Steam & Excursion > Some Railroads Survived On Finding Good Used Steam Locomotives!

Let's face it, the life and times for some shortline railroads have been difficult to say the least. Many of these lines barely survived the depression and even in good times they lived a hand-to-mouth existence.

Were it not for the used steam locomotive market, many of these struggling shortlines may have collapsed decades earlier than the finally did. One such railroad was the Amador Central of Martell, California.

This shortline could trace it's roots back to 1902 when it was formed as the Ione & Eastern RR. Except for a pair of Shay's [purchased new by the contractor who built the I&E the Amador Central survived all it's life in the steam era by purchasing good used steam locomotives when they became available.

2 of these second-hand steam engines are seen here in 1939 outside the enginehouse in Martell. On the left we see A-C #8 which had recently been purchased from it's original owner the McCloud River RR of McCLoud, California. She was built in 1901 and was over 35 years old by the time the A-C bought her.

Next to her is A-C #6. This chunky 2-6-2 was built new in 1906 for the Klamath Lake Railroad in Southern Oregon. She was already 33 years old by the time this photo was taken in her second career on the 12-mile long A-C RR.

Buy purchasing cheap used steam locomotives like these, the A-C was able to weather the Great Depression and survive into the diesel era. Many years of useful life were still in these engines after their original owners were done with them.

#8 was later renumbered to A-C #7. She survives today on display in Ione near where she served out her last years of service.

Martin



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/17 03:33 by LoggerHogger.

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Martin unable to PM due to full mail box. Had offered to help at Prineville when I spoke to you last year offer still stands. When time would you send me a private message, thanks Boyd