Steam & Excursion > Monticello Railway Museum 2-8-0 401

Ex Southern Railroad 2-8-0 401 ran excursions on the weened of July 19-20. Here's a image collection from July 20th.
It was my first visit to the Monticello Railway Museum, and I couldn't be more impressed. From the variety of equipment,
to the people associated ted with the museum, (especially the people!) it's a first class operation from start to finish. I
haven't wrote cations for some images, but, there isn't much to describe. Feel free to ask anything you may want to know.
Here's a few from the weekend, with a link to the entire album below.

JWR
https://www.flickr.com/photos/twenty17teen/sets/72157646292448311/

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Excellent!!Very nice!! Thank you for posting the pics. Another learning experience for me. I Was not familiar with this museum.

The Illinois Central SD40 in your set is more special then you may know

Plans are to eventually paint the unit back into the GM&O scheme it once wore

http://www.mrym.org/pdfs/SSMarch-April2010.pdf

Built in 1966, this
unit began life as EMD prototype SD-40, being built
on
an earlier model’s frame. From this prototype
locomotive, over 5,000 subsequent locomotives of SD-
40 and SD-40-2 designation were produced. This
model was the most popular freight locomotive used i
n
North America by Class I railroads. The unit toured
the
country as EMD demonstration locomotive No. 434
and was eventually sold to the Gulf Mobile and Ohio
Ry and renumbered GM&O 950. Following progressive
railroad mergers the locomotive was renumbered
Illinois Central No. 6071 and retired in 2009

Really like the "lever" shot!

Yes, Monticello is a first-class operation with an impressive collection. Nice people too!

Steve Mitchell
http://www.yardgoatimages.com

I was out here once myself, on a railfan weekend, to see the Southern Railway 2-8-0 run. The museum seems to always put the goon car right behind the locomotive tender. It makes for awful looking, unrealistic pictures of the passenger train. A very nice museum with well done restorations. I guess they need to have a 1/2 day photographers photo freight.

Great photos! I really like the one from inside the tower. Folks, that tower was built from scratch!

I've been there twice. I highly recommend it to anyone. They have quite a very nice and unique collection of rolling stock. But its not overwhelming like some railroad museums with junk lying around that will never get restored. It's a nice operation and for a few extra few bucks on your ticket you can ride in a cab of a Wabash F7 or a Canadian National FPA4, or perhaps the steam locomotive. Closer to home, I can see the North Judson, Indiana Group coming close to this experience eventually. I would like them to have the capability to turn trains or engines though on both ends of the railroad. Perhaps some day.

I saw the 2-8-0 in the shop during its restoration and am looking forward to seeing it in operation. That engine is bigger than it looks in photos. Thanks Monticello for not painting it green. I'd like to see Monticello's 401, the 4501 and 630 make a jamboree someday.

Yes, I think some kind of photo freights would be a great idea, but I don't know how they would isolate the nonpaying public.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/14 11:43 by wabash2800.

The museum has progressed wonderfully since I first visited them while a student at nearby UIUC when they were so poor they could not even afford to keep a connection to live rail. Equipment for them was gathered at White Heath for a periodic temporary connection when it could be rolled in. Now of course they own that live rail and it's their main line into town. They are becoming *the* IC museum. I hope EEE acquires the last real IC E's so they can run but if that doesn't happen I hope they end up here.

Keystone1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was out here once myself, on a railfan weekend,
> to see the Southern Railway 2-8-0 run. The museum
> seems to always put the goon car right behind the
> locomotive tender. It makes for awful looking,
> unrealistic pictures of the passenger train. A
> very nice museum with well done restorations. I
> guess they need to have a 1/2 day photographers
> photo freight.

My son and I loved riding in the gondola right behind the 401, I'm sorry your "precious" pictures were ruined

filmteknik Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The museum has progressed wonderfully since I
> first visited them while a student at nearby UIUC
> when they were so poor they could not even afford
> to keep a connection to live rail. Equipment for
> them was gathered at White Heath for a periodic
> temporary connection when it could be rolled in.
> Now of course they own that live rail and it's
> their main line into town. They are becoming
> *the* IC museum. I hope EEE acquires the last
> real IC E's so they can run but if that doesn't
> happen I hope they end up here.

Monticello has an ex PRR E8 they are restoring and plan to paint IC colors, but yes it would be great to have a true former IC E unit at the museum

wabash2800...if the railroad ran the steamer with orange cones on the pilot deck, it doesn't matter how many poachers get shots...each shot would be WORTHLESS!!! Flip the orange cones off the pilot deck for photoruns for the paying passengers.

Ok, so how are going to keep the nonpaying passengers from showing up to take pictures? It's not isolated like the Nevada Northern.

Keystone1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> wabash2800...if the railroad ran the steamer with
> orange cones on the pilot deck, it doesn't matter
> how many poachers get shots...each shot would be
> WORTHLESS!!! Flip the orange cones off the pilot
> deck for photoruns for the paying passengers.

wabash2800 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I saw the 2-8-0 in the shop during its restoration
> and am looking forward to seeing it in operation.
> That engine is bigger than it looks in photos.
> Thanks Monticello for not painting it green. I'd
> like to see Monticello's 401, the 4501 and 630
> make a jamboree someday.

Don't forget the 154!

Four original Southern Railway steam locomotives together working. Wouldn't that be something!

wabash2800...with orange cones on the pilot, the nonpaying passengers could take all the photos they want. They will be WORTHLESS photos!!!

I was referring to AFTER you take the cones off!

wabash2800...Police tape, bull horns, red wrist bands, and strong will and leadership. Orange cones. for the freeloaders. Railfanning with dignity...not bootlegging.