Branch Line News for 10/14/19

By Patrick Webb
Rail preservation is like a big city: it never sleeps, and there’s always something going on. Welcome to the second edition of Branch Line News: your source for summarized train related news stories.

S&D Track Fund Appeal
The Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust, who run excursions on a part of the historic Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway, according to their website, recently received a donation from Network Rail. Network Rail donated redundant track materials to the Trust; including “over 140 concrete sleepers and 14 x 60ft panels of track.” The S&D Trust announced on their Facebook page that they plan to use the materials for “further siding space and engineering facilities,” according to their Facebook post.
The S&D Trust explained that they have to act quickly to retrieve the items, and estimate the transportation cost to be £15,000 or approximately $18,000 US dollars. A S&D Trust member has already donated £1,200 towards the transportation cost. The S&D Trust are currently asking for donations to help raise funds for the transportation. Anyone who wishes to donate can visit the S&D Trust’s fundraising page, www.sdjr.co.uk/fundraising 
Ivatt Diesel Recreation Society Mobile Workshop
Want to attend a workshop, on a train? You can with the Ivatt Diesel Recreation Society! 
The Ivatt Society, whose goal is to build a replica of No. 10000, the first mainline diesel built in the UK, announced recently on their Facebook page the details of their December workshop. Beginning on December 6th, the workshop will be held on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway in one of their diesel multiple units, named Iris. Seats for the opening workshop are on a first come, first serve basis.
Owl Canyon Railway Track 3/4th Completed
The Owl Canyon Railway, a private 15 inch gauge railway located near Wellington, Colorado, recently announced they had laid 3/4th of their track. The Owl Canyon Railway released a 4 minute video onto their Facebook page showing one of their engines running around the track.  According to the Owl Canyon Railway’s website, they have 1,400 feet of track. According to an earlier post, the Owl Canyon Railway team laid 80 feet of track in 6 hours.
The 15” railway is currently not open to the public, but you can message them for a private visit. The Owl Canyon Railway is powered by a C. P. Huntington 4-2-4 diesel locomotive named the Owl Canyon Cannonball, and four former Royal Gorge Scenic Railway locomotives, which the Owl Canyon Railway purchased to help save the equipment from being scrapped after the line shut down. The Royal George Scenic Railway purchase also included 24 riding cars, ballast car, flat car, and nearly 2,000 feet of rail. 

The Owl Canyon Railway hope to open as a miniature railway museum to the public and as a club, allowing members to bring their 15 inch gauge rail equipment to operate on the line. The Owl Canyon Railway can be found on Facebook, where they provide regular updates on their progress. 
IRM Coach Appeal reaches $10,000
The Illinois Railroad Museum, who preserve railroad equipment ranging from steam, diesel and electric, recently announced an update for their 126 Coach Appeal. Milwaukee Road 126, currently located in Chamberlin, South Dakota, has been donated to the IRM, located in Union, Illinois. To escure 126’s future, the IRM needs $25,000 to transport the coach by rail.
According to an update from the IRM Coach Department Facebook page, over $10,000 has been raised thanks to a generous donation by IRM member Evan Johnson, who doubled the funds. $8,270 has been raised on the IRM’s website donation page for the 126 Coach Appeal. 
126 was built in 1948 for the Milwaukee Road as a 48 seating diner, according to the IRM’s website. In 1964, 126 was rebuilt into a counter-service style diner. The coach worked into Amtrak days until it was sold to a private owner in 1971, who donated 126 to the IRM. 
126, according to the IRM’s website, will fill a gap in their dining car collection. $15,000 is still needed to raise all the necessary funds for 126’s transportation. If you wish to donate towards the IRM’s fundraiser, you can visit their website here: www.irm.org/donations/milwaukee-road-126/?fbclid=IwAR0rWocbuOYIZ3lFIPIGzMHUMrtdFBLsXFrkUgdxjKI943-Tx5aS-T6xcuc
Conclusion
That concludes this week’s Branchline News. Have an idea for a story? Let us know on our new Twitter account, @OcasionalExp, or on Facebook, @TheOccasionalExpress.

Sources: 
“126 Coach Appeal.” Illinois Railway Museum.


Ivatt Diesel Re-Creation Society.
Owl Canyon Railway. Facebook Post. 3rd October, 2019. www.facebook.com/OwlCanyonRailway/posts/1268719399964362 
Owl Canyon Railway. Facebook Post. 13 October, 2019. www.facebook.com/OwlCanyonRailway/videos/940497239669481/ 
“Owl Canyon Railway Progress & Updates.” Owl Canyon Railway. http://owlcanyonrailway.com/rgsr.html

Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust

 www.facebook.com/somersetanddorsetrailway/posts/3633946806631231



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