Steam & Excursion > Why wasn't C&O 2700 restored in the 1990s?

At the end of a 1991 Mark One video covering the moves of PM 1225 and NKP 765 to the 1991 NRHS Convention, mention is made of C&O 2700 being considered for restoration. I'm aware C&O 2716 ran briefly, but don't recall anything about 2700.

What prevented this engine from being restored? Was it's condition too poor for economic restoration, or did red tape kill the project?

Also, what's the correct pronunciation of "Kanawha"?

Thanks,

* JB *

prr4828 Wrote:
> Also, what's the correct pronunciation of
> "Kanawha"?

Some C&O references have said the third syllable is pretty much left off, leaving just
"Kan-AW" or "Kan-AH"

... ooh, there's that troublesome word again-- "correct"!

prr4828 Wrote:
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> What prevented this engine from being restored?

Money. The answer is always "money."


> Also, what's the correct pronunciation of
> "Kanawha"?

Kuh-GNAW.

Last time I saw this engine it was in Dennison, OH. I am not even sure who owns it. I got a neat shot of it as I was leaning out of the cab
of 6325 on a run in 2002. It was sitting on the firemans side just west of the depot as you headed out of town. Other question is where
would one run it if it were restored?
GS

doubleheader Wrote:
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> Last time I saw this engine it was in Dennison,
> OH. I am not even sure who owns it.

And that's one of the problems. Many people believe they hold claim to the locomotive. Disputed ownership is an easy way to kill a restoration.

doubleheader Wrote:
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>I got a neat shot of it as I was leaning out of the cab of 6325 on a run in 2002.

Has that pic been posted on TO?


> Other question is where would one run it if it were restored?

If a Ft. Wayne-type operation had two AMC-type Berkshires, would host railroads have an issue if one or the other powered an excursion? Does doubleheading AMC-type Berks pose weight issues that running a single engine does not?

* JB *

Who actually owned the engine was one concern, another concern was that the end of 1993 it was clear that the CSX and most other major railroads in the east did not want anything more with steam locomotives and special passenger trains. The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society decided that it was not worth putting the money into to rebuilding the locomotive. The FWRHS ran the 2716 for one summer in 1997. With the new FRA regulations coming out it was decided to spend the time and money on 765.

J, wasn't that 1996? I briefly "borrowed" your safety glasses for that cab ride 8-)

K yes that was 1996, my mistake. HaHa

prr4828 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> doubleheader Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >I got a neat shot of it as I was leaning out of
> the cab of 6325 on a run in 2002.
>
> Has that pic been posted on TO?
>

Not posted since it was video that I shot from Dennison to Newcomerstown
on an excursion in the cab. Gary Bensman was running the engine, with Grant
Geist (Ohio Central Employee) assisting as pilot engineer, and Jason Johnson was
firing. I leaned out the gangway to get the shot of the C&O as we barked out
of town and got some nice stack talk of 6325 as well. The other cab ride I got
was winning a raffle on an OC 6325 trip in 2003 out of Sugar Creek, the last
fantrip I did up there. None of this stuff(Video)was ever made public.
Greg Scholl

Still in Dennison, Ohio with most of the siderods removed. Looks in bad shape but then I'm no expert. When I saw 6325 sitting on the NKP in Coshocton it too looked in bad shape but obviously was restored.

There were several factors in the 2700 not being restored. All of the loose parts were taken to the Casad Shop near New Haven, IN but the 2700 was not moved from Canton. It was not really money-money-money but more that it was going to be so much work-work-work. It was stripped down completely including lots of brackets and such that didn't need to be removed for an overhaul. Yes, there was the 3 way ownership issue that hadn't been resolved. As time moved along, operating and insurance difficulties became extreme as the 765 came due for overhaul in 1993, and then in 1994 came the opportunity to lease the 2716 which made sense as long as we could get boiler tube extensions under the old FRA rules. After the Gettysburg boiler explosion, that put an end to many tube extensions by the FRA as a "safety" measure and an end to the 2716.

According to the area newspaper the locomotive is apparently going to stay in Dennison as a museum piece.

http://www.timesreporter.com/local_news/x1358728691/Whistle-blows-on-train-dispute


Dale

I don't know how many reply's I will get to this question,but here it goes. Wasn't the 2700 the Kanawha that was on display at the south end of Brookside Park in Cleveland Oh. Or was it the one down in around Nitro West Virgina? The Kanawha that was taken out of the park was moved to Clark Ave were it stayed for a long time. Don't know what ever happen to it.

Roger L. Routzon
Medina, OH

#2707 was the Kanawha that was in Cleveland. It's now out at IRM in Union, IL.