Eastern Railroad Discussion > A Western Maryland Scenic RR New Years Eve Party - 31 Dec 2020

What started with the arrival of C&O #1309 in Cumberland, MD on July 24, 2016 ended up with a "steam up" and movement under her own power on December 31, 2020.

Crews worked around the clock to meet a 2020 "move under her own power" deadline.... whether it was a contractual obligation or self imposed deadline, I can't say.

Now she has moved under her on power, there still remains many small projects that need do before it can be declared completed.... that along with testing, adjustments, repairs, and more testing to come in the following months.....

1) #1309 in front of the Western Maryland station on the day it arrived in Cumberland six years ago.

2) #1309 at the WMSR shop complex on December 31, 2020 under steam as the crews work on some last minute details before the locomotive moves under it's own power for the first time during the rebuild period.

---

---

1) Tucked in behind the #501, the #1309 peeks out between the GP30 and some of the coaches....

2) Empty shop ..... 

3) Early morning of the 31st. finds the first smoke from the day's fire up.

.... More to Follow .....

---

---

---

1) Keeping the Valve Oil warm with heat lamps as steam is being raised...

2) and 3) "All Hands on Deck" .... Pat Stapleton and his son from Precision Locomotive Services took on the task of plumbing the cylinder cocks on the front engine.

.... More to Follow ....

---

---

---

1) In the background a CSX westbound empty hopper train heads for Grafton, WV on CSX Mountain Sub..

2) View from the "front porch" of WMSR GP30 501 

3) Fire seen thru the overfire openings in the firebox sides.

.... More to Follow ...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/01/21 05:35 by DTWilson.

---

---

---

1) & 2) "Checking the Fire" ......

3) Along the firemen's side of the locomotive.

.... More to Follow ....

---

---

---

All great photos.  Thanks again Tim for a great job of keeping all of us well informed.  As I said before, I cannot wait for this engine to be in service.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

Jim who wants to letter the locomotive...?

1) and 2) Jim Wrinn from Trains Magazine lends a hand applying the Chesapeake & Ohio lettering to the locomotive.

3) The WMSR "Office Caboose" lends a hand holding the #1309 lettering before it's applied to the steam locomotive.

... More to Follow ....

 

---

---

---

"Blue Wrench" and a hammer makes quick work of a "Minor adjustment"  on link for one of the locomotive's Lubricators ...

.... More to Follow ...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/01/21 05:36 by DTWilson.

---

---

---

Details, Details, Details.....

Cleaning up the threads on the "Simpling Valve" piston before installation.

.... More to Follow ....

 

---

---

1) Under steam as darkness sets in around the shop complex.

2) and 3) Some welding required....

.... More to Follow ....

---

---

---

1) Night shot as steam pressure continues to raise.

2) Starting the air compressors off steam for the first time.

.... More to Follow ....

---

---

---

Another system on line as Turbo Generator is making power to illuminates #1309's headlight.

.... More to Follow ....

 

---

---

---

My last 3 photos of 2020.... and the last photos I took of #1309 before she moved under her own power.

Thank You for stopping by and having a look.

Happy New Year everyone.

Tim W.

 

---

---

---

Thanks for the pictures, Tim.  Gerry

Edit: It's been a long six and a half years since it passed through Point of Rocks, MD, on w/b CSXT L341, 7/23/14.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/01/21 05:56 by GPutz.

---

Thanks for the effort to be there and photograph the steps all day.

Tim, thanks so much for spending the day and recording so many steps along the way.  Next best thing to being there.  Terrific set of photos.

Glad to see it come to life!
Dan

Posted from iPhone

An "A+" set covering her rebuilding.
Bob

Great photos! Thanks for the coverage of this significant event!

Thanks Tim! Good Stuff for sure.
Go