Steam & Excursion > Magma Arizona #7

I had the pleasure of attending the photo freight event on the Texas State Railroad in Palestine, TX yesterday. It was a fun day, got to see lots of old friends, and made some new ones. Magma 7 looked and sounded wonderful yesterday. Here's some of the photos I took yesterday

1- Coming into the station at Palestine
2- Gibson Road, just east of Palestine
3- blowing down over the Neches River

more coming.

Bradley Linda
Waco, Texas

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1- somewhere east of Rusk, eastbound- I wasn't taking good notes
2- Between Rusk and Maydelle westbound- My note taking lapsed again
3- At Dean Wright, east of Palestine

The folks at Texas State put on a good show yesterday! The photographs do not do the engine justice. If you can, I highly recommend going and seeing it in person.


Bradley Linda

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Bradley,

I am glad you enjoyed your day, and I know that I speak for Earl, Steven and all the people at TSRR who worked so hard to put on the show yesterday.

I was just getting ready to post some of my pictures, and you post popped up! Just so you know, #4 is at Milepost 6, just west of Rusk, and #5 is climbing the 2% grade westbound grade of Fairchild Hill.

Thanks for coming! Next year Earl promises something different again!

Everett Lueck

Very nice shots. It looks like a great day.

Martin

Great pics, but what is up with that paint job? Someone had a stomach ache when the poor locomotive was painted.

With all due respect, Magma Arizona #7 is painted EXACTLY the way it looked in the early 1960's:

Copper smokebox and firebox, black running gear, jacket, cab and tender, white lettering, running boards and axle centers, safety yellow grab irons.

If you did some research, you'd find it is correct.

If you don't like it, tough...

btw: Great pics Brad. Glad we put on a good show for you.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/14 07:04 by Earlk.

Great shots. I can't wait to see #7 in person.

Steve Mitchell
http://www.yardgoatimages.com

GREAT photos! Sure wish I could've been there.

Jason Rose
Spring, TX
Rio Grande Explorations

For those of you who have not been following the saga under Iowa Pacific control, and Earl's management, the State of Texas with a great deal of urging from Earl (and to the great relief of all of us fans) has agreed to let the TSRR engines revert to one of their prior owners paint jobs. Thus the TSRR #201 became Texas and Pacific #316 last year. TSRR #300 was supposed to become Tremont and Gulf #28 as well, but that has been delayed until the engine finishes its 5 year inspection, later this year. Therefore, since TSRR #400 had only worked for two railroads, one being the previously mentioned Tremont and Gulf (as #30) and the other being the Magma Arizona, where it was the last engine under steam, and Earl is from Arizona.......

Thus is is Magma Arizona #7.

Having followed this saga all of the way, I had high hopes for the engine to be T&G #30 but who among us would deny any one the opportunity to restore an engine to the way that we first saw it as a much younger person, and now after seeing the engine and spending time in East Texas, I have to admit that I truly do appreciate the labor of love that has gone into this engine by Steven Butler and the TSRR shop guys who have totally bought into Earl's vision of the engine, and its unique paint job and history.

The engine is gorgeous, and runs like a well regulated Hamilton watch, and takes the TSRR's 2+% grades with ease and a style all of its own.

Butler's comment yesterday was something to the effect that it was really unique to be able to fire an engine that you could open the firing valve, and run the injector wide open up a 2% grade and never see the needle move on the pressure gauge. Earl's comment when I commented on how well suited that the engine is to the TSRR and how great it would be to have several more like it was "Nah, if they were all this good, this job could actually get boring".

Now that, boys and girls, is a compliment to any steam locomotive.

Earlk Wrote:
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> With all due respect, Magma Arizona #7 is painted
> EXACTLY the way it looked in the early 1960's:
>
> Copper smokebox and firebox, black running gear,
> jacket, cab and tender, white lettering, running
> boards and axle centers, safety yellow grab
> irons.
>
> If you did some research, you'd find it is
> correct.
>
> If you don't like it, tough...
>
> btw: Great pics Brad. Glad we put on a good show
> for you.


Earl, can you estimate when the #500 will be in running condition ? Thanks.

Yes I'm curious about the 500--excuse me--the ATSF 1316!!!--as well.

No..... and that is an honest answer. It's out there on the distant radar screen, but we have to sort out 316's boiler problems, fix 1316's boiler problems before we can start re-assembling her. It's going to be a while, and the crystal ball is pretty murky right now.

Starting this Saturday, Magma Arizona #7 becomes a regular fixture on the passenger train from Rusk.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/14 19:53 by Earlk.

thanks guys, appreciate the comments on the photos. Magma 7 looks great in the copper smoke/firebox.