Steam & Excursion > This Hard Working Locomotive Turns 100 This Month & Is In News!

Some steam locomotives toiled away in relative obscurity for many years and then past quietly into history in some obscure scrap yard with hardly a camera lens ever having been turned their direction.  That destiny almost befell for this steam engine until fate stepped in.

Turning 100 years old this month is former Bluestone Mining & Smelting Co. #1.  This 47-ton Heisler was built in December 1916 for quarry work in remote Mason, Nevada.  While she was rarely photographed in that desert workplace she did gain greater fame in her next jobs and finally in her current career.  This engine's history is chronicled in today's newspaper article out of Willits, California, the engine's current home.

http://www.willitsnews.com/events/20161129/veteran-locomotive-turns-100-this-month

The photo of her posted today shows #1 hard at work in her second career at Blake Brothers in Richmond, California in the late 1940's.

We all can be glad that #1 not only managed to survive thees past 100 years but is now the center of attention and not hidden away in the quarry as she was for so long.

Martin



Edited 8 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/16 07:15 by LoggerHogger.

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What a classic scene -

The white stripes, silver smoke box and red cab trim does not do her justice!

/Mitch

Another GEM, look forward to your posts   Thanks

Bob Jordan

Actually it wasn't Wabuska but rather Weed Heights, across the river from Yerington. You could climb the hill behind
the NCB enginehouse and pretty much see all of the Bluestone Mining line.

Out

Martin, you seem to always find gems like this one. Many thanks!

Nice save there Martin.

Out