Colebrookedale Acquires ex-CN Steamer

A Pennsylvania tourist railroad has acquired a steam locomotive from a Tennessee museum.,

Former Canadian National 4-6-2 No. 5288 has been at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum for two decades but will move within the coming weeks to the Colebrookedale Railroad.

Colebookedale officials say they hope to someday restore the 5288 to operating condition.

The railroad has two other steam locomotives in its collections that it also hopes to restore to operating condition.

The Colebrookedale is based in Boyertown, Pennsylvania, located northwest of Philadelphia.

The 5288 was built for the Grand Trunk in 1919 and later would up in the collection of Steamtown when it was owned and operated by F. Nelson Blount. The TVRM acquired the 5288 in 2001.

The other two steams in the Colebrookedale collection are Grand Trunk Western 4-6-2 No. 5030 and Lake Superior & Ishpeming 2-8-0 No. 18. 

Cass Steam Parade Set for June 17

The 2023 parade of steam locomotives on the West Virginia-based Cass Scenic Railroad has been set for June 17.

Six Cass steamers are slated to roll past the historic Cass depot, including Climax No. 9 and Shays Nos. 2, 4, 5, 6, and 11 during the free event.

The lineup is subject to all locomotives being operational at the tie the event. Officials said it will be the fourth parade of steam held at Cass.

The schedule calls for the locomotives to begin arriving at 9:30 a.m. and the parade getting underway at 10 a.m.

Special trains will run at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. along the newly reopened Greenbrier River line as far as Wanless Run over an 8-mile, 1-hour round trip.

Tickets for the specials are $30 for ages 4 and older and free for ages 3 and younger. More information is available at casstrain.com.

EBT No. 15 Next up for Restoration

Pennsylvania tourist railroad East Broad Top said the next steam locomotive that is expected to be restored to operating condition will be 2-8-2 No. 15.

The locomotive last ran in 2011. It was built in 1914.

In February the EBT operated 2-8-2 No. 16 following the completion of its restoration.

No timeline for the restoration of No. 15 has been announced, but officials hope restoration work can begin this year.

EBT has six 2-8-2 steam locomotives and it hopes to eventually restore all of them to operating condition.

Steam Saturday: Viscose No. 6 on the AC&J

Here are some of my favorites of Viscose 0-4-4 saddletank No. 6 and Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson No. 107 during the steam excursion event of Aug. 30 and 31, 2008.

No. 6 was built by Baldwin in September 1924 for the American Viscose Company of Roanoke, Virginia.

In 1960 it was sold to the Gem City Iron & Metal Company of Pulaski, Virginia. In September 2004 it was purchased my Scott Symans of Dunkirk, New York, and restored to operating condition.

AC&J 107 is an Alco S2 switcher built in June 1950 as Nickel Plate Road No. 45. It became Norfolk & Western No. 2045 after the 1964 merger of the NKP and N&W.

The Fairport, Painesville & Eastern purchased it in February 1968 and it became their No. 107. The AC&J acquired it in June 1984.

Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

AoSRM Takes Delivery of ‘Camelback’ Locomotive

The Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum in Sugarcreek this week completed delivery of a rare Reading Railroad “Camelback” steam locomotive.

No. 1187 is the 23rd steam locomotive acquired by AoSRM and one of only three Camelbacks still existing.

The museum acquired the locomotive during a closed bid auction conducted by the Strasburg Rail Road.

The locomotive and its tender were moved to Ohio by truck. A third truck carrying parts is expected to arrive on Wednesday.

“This Reading 0-4-0 Camelback is a unique, unusual and significant type of steam locomotive that is a welcome addition to the Age of Steam Roundhouse,” said William Strawn, chairman of the board of directors of the Jerry and Laura Jacobson Foundation.

“This tiny switch engine rolled on just 4 driving wheels and was able to negotiate tight curves to move railroad cars at factories or waterfront docks,” he said.

Built in 1903, No. 1187 was the last Camelback used in regular freight railroad service before its 1962 retirement. It last operated under steam in 1967.

The locomotive began service as a Philadelphia & Reading Railroad 0-4-0 steam switcher that was specially designed to burn the smokeless anthracite “hard coal” mined in eastern Pennsylvania.

Camelbacks needed a special, wider firebox to burn anthracite coal with its lower heating value than found in other types of coal.

Consequently, engineers operated the locomotive inside a separate cab mounted on top of the boiler.

It was this hump-back appearance resembling the desert-dwelling animal that gave rise to their nickname, “Camelback.” Firemen shoveled coal into the wide firebox in the usual manner, but from their own small, open-sided cab located at the back of the locomotive.

“Even though No. 1187 appears in rough shape, AoSRM has all of its parts except for its wood cab that has rotted away,” said Tim Sposato, chief mechanical Officer at AoSRM.

“Luckily, included with the locomotive’s purchase is the original drawing of No. 1187’s cab. That will be a huge help in AoSRM’s cosmetic restoration of this rare little switcher.”