Branch Line News for 10/21/19 (Updated)
By Patrick Webb
Welcome to Branch Line News, your source for summarized news in the rail community. Pull out your tickets, for this Branch Line News we're going to be travelling to several different locations.
WW&F Bridge Extension Completed
The Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway, (WW&F) Museum, founded in 1989 to restore the line of the original WW&F which ran from 1894 until 1933, according to their website, recently reached a big achievement towards their goal.
The WW&F Museum announced on their Facebook page that they completed their line across Trout Brook. Trout Brook Bridge, called Carleton Brook in its working days, runs along Route 218.
A different bridge, running across Moose Brook for the Boston & Maine Railroad, was reused for the WW&F. Set on fire in 2004 by arsonists, the bridge was restored. The new Trout Brook bridge is a "Howe Boxed Pony Truss bridge, one of only eight surviving examples of such a design in North America," according to the WW&F's website.
On October 13, 2019, WW&F No. 9, the last surviving original WW&F locomotive, crossed across the rails of the completed bridge. Museum volunteers worked to complete the line the weekend before. On board the train was the Spirit Railcar, a model coach making it's way around the world, and has been to the UK and on board the Flying Scotsman, according to the WW&F. More information and photos of the construction can be found here:
www.facebook.com/WWFRailway/photos/pcb.10156880448401871/10156880437931871/?type=3&theater
www.facebook.com/WWFRailway/posts/10156895456796871
B&LE 643 Tender Arrives
Following up on a previous Branch Line News story, the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum relased photos on their social media accounts showing the movement of B&LE 643 "The King's" tender being transported to from Pennsylvania to their museum in Ohio.
643 is being transported in parts, and the tender was one of the first sections to be sent Ohio. Age of Steam transported The King's tender by road, and carefully returned the tender to it's wheels onsite. No. 643's tender is currently sitting in the Age of Steam's shop, waiting to be reunited with her engine.
B&LE 643 was recently acquired by Age of Steam, after concerns for the engine's safety rose up. You can read more about Age of Steam's acquisition of 643 here: https://theoccasionalexpress.blogspot.com/2019/09/branch-line-news-for-9919-3801-l-coach.html
Washington Park & Zoo Railway National Register of Historic Places Nomination Moves Forward
The Washington Park & Zoo Railway's fight to save their entire route outside of the park just got a big boost of support. The WP&ZRy's line used to run through Washington Park until 2013, according to their website, when they learned some wooden retaining walls were beginning to rot. In 2015, a landslide compromised the line.
The WP&ZRy now only runs a short 6 minute route within the park. The Oregon Parks Department is considering turning the line into a trail. In response, the Friends of The Washington Park & Zoo Railway was formed.
The Friends of the WP&ZRy have worked hard to preserve the line. A change.org petition created by the organization currently has 27,269 Signatures and counting.
Recently the Friends of the WP&ZRy helped the Zoo line to register it for the National Register of Historic Places. According to the Friends on Facebook, Oregon Metro released a 60 page rebuttal to the nomination, and they asked for supporters to email in. The efforts of the Friend of the seemed to work, friends declared victory when The State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation voted to nominate the entire 2 mile line for the National Register of Historic Places.
This does not protect the line from being pulled up, but is a benefit and will provide more support for preservation efforts. Donations towards the preservation efforts of WP&ZRy's can be made on the Friends' website at www.fwpzr.org via Paypal.
UPDATE: (After this article was published, the Oregon Zoo reached out to us with a comment, we apologize if anyone missed this important detail, and if we appeared to be biased regarding the Washington Park Zoo situation).
According to Hova Najarian, Oregon Zoo Communications Manager, Metro "is urging the commission to consider the two portions separately since almost all the train elements inside the zoo were reconstructed in conjunction with the recent Elephant Lands and Education Center projects, and are less than 10 years old."
L&N 152 Boiler Test Lifted
Lots of work is going on with the steam engines of the Kentucky Railroad Museum, formed in 1948 as a local chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society, according to the KRM's website. The KRM's largest steam locomotive is Chesapeake & Ohio 2716, a 2-8-4 Kanawa leased the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation, who will restore the engine to operation.
The flagship steam locomotive, and the subject of this segment of Branch Line News Edition, is Louisville & Nashville 152. Built in 1905 at the Roger Locomotives Works, 152 is a 4-6-2 Pacific. Donated by the L&N to what would become the KRM in 1954, L&N 152 would later be restored to operation, making her unique as one of the only L&N steam locomotives to be preserved.
L&N 152 is a special locomotive. She is the official steam locomotive of Kentucky and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, according to the KRM's Equipment page. Usually, 152 is run on "selected weekends during the summer and fall."
Currently, the KRM's 152 crew is working to restore the engine to operation. According to the 152 Crew's Page on the KRM website, 152 needs boiler and running gear work completed to restore her to operation.
To help with the restoration, L&N 152's boiler is being sent to the Strasburg Railroad, who will restore it, according to the 152 Crew's Facebook page. On October 20th, 2019, the 152 Crew announced on their Facebook page that 152's boiler lift test was successful. 152's boiler was lifted using the KRM's historic cranes.
The KRM was not just working on 152, the same day they were hosting 800 automobiles for their 8th annual car show, while operating their normal Saturday excursions. It goes to show that the KRM, like a large city, is never sleeping. You can see photos of 152's boiler lift on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/LouisvilleandNashville152/posts/1719782988155039
Donations can be made online at the 152 Crew's website page here: www.kyrail.org/restore-the-ln-152 If you are nearby, the 152 Crew encourages anyone who wants to help to volunteer at the KRM.
Webb Coal Tank To Be Withdrawn
Our last story of this week's Branch Line News takes us to England, for news of the with drawl of the last Webb Coal Tank.
London North Western Coal Tank No. 1054, built in 188, is the only member of its class to be preserved, it is owned by the National Trust and in the care of the Bahamas Locomotive Society, named after their main locomotive Bahamas, an LMS Jubilee, according to the latter's website. No. 1054 worked for the London North Western, London, Midland & Scottish Railway and British Railways, the latter withdrew it in 1958.
The Bahamas Locomotive Society announced on Facebook on October 18, 2019 that No. 1054 will be withdrawn from service, following a "discovery of leaky boiler tubes earlier in the year, which were fixed, however made it apparent that boiler work was needed," according to the post. Following her withdrawl, the Bahamas Locomotive Society plan to restore the engine to operation. The Bahamas Locomotive Society said the engine is in good condition, and expect overhaul to take 18 months to 2 years.
The goal is to restore 1054 to operation in time celebrate the centenary of the merger of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway with the London & North Western Railway in 2022. No. 1054's farewell steaming will be held at Ingrow Run on November 3rd, with brake van rides, as a "farewell for now."
Conclusion
From Maine, Oregon, Ohio, Kentucky and to the UK, the rail preservation community is moving forward with projects. From moving giant locomotives to rebuilding a narrow gauge line, while trying to save another, rail preservationists around the world persevere on.
Thank you for reading this week's Branch Line News. If you wish to keep up with us, consider following us on Facebook, @TheOccasionalExpress, and Twitter, @OcasionalExp.
Sources:
Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum
Facebook Post. 18 October, 2019.
www.facebook.com/ageofsteamroundhouse/photos/a.2123154654416708/2575507529181416/?type=3&theater
Facebook Post. 19 October, 2019.
www.facebook.com/ageofsteamroundhouse/photos/a.2123154654416708/2577848525613983/?type=3&theater
Bahamas Locomotive Society
"Bahamas." Bahamas Locomotive Society. http://ingrowlocomuseum.com/?page_id=11
Facebook Post. 18 October, 2019.
https://facebook.com/IngrowLoco/photos/a.245016236164243/409354033063795/?type=3&theater
"Locomotive 1054." Bahamas Locomotive Society.
http://ingrowlocomuseum.com/?page_id=13
Friends of the Washington Park & Zoo Railway. www.fwpzr.org
Crew 152
Facebook Post. 20 October, 2019.
www.facebook.com/LouisvilleandNashville152/posts/1719782988155039
Kentucky Railroad Museum
"Equipment." Kentucky Railroad Museum. www.kyrail.org/equipment
"History of the Kentucky Railroad Museum." Kentucky Railroad Museum. www.kyrail.org/history
Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation
"About." Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation. www.kentuckysteam.org/krh
Oregon Zoo. "Washington Park & Zoo Railway."
www.oregonzoo.org/visit/washington-park-and-zoo-railway
"Save the Washington Park & Zoo Railway." Change.org. Friends of the WP&ZRy.
www.change.org/p/save-the-washington-park-and-zoo-railway
Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum
wwwfry.org
Facebook Post. 18 October, 2019.
www.facebook.com/WWFRailway/photos/pcb.10156880448401871/10156880437931871/?type=3&theater
Facebook Post. 19 October, 2019.
www.facebook.com/WWFRailway/photos/pcb.10156880448401871/10156880437931871/?type=3&theater
"No. 9." Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Museum. wwfry.org/?page_id=287#loco-9
Welcome to Branch Line News, your source for summarized news in the rail community. Pull out your tickets, for this Branch Line News we're going to be travelling to several different locations.
WW&F Bridge Extension Completed
The Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway, (WW&F) Museum, founded in 1989 to restore the line of the original WW&F which ran from 1894 until 1933, according to their website, recently reached a big achievement towards their goal.
The WW&F Museum announced on their Facebook page that they completed their line across Trout Brook. Trout Brook Bridge, called Carleton Brook in its working days, runs along Route 218.
A different bridge, running across Moose Brook for the Boston & Maine Railroad, was reused for the WW&F. Set on fire in 2004 by arsonists, the bridge was restored. The new Trout Brook bridge is a "Howe Boxed Pony Truss bridge, one of only eight surviving examples of such a design in North America," according to the WW&F's website.
On October 13, 2019, WW&F No. 9, the last surviving original WW&F locomotive, crossed across the rails of the completed bridge. Museum volunteers worked to complete the line the weekend before. On board the train was the Spirit Railcar, a model coach making it's way around the world, and has been to the UK and on board the Flying Scotsman, according to the WW&F. More information and photos of the construction can be found here:
www.facebook.com/WWFRailway/photos/pcb.10156880448401871/10156880437931871/?type=3&theater
www.facebook.com/WWFRailway/posts/10156895456796871
B&LE 643 Tender Arrives
Following up on a previous Branch Line News story, the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum relased photos on their social media accounts showing the movement of B&LE 643 "The King's" tender being transported to from Pennsylvania to their museum in Ohio.
643 is being transported in parts, and the tender was one of the first sections to be sent Ohio. Age of Steam transported The King's tender by road, and carefully returned the tender to it's wheels onsite. No. 643's tender is currently sitting in the Age of Steam's shop, waiting to be reunited with her engine.
B&LE 643 was recently acquired by Age of Steam, after concerns for the engine's safety rose up. You can read more about Age of Steam's acquisition of 643 here: https://theoccasionalexpress.blogspot.com/2019/09/branch-line-news-for-9919-3801-l-coach.html
Washington Park & Zoo Railway National Register of Historic Places Nomination Moves Forward
The Washington Park & Zoo Railway's fight to save their entire route outside of the park just got a big boost of support. The WP&ZRy's line used to run through Washington Park until 2013, according to their website, when they learned some wooden retaining walls were beginning to rot. In 2015, a landslide compromised the line.
 |
| The Zooliner, one of the WP&ZRy's most famous engines. By Steve Morgan - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14768413 |
The WP&ZRy now only runs a short 6 minute route within the park. The Oregon Parks Department is considering turning the line into a trail. In response, the Friends of The Washington Park & Zoo Railway was formed.
The Friends of the WP&ZRy have worked hard to preserve the line. A change.org petition created by the organization currently has 27,269 Signatures and counting.
Recently the Friends of the WP&ZRy helped the Zoo line to register it for the National Register of Historic Places. According to the Friends on Facebook, Oregon Metro released a 60 page rebuttal to the nomination, and they asked for supporters to email in. The efforts of the Friend of the seemed to work, friends declared victory when The State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation voted to nominate the entire 2 mile line for the National Register of Historic Places.
This does not protect the line from being pulled up, but is a benefit and will provide more support for preservation efforts. Donations towards the preservation efforts of WP&ZRy's can be made on the Friends' website at www.fwpzr.org via Paypal.
UPDATE: (After this article was published, the Oregon Zoo reached out to us with a comment, we apologize if anyone missed this important detail, and if we appeared to be biased regarding the Washington Park Zoo situation).
According to Hova Najarian, Oregon Zoo Communications Manager, Metro "is urging the commission to consider the two portions separately since almost all the train elements inside the zoo were reconstructed in conjunction with the recent Elephant Lands and Education Center projects, and are less than 10 years old."
L&N 152 Boiler Test Lifted
Lots of work is going on with the steam engines of the Kentucky Railroad Museum, formed in 1948 as a local chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society, according to the KRM's website. The KRM's largest steam locomotive is Chesapeake & Ohio 2716, a 2-8-4 Kanawa leased the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation, who will restore the engine to operation.
The flagship steam locomotive, and the subject of this segment of Branch Line News Edition, is Louisville & Nashville 152. Built in 1905 at the Roger Locomotives Works, 152 is a 4-6-2 Pacific. Donated by the L&N to what would become the KRM in 1954, L&N 152 would later be restored to operation, making her unique as one of the only L&N steam locomotives to be preserved.
 |
| L&N 152 running at the KRM. Source: By Grantadria152 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15403640 |
Currently, the KRM's 152 crew is working to restore the engine to operation. According to the 152 Crew's Page on the KRM website, 152 needs boiler and running gear work completed to restore her to operation.
To help with the restoration, L&N 152's boiler is being sent to the Strasburg Railroad, who will restore it, according to the 152 Crew's Facebook page. On October 20th, 2019, the 152 Crew announced on their Facebook page that 152's boiler lift test was successful. 152's boiler was lifted using the KRM's historic cranes.
The KRM was not just working on 152, the same day they were hosting 800 automobiles for their 8th annual car show, while operating their normal Saturday excursions. It goes to show that the KRM, like a large city, is never sleeping. You can see photos of 152's boiler lift on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/LouisvilleandNashville152/posts/1719782988155039
Donations can be made online at the 152 Crew's website page here: www.kyrail.org/restore-the-ln-152 If you are nearby, the 152 Crew encourages anyone who wants to help to volunteer at the KRM.
Webb Coal Tank To Be Withdrawn
Our last story of this week's Branch Line News takes us to England, for news of the with drawl of the last Webb Coal Tank.
London North Western Coal Tank No. 1054, built in 188, is the only member of its class to be preserved, it is owned by the National Trust and in the care of the Bahamas Locomotive Society, named after their main locomotive Bahamas, an LMS Jubilee, according to the latter's website. No. 1054 worked for the London North Western, London, Midland & Scottish Railway and British Railways, the latter withdrew it in 1958.
The Bahamas Locomotive Society announced on Facebook on October 18, 2019 that No. 1054 will be withdrawn from service, following a "discovery of leaky boiler tubes earlier in the year, which were fixed, however made it apparent that boiler work was needed," according to the post. Following her withdrawl, the Bahamas Locomotive Society plan to restore the engine to operation. The Bahamas Locomotive Society said the engine is in good condition, and expect overhaul to take 18 months to 2 years.
 |
| No. 1054 running in preservation. Source: By David Ingham from Bury, Lancashire, England - 02799Uploaded by oxyman, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7043330 |
The goal is to restore 1054 to operation in time celebrate the centenary of the merger of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway with the London & North Western Railway in 2022. No. 1054's farewell steaming will be held at Ingrow Run on November 3rd, with brake van rides, as a "farewell for now."
Conclusion
From Maine, Oregon, Ohio, Kentucky and to the UK, the rail preservation community is moving forward with projects. From moving giant locomotives to rebuilding a narrow gauge line, while trying to save another, rail preservationists around the world persevere on.
Thank you for reading this week's Branch Line News. If you wish to keep up with us, consider following us on Facebook, @TheOccasionalExpress, and Twitter, @OcasionalExp.
Sources:
Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum
Facebook Post. 18 October, 2019.
www.facebook.com/ageofsteamroundhouse/photos/a.2123154654416708/2575507529181416/?type=3&theater
Facebook Post. 19 October, 2019.
www.facebook.com/ageofsteamroundhouse/photos/a.2123154654416708/2577848525613983/?type=3&theater
Bahamas Locomotive Society
"Bahamas." Bahamas Locomotive Society. http://ingrowlocomuseum.com/?page_id=11
Facebook Post. 18 October, 2019.
https://facebook.com/IngrowLoco/photos/a.245016236164243/409354033063795/?type=3&theater
"Locomotive 1054." Bahamas Locomotive Society.
http://ingrowlocomuseum.com/?page_id=13
Friends of the Washington Park & Zoo Railway. www.fwpzr.org
Crew 152
Facebook Post. 20 October, 2019.
www.facebook.com/LouisvilleandNashville152/posts/1719782988155039
Kentucky Railroad Museum
"Equipment." Kentucky Railroad Museum. www.kyrail.org/equipment
"History of the Kentucky Railroad Museum." Kentucky Railroad Museum. www.kyrail.org/history
Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation
"About." Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation. www.kentuckysteam.org/krh
Oregon Zoo. "Washington Park & Zoo Railway."
www.oregonzoo.org/visit/washington-park-and-zoo-railway
"Save the Washington Park & Zoo Railway." Change.org. Friends of the WP&ZRy.
www.change.org/p/save-the-washington-park-and-zoo-railway
Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum
wwwfry.org
Facebook Post. 18 October, 2019.
www.facebook.com/WWFRailway/photos/pcb.10156880448401871/10156880437931871/?type=3&theater
Facebook Post. 19 October, 2019.
www.facebook.com/WWFRailway/photos/pcb.10156880448401871/10156880437931871/?type=3&theater
"No. 9." Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Museum. wwfry.org/?page_id=287#loco-9
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