At the time of my visit, Steamtown had three operational steam locomotives. #26, a Baldwin 0-6-0, was used to power a short train ride from the main grounds to the roundhouse and back. 3254, a Canadian National Railways 2-8-2, was under steam waiting on the turntable. It was then turned and driven into the roundhouse for the viewers enjoyment. The third operational steam locomotive is Canadian Pacific Railways class G3c Pacific 2317. The photo shown was recently taken by Stefano Curtarolo. In 1993 most of the roundhouse was new and still under construction. When completed, there will be a skyway connecting the mall on the other side of the yard to the roundhouse!
I was told that Steamtown was planing on restoring the NYC&StL Berkshire #759
back to operational order. This is also the locomotive that was used on the
Golden Spike runs in 1969.
In 1993, the public was not allowed in the "yard" where about half of the collection of steam locomotives were kept. The first two photographs were taken from a parking lot looking at the yard. In the first photograph you will be able to the one of the three operational locomotives -- the CN S-1-b Mikado 3254 (under steam). You can also see the rear of the UP Big Boy 4012 centipede tender. In the second photograph you will see (from left to right) CN Pacific 5288, CP Hudson 2816, the rear of a snow plow, a passenger car, and CP Pacific 1293. To the left of the yard is the roundhouse. To the right of the yard is the site of a future shopping mall. There are plans to connect the two with a skyway built over the yard. The third photograph shows GTW Mountain (4-8-2) 6039. Notice the Vanderbilt tender.
Here is number 3 (on the left), one of three surviving E.J. Lavino & Co.'s
0-6-0Ts. Also shown is fireless cooker number 6816, former Public Service
Electric & Gas locomotive.
Their Big Boy was moved into the yard the winter of 1992-93 from where it sat at the Lackawanna Station Hotel. The bridges connecting the two areas were replaced about one year before. Contrary to a rumor posted a while back on rec.railroad, they have no plans to partially restore the Big Boy to working order.
After viewing all of the engines in the yard including the
rare 4-4-4
(Jubilee) #2929 (it was difficult to get a good photograph
of this locomotive because of the equipment around it), the Reading T-1 4-8-4 #2124,
and the UP Big Boy 4012 (the last 4012 photo,
courtesy Michael Hahn, shows the Big Boy after being cleaned and painted),
the ranger ("our tour guide") brought us over to a group of people who
were going on the shop tour (which was just starting). I had wanted to
sign up to go on the shop tour earlier but it was already filled (15 max).
This ranger said "no problem" and added us to the group!
Number 47 (formerly GTW 1542), a class X-10a 4-6-4T was displayed near the park
entrance. 47 was used in commuter service in the Montreal area. It was is pretty
good shape when it came to Steamtown. It was operated
for about five weeks in 1961 before being taken out of service by a boiler inspector.
Number 3377
(formerly 2977), a class S-1-d 2-8-2 was displayed south of the shops. Number
5288 (formerly 516, a class J-7-b 4-6-2 was stored in the yard.
This is a class W-1 consolidation. It was centrally located in the park
at the time of my visit. Notice that it is missing its main rod.
This is former Meadow River Lumber Company three-truck Shay number 1.
It's not that often that you see a shay with a balloon smoke stack.
