Steam & Excursion > FEC Steam

The Gold Coast Railroad operation in Ft. Lauderdale Florida in 1970 featuring ex FEC Pacific 153.
Ed K. cp Laurel Run

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Homestead, FL.
Ed K.

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5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

Keystone should be chiming in right about: now! Lol.

Cool video, Ed. Thanks so much for sharing. Had to dig
back through my mind verify to myself this was not the
other well known FEC #148.

Why did they stop running #153? I always thought it was a
shame the South sees so few steam engines in operation.

I've heard the expression: "It's only nostalgic to those
who remember it" - Florida would seem to be an ideal place
to have numerous steam tourist trains. There is only one I
know of outside of Disney World, that being the Tavares,
Eustis & Gulf with it's 2-8-0 #2.

While we're on the subject of FEC steam - what ever happened
to #148? That engine, if I recall, was once at the Wilmington
and Western in DE, then was it Morristown, NJ?, then plans to
run her in Montana (of all places), then CO? Back in FL??

/Mitch

The voice of 153 will be play by.... ...425??? Love seeing the autos as much as the train. I am impressed by the clarity/resolution of your 8mm stuff.

What kind of camera did you use? And how do you digitize your old movies? My first problem will be finding my old films.

I think the remains of the 148 are now in Michigan.

A Facebook page named the "St. Augustine & Elkton Railway" has
a bunch of images of the engine dated from February, 2013 sitting
apart (cab removed, boiler sheets off) in Monte Vista, Colorado.

They write as a caption on one:

FEC 148 rest far from home rails in Monte Vista, CO in the cold
mountain snow. Agreements have been made to return 148 back to the
Florida Sunshine for eventual operations bringing visitors into
St. Augustine.

There seems to be no webpage for the group.

/Mitch

Thanks for the memories, Ed!

I joined the operating crew of the Gold Coast in 1970. It's quite
possible I could have been riding the rear platform of the caboose
in your video. It was about a year later that I qualified for the
engine crew.

The primary reason that 153 is currently not under steam is (like many
things in life) financial. I'm sure that regular Train Orders readers
understand the high costs these days of restoring and operating steam.
Not only does the 153 require new flues, it also
needs the ultra-sound and other new tests required by the FRA. Until
those are done, it's impossible to determine what other boiler associated
costs are required. As you know, it's under cover, which is a plus. i'm
hoping that at some point the GCRM will be on the receiving side of a
grant that will enable us to see the old girl back under steam.

On a side note, on a recent trip to Miami (I reside in Colorado now), it
turned out that I was the only person on the property that day who had
ever operated either the 153 or 113. It made me feel very old (sigh).

- Bruce

What is the current condition of the 113?

John_Hillier Wrote:
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> What is the current condition of the 113?

Unfortunately, the 113 is in very rough shape. Back around 1982, we determined
that it would probably need a new mud ring (the area of boiler sheeting around
the firebox) aside from a flue replacement, bearings, etc. I worked with both
locomotives during the 1970's and 80's, and can categorically state the 153 was
always the better locomotive of the two of them. On the good side, on my last
visit to Miami, the 113 was also under cover.

- Bruce