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(erielack) Re: New steam in the USA

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    I guess when I think of steam, I normally think of US types of
locomotives. I read your note after I sent mine.
    Speaking of steam, I'm looking forward to a trip from Sugarcreek to
Morgan Run on the Ohio Central again tomorrow. My wife Dorinda and I have
taken a few trips in that area in the past. We've always been pulled by
steam, at least on the trip out. They usually run diesels back, but that's
good. I have a picture of the headlight of one of their F units, from about
a foot away. They were pushing us and a friend and I went all the way to the
back, and took some shots. Very cool.
    I still remember my first run out of Sugarcreek behind a Consolidation,
about seven years ago. I don't think OC still has that engine, but I'll
never forget it...........
By the way, pardon the shots. Cheap camera, overcast day. I heard there may
be rain tomorrow........that won't stop us.

Tom

- ----- Original Message -----
From: <MDelvec952_@_aol.com>
To: <tsterpka_@_mindspring.com>; <unionville_flyer@nyswths.org>;
<erielack_@_lists.railfan.net>
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2004 11:14 PM
Subject: New steam in the USA


In a message dated 9/30/04 8:23:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
tsterpka_@_mindspring.com writes:

> I saw that on an RFD TV show on Chinese Steam, if you can believe
>  it.......the boat carrying the originally ordered engine sunk. Am I
>  mistaken, or was that the first new steam engine purchased in the US
since
>  the late '40's-early '50's?

My note last night described the sequence of this flurry of new steam in the
USA; the sunken Susie 141 was fourth of four engines. The Valley Railroad
1647, today's Susie 142, was the first of the new engines to run in the USA.

But there's always a discussion among the steam historians about "new steam
engine purchased in the US...," using your words.  Various new locomotives
have
been bought and built for use in the U.S. of different gauges.  Two
examples:
The Mount Washington Cog has built, I think, four or five new locomotives,
basically renewing its entire fleet from 1869.  The two Golden Spike
National
Historic Site engines at Promontory are all-new, standard gauge, and operate
almost daily.

The flurry of patriotism that followed the first Gulf War caused several
orders for Chinese engines to be dropped, including 2-10-2s and 2-8-2s and
4-6-2s.
A couple of buyers restored existing engines (Ohio Central comes to mind,
and
there were others), and far more just dropped their plans. The proposed
Missouri & Northern Arkansas had planned to build an all-new railroad in the
Ozarks
(some of it partially on the original M&NA right of way) related to Branson,
Missouri, and had planned to purchase a fleet of Chinese 2-8-2s.

It would be fun to build a brand new American-prototype steam locomotive,
but
efforts to do so couldn't get past the decision on which one.  England
settled on a missing class of 4-6-2, and is fundraising to built a second.

                        ....Mike

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