Steam & Excursion > 2/7/16 - C&O 2716 To Return To Steam!!!

http://www.kentucky.com/news/state/article58872213.html

Well, it's official:

"A new nonprofit corporation wants to bring a steam locomotive from Nelson County to Lexington, restore it and then run passenger excursions in the area.The Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp. is launching a campaign to raise money for restoration of the locomotive owned by the Kentucky Railway Museum in New Haven.“We want to get this thing running and make it a Central Kentucky tourist attraction,” said Chris Campbell of Lexington, president of the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp.Working in cooperation with the railway museum, the nonprofit hopes to restore, maintain and operate the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway locomotive No. 2716. (That’s why the campaign is launching on Sunday, 2/7/16.)"

- More at the link above.  Exciting news for steam in the USA!
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/news/state/article58872213.html#storylink=cpy

Jim Lipnitz
Morrisville, PA
Big Jim Video Productions

I'll believe it when I see it.

Good luck!!! But where the heck they gonna run it????

Posted from Android

The article mentions Lexington, Ky, which makes me wonder if these guys have been working on some trackage rights arrangement with RJ Corman. The only museum in that area doesn't have the track you'd want to be running this big heavy engine on regularly.

Posted from iPhone

As a fan of C&O and Superpower steam, I wish them all the success in the world but have to ask why RJ Corman would entertain a foreign steam engine when they so quickly stuffed, mounted amd entombed Rick's own 2-10-2 after his passing.

TrackGuy

Posted from Android

Scars me every time I here such news hope it doesn't end up in parts scattered to the wind like C&O 2700 

I sure hope she gets to steam again. Here's a video clip from the 1996 Iron Horse Festival in Logansport, Indiana that I previously posted in the Video & Audio collection.
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,2487612,2487612#2487612

Jack Bejna
Los Angeles, CA

One interesting thing from the article linked is they listed the ages of some of the members who are involved. Those ages were 34, 37, and 38. There's always talk about how to get younger people involved and who the next generation of steam people are going to be - it sounds like that generation is starting to get involved more.

Of course it'll run, somebody else will pay for it.

Out

I thought she still had firebox issues but then I re-read this old thread and found this post by someone who knows which refreshed my memory.
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,2487612,2487627#msg-2487627

nathansixchime Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The FRA would not grant a flue time extension
> after restoration to operating service by the
> FWRHS -- the Gettysburg incident had happened the
> year before and 49 CFR Part 230 was not far off.
> With most operating prospects low and logistically
> unfeasible, and with neither FWRHS or KRM willing
> to underwrite additional restoration cost, the
> 2716 was returned, physically operational but
> legally mothballed. The firebox and a host of
> other issues that had defined "basket case" for
> the N&W steam program had been repaired by the
> FWRHS in 1995.
>
> The Iron Horse Festival's last year was 1996 - it
> hasn't happened since, but that could stand to
> change now.


Also some pics of 2716 when she was at the FWRHS long ago in this old thread:
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,3077177,3078928#msg-3078928
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/16 08:43 by kurt765.

I say more steam is a good thing. Good luck to them....

So,if taken care of since parked, 1472 and form 4, ala 611, good to go? fingers crossed...hah

Posted from Android

unseenthings Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So,if taken care of since parked, 1472 and form 4,
> ala 611, good to go? fingers crossed...hah

Might be best to wait for the ultrasound test/inspection concerning firebox sheet thickness. Plus, she will need all new flues/tubes.  In my opinion, the 2789 would have been a much better candidate, especially since it is one of the five very last ALCO locomotives constructed with an all welded boiler.

It is pretty much landlocked where it is. The only connection is to CSX. In less it's sitting on flat cars, it ain't going past Lebanon Junction, dead or alive.

As for running it on Corman out of Lexington, that is mostly track Corman leases from CSX, and CSX shut down Corman's efforts to run the Chinese engine after he snuck it to Louisville a few years back.

NS runs through Lexington.  They could run on that but I would immagine that if that's what they have in mind, it's going to be a problem.  That's a busy route.  An occasional trip might be possible but I wouldn't expect NS to allow it every weekend.  Sure would be nice to see it running again.  Getting it past Lebanon Jct is going to be a problem.  Sure would be great if CSX would allow a one time 15MPH move but if I recall, that hasn't happened in other places so no need to expect it in this case.  We'll just ahve to wait and see.

John

Realist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As for running it on Corman out of Lexington, that
> is mostly track Corman leases from CSX, and CSX
> shut down Corman's efforts to run the Chinese
> engine after he snuck it to Louisville a few years
> back.

Thats not entirely true.  The incident you are referring to happened in May 2008, and the QJ continued to run from Lexington down to Midway and Baghdad quite a few more times over the years until Mr. Corman's death.  It has not seen a fire since and is due for a cap inspection I believe.

Realist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It is pretty much landlocked where it is. The
> only connection is to CSX. In less it's sitting on
> flat cars, it ain't going past Lebanon Junction,
> dead or alive.
>
> As for running it on Corman out of Lexington, that
> is mostly track Corman leases from CSX, and CSX
> shut down Corman's efforts to run the Chinese
> engine after he snuck it to Louisville a few years
> back.

The QJ wasn't snuck into Louisville. In fact, CSX sent 3 different inspectors the week before they ran to Louisville. Mr. Corman had enough connections in Jacksonville to make it happen while those in the field definetly weren't too keen on the idea. Those same connections were likely why CSX turned a blind eye to running the QJ on the Old Road.

 

Maybe Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum would be willing to sell the stack of new tubes if 2789 isn't going to be needing them anytime soon?