Everett Converts Steamer Back to Fuel Oil

A Pennsylvania-based short line has converted a steam locomotive to use fuel oil rather than coal.

The Everett Railroad said using fuel oil in 2-6-0 No. 11 would improve its performance.

Built by the Cooke Works of the American Locomotive Company, No. 11 was restored to operating condition in 2015.

No. 11 was once a fuel oil-burning locomotive before being converted to coal burning.

In a news release, EMW Solutions, which did engineering and design work for the drafting changes in the locomotive’s smokebox, said the locomotive received a new exhaust nozzle and petticoat extension.

The consulting firm also helped the Everett perform in its own shop firebox and firepan modifications.

The Everett also constructed a new oil tank for No. 11, while Stockton Locomotive Works provided a burner, firing valve quadrant and emergency oil shutoff.

Chasing Steam, Amtrak, NS in Pennsylvania

Here are a few are a few highlights from this past weekend. Jeff [Troutman] and myself left about 2:30 p.m. on Friday. Since I drove I made reservations for a Microtel in Clarion, Pennsylvania. We got there about 5:15 p.m.

I wanted to be on the road by 7 a.m. Saturday so we would get to Summerhill to get Amtrak No. 42 since it would depart Johnstown at 9:03 a.m.

Breakfast started at 6:30 a.m., which was perfect. But ice and fogged up windows from overnight delayed our departure by 20 minutes.

Jeff kept checking Julie as we were heading on Pennsylvania Route 219. We were on the far bridge and guess who was about to go under us.

I knew it was P42DC engine No. 86 on head end. And exactly like Agent 86 Maxwell Smart we missed it by that much.

As you can see in photo No. 1 the lighting was perfect of the empty tracks.

Photo No. 2 is of the Everett steam train at Brook Mills on the line heading to Roaring Spring.

Photo No. 3 is at Roaring Spring. There are two photo lines including the road crossing where I shot last September with the station and the Pennsylvania Railroad caboose.

Where I am and looking down to my right I was amazed at what I saw that I never noticed twice last September and last May: A double semaphore turned with slight foliage somewhat hiding it.

Photo 5 shows Everett No. 11 on the return trip from Martinsburg at Route 36 just southeast of Roaring Spring.

After eating lunch we went to Tyrone, Pennsylvania, where we photographed the cabooses located on what used to be the east leg of the wye.

The beautiful stone memorial is in a park between the cabooses and the station.

Saturday afternoon found us in Fostoria, Pennsylvania, along the Pittsburgh Line of Norfolk Southern. This time Amtrak did not elude us.

On Sunday morning it was back to Fostoria to catch Amtrak No. 42 passing beneath the PRR position light signals.

We then spent a little over three hours at Horseshoe Curve before heading home. We saw eight trains and two helper movements.

What was unusual was that the first three trains were two eastbound loaded coal hoppers and one empty hopper train.

Again, the weather was perfect and it was tough to leave.

Article and Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

 

 

Roaring Into Roaring Springs

Akron Railroad Club members Ed Ribinskas and Jeff Troutman traveled to central Pennsylvania to chase the Everett Railroad’s steam locomotive. It is shown above coming into Roaring Springs.

Photographs by Jeff Troutman

Ed’s Trip to Pennsylvania (Part 2)

Everett Railroad No. 11 crossing the Little Juniata after departing Hollidaysburg.

After spending some time catching Amtrak and Norfolk Southern trains in downtown Altoona, we motored out to the Everett Railroad where we rode and chased.

After the train arrived at Roaring Springs, I drove back to Duncansville to an antique mall to check out the Alto Model Railroad, which is open on Saturday and Sunday. It was worth it with all scales represented with fabulous operating layouts.

Afterwards it was back to the Everett where the train returned and we got No. 11 heading to the wye to be turned.

Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

Passing through Roaring Spring.

At Roaring Spring.

Nearing Martinsburg in the first of a two photo sequence. I talked with Jerry Jordak at this spot. He was chasing, also, then working his way to the Penn Central Historical Society Convention in Harrisburg.

Turning the locomotive on the wye.

Just west of Martinsburg on the return.

Arriving at Roaring Spring for water and ice cream stop.

Heading to the wye on the old Pennsy main, which used to head toward old Muleshoe Curve.

Heading into the wye. This track goes north to Altoona to connect at Alto tower.

Ed Journeys to the Everett Railroad Again

Owen (left) and Karl pose with Everett No. 11 in Holidaysburg, Pennsylvania.

On May 20, Akron Railroad Club member Ed Ribinskas along with his brother-in-law Karl and his son Owen (Ed’s nephew) did an all-day trip to railfan in Pennsylvania. Today’s installment focuses on their visit to the Everett Railroad where they chased and photographed two trips.

Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

The first of three images made of the train in Hollidaysburg.

 

Switching at Brooks Mills

At West Loop Road

Nearing Monastery Road.

Crossing Pennsylvania Route 36 north of Roaring Spring.

At Roaring Spring.

 

In Search of Keystone State Steam: 3

Everett Railroad No. 11 passes Loop Road.

Last in a series

No sooner did Ed Ribinskas return from a four-day weekend in search of steam in eastern Pennsylvania, but he was on the road again to capture steam on the Everett Railroad in central Pennsylvania.

Based in Hollidaysburg near Altoona, the Everett like the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern that Ed had chased a week earlier, is a short-line freight railroad that also operates steam locomotives.

Ed and fellow Akron Railroad Club member Jeff Troutman spent the weekend of Oct. 15-16 chasing Everett’s 2-6-0 Mogul-type steamer while also spending time on Horseshoe Curve.

He was able to get No. 11 in Holidaysburg and at such intermediate points as along Loop Road, at Kladder and crossing the Little Juniata River.

Everett No. 11 was built in 1920 by Alco’s Cooke Works in Patterson, New Jersey.

Built by Alco with an eye toward export to Cuba, No. 11 never made it to the island nation and instead worked for the Narragansett Pier Railroad in Rhode Island.

It later worked in New York state before being retired in 1949. It had a series of owners before winding up on the Everett Railroad in 2006.

It was stored for a time on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad before being restored to operating condition.

It returned to operation in October 2015.

Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

 

Everett Railroad No. 11 is in Service

This past Sunday I went to Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, to chase the Everett Railroad No. 11.  No. 11 is a restored Baldwin 2-6-0 just coming off an 11 year rebuild.

Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate as it went from cloudy to sunny to overcast and windy back to sun then freezing sleeting rain and then more sun.

It was not a long chase, perhaps 10 miles or so, but I did manage to get a few good photos.

Article and Photographs by Todd Dillon