Steam & Excursion > Grand Canyon Railway #539

Today was weed spraying day at the GCR's loco shop in Williams, AZ.

In order to get all of Track #4 sprayed the equipment parked there needed to be moved out onto the main track to allow the weed sprayer access.

It was nice to see the #539 moving out to the main even if it was being towed by GP7 #1105. After the weed sprayer made its pass the #539 was shoved back to the end of the storage track to wait an unknown fate.

JMW
http://waidephoto.smugmug.com/Trains

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Nice pictures!

Such a great-looking steamer...too bad she ended up never being restored. Anybody know if it's true that she's for sale?

Keep on steamin'!
Mark H.

Wonder what kind of shape she is in?

She's in decent shape Don, certainly a good candidate for operational restoration. It's actually a good thing that she's now stored in a dry climate, SW Washington ain't so conducive to the preservation of steel stuff. I know 539 was part of a trade deal, but they planned to make her 4960's running mate from what I'm told.

Cheers, Dave

There was a rumor that the SL&RG was looking at her, before they pulled the plug on steam.

Finally!!! This thread answers a question I've long had. I did not have a camera with me that day long ago when I saw this engine on a flat-bed trailer heading south through Auburn, WA. Who remembers the date? In the early 80's, I think.

Ed

I hope they sell her! Give her a good home with folks that don't want to butcher her, and destroy her. Steamers should run on coal or bunker C...NOT cooking oil. She is too rare and nice a locomotive to be ruined the way the Burlington Mikado was altered. But...that's just my opinion.

Keystone1 Wrote:
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> I hope they sell her! Give her a good home with
> folks that don't want to butcher her, and destroy
> her. Steamers should run on coal or bunker C...NOT
> cooking oil. She is too rare and nice a locomotive
> to be ruined the way the Burlington Mikado was
> altered. But...that's just my opinion.


Everyone's entitled to their opinions for sure.

I'd rather just see an engine run in whatever shape or form. Better running than rusting.

I wonder how many B&M fans cried back in the 50's when the SP "butchered" the Berks they bought from them?

As for the 539, I do hope it's able to run again somewhere.

Worthington_S_A Wrote:
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> There was a rumor that the SL&RG was looking at
> her, before they pulled the plug on steam.

That is true. IPH made an offer or two. Eventually GCRY came back with an offer that we thought was good, but didn't act on it then. The thought was 539 isn't going anywhere, maybe in a year or so, the price would come down more. With the discontinuance of SLRG steam, it's a moot point now.

...and it's too big for the TSR.

Auburn_Ed Wrote:
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> Finally!!! This thread answers a question I've
> long had. I did not have a camera with me that day
> long ago when I saw this engine on a flat-bed
> trailer heading south through Auburn, WA. Who
> remembers the date? In the early 80's, I think.
>
> Ed


Ed, I don't think this is the one you saw. You probably saw the GN 2-8-0 being moved from the Woodland Park Zoo down to Fred Kepner's. The 539 was originally the NP 1762, later sold to SP&S as their 539 and put on display in Vancouver in 1957. Some years later it was moved to a park in Battleground. Just a few years back it was obtained by a local individual, and through an interesting series of events it was traded to the GCRy for the 18 and 20(?). The 18 was operated on the Mount Hood Railroad for the summer of 2007 before going to the SL&RG.

Earlk Wrote:
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> Worthington_S_A Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > There was a rumor that the SL&RG was looking at
> > her, before they pulled the plug on steam.
>
> That is true. IPH made an offer or two.
> Eventually GCRY came back with an offer that we
> thought was good, but didn't act on it then. The
> thought was 539 isn't going anywhere, maybe in a
> year or so, the price would come down more. With
> the discontinuance of SLRG steam, it's a moot
> point now.
>
> ...and it's too big for the TSR.
Earl, is it weight on bridges that is the issue on the TSR?

Earlk Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Worthington_S_A Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > There was a rumor that the SL&RG was looking at
> > her, before they pulled the plug on steam.
>
> That is true. IPH made an offer or two.
> Eventually GCRY came back with an offer that we
> thought was good, but didn't act on it then. The
> thought was 539 isn't going anywhere, maybe in a
> year or so, the price would come down more. With
> the discontinuance of SLRG steam, it's a moot
> point now.
>
> ...and it's too big for the TSR.

When did SL&RG discontinue Steam? Can you please post a link to that thread for more info? Thanks!

Interesting.

If you go to the SLRG website https://www.coloradotrain.com/excursion-trains-booking-2014.html it shows all their summer trains, concert trains, trains to Monte Vista, etc, but there is no mention of #18, nor any other steam. They do mention their historic diesels on the "about us" page, but nothing regarding steam. I second the previous post if there is no more steam, when was this announced or posted?

Off topic of the Steamer but the GP-7 is looking sharp

To add to Flash's comments, I recall seeing SP&S 539 on display at a park in Vancouver, WA in 1996. This photo taken in Battleground on St. Patrick's day 2007, just before she was loaded up for transport to GCRY.

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I think we will see it back in Washington state again
Luke

Posted from Android

Does she still have all the important pieces? I note some missing rods, which would be expensive to redesign and replace these days.

The rods are stored up on top of the tender. Other parts are out in the boneyard at the Williams loco shop.

JMW

Posted from iPhone

Ed:

I think the locomotive your saw was Santa Maria Valley #21 which is currently being restored in Astoria, Oregon. I saw it west bound on HWY 18 about 20+ years ago. I think GN 1246 was moved in late 1970's or early 1980's.

Brandon
Auburn High Grad.

Is GC 1105 really a CF7? The boxy cab roofline gives it away.