Steam & Excursion > Smoky Mountain Railroad 110

Imagine my surprise when Little River Railroad 4-6-2 #110 was shoved out of the engine house, lettered for the Smoky Mountain Railroad.  #110's second owner was a marginal property that would eventually shut down and be ripped up.  But the 110's sale to the Smoky Mountain was a big part of the chain of events that would lead to her preservation, so it's a nice historic touch.

So here are a few scenes of #110, which turns 110 years old next month.

And does't look a day over forty!

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

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Just barely missed that deer at 2:14!

Wondered how long it would take to catch that.

Not very!

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

Mary,
That is in my opinion hands down THE BEST video I've ever seen of #110 in action. I've ridden behind her more than a few times in the past 25-30 years but never saw her run at so brisk a pace. The second scene really satisfies as I'd rather see a smaller loco running as intended VS a larger one being taken for a walk. Is this typical of their current operating practice or was this a special run at some level? As always, thanks very much for another excellent video. 

grizzledgary Wrote:
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> Mary,
> That is in my opinion hands down THE BEST video
> I've ever seen of #110 in action. I've ridden
> behind her more than a few times in the past 25-30
> years but never saw her run at so brisk a pace.
> The second scene really satisfies as I'd rather
> see a smaller loco running as intended VS a larger
> one being taken for a walk. Is this typical of
> their current operating practice or was this a
> special run at some level? As always, thanks very
> much for another excellent video. 

Thank you for that.

This was a special run to Hillsdale, which I am led to belive had not happened in quite some time.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

Very nice, Mary.  The poor thing sure never saw track that looked like that on the Smoky Mountain RR!

Gordon

What a sweetheart and great video!  The little girl likes to go hunting a bit.  I've always been fascinated with that tiny little Pacific.
Good job Mary!

Mary another great video. Is that Smoke mountain RR the same as the Great Smokey Mountian RR in Bryson NC. Did that engine #110 come from them.
Thanks in advance
Robert in Lagrande Oregon 

8notch Wrote:
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> Mary another great video. Is that Smoke mountain
> RR the same as the Great Smokey Mountian RR in
> Bryson NC. Did that engine #110 come from them.
> Thanks in advance
> Robert in Lagrande Oregon 

No.  Different railroad.

Today's Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is a shortline that took over operations of the former Southern Railway Murphy Branch.

The Smoky Mountain Railroad of old was a line that ran from Knoxville, Tennessee, not far from the original Little River Railroad.  The line was abandoned and scrapped in the early sixties.  When the rails were pulled, #110 was left landlocked on a spur beside a gas station at Shooks Gap, Tennessee.

She was there, picked clean and rusting, when she was discovered by the Bloom family while on vacation and the rest is history.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

Thanks for sharing another great video. That's in my neck of the woods.  I recall a similar trip to Litchfield, Michigan via Hillsdale when a son of one of the owners was so young, he could barely stand up in the cab in his overalls, bandana and railroad hat. He is very much a grown man now but still active with the Bloom Family's Legacy. If you look closely at this loco, especially head-on, it looks more like an old Ten-wheeler than a Pacific.

I have saved a photo of the loco for use in a future publication. It was a photo I took in the mid 70s when it was still in Angola, Indiana undergoing restoration. (Both Bloom Brothers and and another indivdual are depicted working on the loco.)  I was a junior in high school and had talked mom in taking me to a Tri-State when the transportation program had a presentation for potential students. That was long before Tri State became Trine University. Alas, I never attended Tri-State but did graduate from IU in Bloomington that also had a transporation program (not my major).

Victor



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/21 19:08 by wabash2800.

Mary thanks for the detailed information.  Robert

Really fine video, I especially like that whistle sound/echo, will have to watch again with earbuds on, to hear the full stereo effect later.

Last scene is a real study of the back and fourth, or side to side motion of a locomotive in action, not sure if that's from the track, or locomotion, or a combination of the two.

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA

Congrats Mary on your VOTD!!

RailRat Wrote:
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> Last scene is a real study of the back and fourth,
> or side to side motion of a locomotive in action,
> not sure if that's from the track, or locomotion,
> or a combination of the two.

Pretty sure it was a combination of the jointed rail and the engine's wheelbase.  At a location with welded rail, #110 was not displaying the hunting seen here while operating at a similar speed.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

What whistle is installed on the 110?

Nice video Mary!

Posted from Android

scwillis Wrote:
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> What whistle is installed on the 110?

I understand it came from a mill somewhere.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions