvania Railroad. It’s been more than 70 years since
No. 6 was last used in revenue service. Passenger runs on W&W ended in 1929, and the railroad itself passed into history in 1933. In 1930, coach 6 was sold to the Attapulgus Clay Company in Georgia for use as a private residence, and its sister car was burned. Fortunately, W&W’s last steam locomotive, 2-6-0 No. 4 (later PRR 9684), was preserved by the Pennsylvania Railroad and given to Greene County Historical Society in 1958; the locomotive was displayed for a time at the local fairgrounds, and then in 1972 was moved to the society’s new museum site in Waynesburg. Locomotive 4 was restored to operation on the museum grounds in 1978, and coach 6 was brought back from Georgia and added to the collection in 1985. A planned restoration of the car never materialized, and in 1995 the dilapidated carbody was sold to Connecticut Antique Machinery Association (CAMA) and moved to its show grounds in Kent, Conn., for restoration. CAMA recently decided that No. 6 was surplus to its collection and offered it for sale. When no one came forth to purchase the car, it
was offered free to a good home. Last year, Greene County Historical
Society completed the construction of an engine house to protect and exhibit locomotive No. 4 (it last steamed in 1985). With plenty of space inside for coach 6, society members felt that the time was right to bring the car back home. In mid-August, No. 6 left Connecticut for the 500-mile trip back to Waynesburg; it was offloaded at the museum on August 17. The society estimates that it will cost around $100,000 to restore it to its original appearance, which will include the acquisition of replacement trucks. Its interior was once fitted with walkover seats, a coal stove for heat, and oil chandelier for lighting, some of which will have to be replicated. One unique feature of the W&W is that it used Eames vacuum brakes; locomotive No. 4 is still fitted with its original Eames brake system. Together, Locomotive No. 4 and coach
No. 6 are the only surviving pieces of equipment from Waynesburg & Washington.
Successful Test For Southern Pacific No. 18
Southern Pacific 2-8-0 No. 18 was successfully test-fired on August 21 at Dehy Park in Independence, Calif. The narrow gauge Consolidation, built by Baldwin in 1911 for the Nevada- California-Oregon Railway and used after 1928 by Southern Pacific, has been undergoing restoration by the 501(c)3 nonprofit Carson & Colorado Railway since 2010. Randy Babcock, Carson & Colorado’s
Vice President and Chief Mechanical Officer, says that the steam test went
well with no leaks or any other issues encountered. The locomotive’s boiler, which is oil-fired, has been completely refurbished and new flues installed. It was brought up to a pressure of 157 p.s.i. before the safety valves lifted — according to Babcock, the first time the boiler has been at its working pressure since Southern Pacific fired No. 18 for the last time during August 1954 (the boiler was steam-tested prior to restoration in January 2001, but only to 50 p.s.i.). Carson & Colorado hopes to have the restoration completed by mid-2016. With major boiler and wheel work completed, attention has turned to the running gear — new rod brasses will be machined and installed, and the valve timing will be set. Air brake equipment, including new air reservoirs, will also be installed. For more information, visit the web site at
carsoncolorado.com.
DSP&P Como Depot Restored
The Denver, South Park & Pacific Historical Society recently completed the restoration of the former DSP&P Como, Colo., depot, which it has been working to preserve since 2008. Last used in 1937, the structure is located in Como’s South Park National Heritage Area, which also includes Como’s original DSP&P roundhouse and railroad hotel; all three structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The structure was stabilized, raised, and leveled; the windows and sashes, roof, and chimney were repaired; and the exterior was repainted. The depot was unveiled during Boras Pass Railroad Day on August 22.
B&O Museum
Two days before their official debut and rededication at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, newly restored Baltimore & Ohio GP30 No. 6944 pushes its newly-restored sister exhibit, B&O 2-6-0 No. 600 J.C. Davis, towards the Museum’s roundhouse on the morning of September 2. The 600 was one of the 22 locomotives and railcars that were severely damaged by the roundhouse roof collapse during the President’s Day blizzard of 2003, and is the last of the vintage steam locomotives to be restored since the collapse.
PHOTO BY SANDY MITCHELL
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