Nostalgia & History > Arkansas Railroad Museum Gets The First U23C Ever Built

Last Saturday the Arkansas Railroad Museum took delivery of the first U23C built, (If I am not mistaken). Here is the Pine Bluff city switcher delivering the loco into the museums rather questionable trackage.

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Here is a shot of my "railroad mentor" as I call him William "Wild Bill" McCaskill. One of the true legends of the Cotton Belt around Pine Bluff. He served the Cotton Belt/SP from 1961-2001, well Cotton Belt from 1961-1996 and then UP from 1996-2001.
He has tutored me on tricks of the trade, what and what not to do in certain situations, just a wealth of information that I have used. Even though he is a scruffy looking old man, he is one of the kindest gentleman you will ever meet. He now works at the Museum thru the week and on the weekends. I always like to go up and hear his stories. Truly a good man.

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And the interesting part of the story is that it wound up there by accident. The locomotive is owned by Ed Bowers (Vintage Locomotives, Inc - VLIX) and was headed to a shortline railroad for storage. UP misrouted the unit to Pine Bluff, and when the museum found out, they offered to take it for Ed due to its historical signifigance. He accepted, and now you have...the rest of the story!

Thanks for sharing your photos!

Mike Derrick
http://www.shortlinesusa.com

stretch Wrote:
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> Last Saturday the Arkansas Railroad Museum took
> delivery of the first U23C built, (If I am not
> mistaken). Here is the Pine Bluff city switcher
> delivering the loco into the museums rather
> questionable trackage.


If it didn't serail in the first 40 feet, it isn't questionable yet, just 'FRA excepted'!! ;-P

Not mentioned, so far, is the fact that it's ex-LS&I #2300. Gerry

mderrick Wrote:
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> UP misrouted the unit

What??? I'm shocked!

Is this also the only remaining U-23-C ?

No, three are left. All are nee- LS&I.

What all does the Arkansas Railroad Museum have in its collection? The museum's website only shows Cotton Belt 4-8-4 #819 and another small steamer. http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/8199/cb819.html

I had thought Ed Bowers was affiliated with the museum, but it sounds like that's not the case. One or the other of them has acquired several pieces of old 6-axle freight power over the last few years, locomotives that seldom get preserved.

Also at Pine Bluff is SSW #5006 a GP30, an ex AT&SF RSD-15, an ex SP RSD-12, the other steam locomotive is SSW #336 a mogul, several diesel critters, various cabeese and passenger cars. Ex-UP #2907 a C630 is supposed to be going to Pine Bluff, is she there yet?

The war baby was getting new flues, are they installed now? Where is she going to steam and when?

Pine Bluff is getting to be a VERY interesting place. I'm going again next year. And as always Bill McCaskill and the rest of the volunteers at the Musem are outstanding.

Ed Cooper
CBRHS #111

Forgot to add that Ed Bowers rocks Pine Bluff!

Here is a shot from the inside.

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I guess the C630 did get there. . .took long enough.

It's really hard to tell from the picture, but it looks like this unit has solid-frame trucks. Is this a replacement from the original?

Thanks,

WP

Where are the other two extant U23C's??