Art, When The Darlington Lumber Company went out of business, right after the war, the Bankruptsy Receivership sold the 2-6-0 Porter to a Texarkana, Texas company, who overhauled it, later selling it to a tourist RR and is now (or was) at Reeder, Arkansas. The rest of the holdings; big bandsaw mill, stationary steam driver, steam hi-lift, and dragger, all supplies, and "such rail as would be salvagable", was auctioned for scrap iron. There had been some over-sight, so that no mention of the shay was made. The story goes that the track was taken up from town out into the woods, and hauled back while the roadbed was still servicable for a caterpillar dragger. Price of iron went down. Another company went out and got some more rail, and torched a bridge, hauling all the scrap back. It was known that some more track was still farther out, but was just not profitable enough to go the distance to get it. A deer hunter took a photo of the shay and showed it to some people who tried following the old roadbed to find it. With the bridge gone, it was impossible to get there. One fellow flew over the area, but could not see it for the trees. The last I was able to find out about it, was that it had derailed, and without track and the bridge, it was not worth going after. Fifteen years ago, it was sunk into the ground on its right side, about two feet next to the creek, so probably rusted beyond repair. I looked around but no one in Searcy could tell me about the old roadbed, or where it was located. When I was there in 1943/44 I had been from Searcy, to Kensit, then to Judsonia, and back, but never knew where the company lumber tracks were. I gave up trying to look any farther. I'll tell about "Old Maude" on another post. I don't want to write a book here. ------------------ Watash [This message has been edited by watash (edited 20 October 2000).]
Hey Watash,wasn't the "Big Boy" the one that had a BIG windup key behind one of the sand domes? My favorite loco is the Ruskie decopod Frisco had quite a few.... RRman48 RustyB
You need glasses rrman48, that's my new superdetailed Thomas the Tank engine in BRASS yet! I don't know what I'm going to do wit' you, I buy you books, what do you do? You eat the covers! rrman48, werent those the ones that were made for Russia's 5'-3" gauge, then we kept them here, re-gauged them to 4'-8-1/2" and Frisco and maybe a few other RR's got them? They were over-sized all over, real brutes! ------------------ Watash [This message has been edited by watash (edited 05 November 2000).]
I guess my favorite steam engine was a PRR K4s 4-6-2 Pacific. When I was very young an engineer took me for a cab ride to Indinapolis and return on one of his last trips before he retired. The second favorite steam engine is the Nickel Plate 765 from Ft Wayne Indiana. Was going to take an excursion trip from New Albany IN to Huntingburg IN (about 60 miles). Was waiting to board the train, up by the engine where else, when I see Bob H. walking around. I know Bob is an engineer on the SOUTHERN RAILWAY, whose line #765 will running on today. Said to Bob, "what ya doin here?" Working was the reply. HUH!?!? Bob patted his pocket and said "I have the orders here that make this train a train today. The engine has it's own crew, but SOUTHERN RAILWAY still has to have a crew aboard. I am getting paid for this ride! DO YOU WANT TO RIDE UP IN THE CAB?" Have you ever seen a grown man DROOL? Ended up riding in the cab all the way to Huntingburg, and riding in the crew car on the way back. Had one meet on the way out, the rest of the time they let that engine roll. I still get goosebumps thinking about that trip. Enough for now. ------------------ Let's Go Run Trains MARK
Now you know, Porkypine52, there is nothing like a steamer, and you'll really never forget it! You'll even think of it when your down shifting to pull that trailer up the grade; like "Man wish I had that old steamer to pull up this!!" Ha. Glad you got the chance to go. ------------------ Watash
My favourite steam locomotive would have to be any member of the class A4 pacifics, of the London & North Eastern Railway, designed by Sir Nigel Gresley. One member of the class being the world record holder for steam traction (Mallard, of course). 126 mph. ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.alancurtismodels.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery
Now you're talking B.U.L. Those Mallards may have the record but The NYC's Hudsons ooOOOoo were never really "Let out to Run!" Neither were any of the fine Northern/Dixie ooOOOOoo Class locomotives from Alco or Baldwin. It has been said that we'll never know just how fast these locomotives could of gone. Not only that, I've never seen an Ugly Alco or Baldwin, Hudson and/or Northern...NEVER! ------------------ Brent Tidaback, Member #234 BNSF Railfan-to-the Max and a N-Scaler to boot! "Ship it on the Route of The Roadrunners!" The Aransas Odessa & Western, a division of the BNSF
Brent, I never suggested that Mallard has travelled faster than some other locomotives COULD have, but just put that in to let you colonials know which locomotive I was talking about But we DO have the all-time steam speed record ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.alancurtismodels.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery
Yeah, yeah. You Brits have the official record...we had to let you guys have something. Actually, I think the Mallards are kind of cool looking. (There, you feel better?) ------------------ Brent Tidaback, Member #234 BNSF Railfan-to-the Max and a N-Scaler to boot! "Ship it on the Route of The Roadrunners!" The Aransas Odessa & Western, a division of the BNSF
Yes, thanks ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.alancurtismodels.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery
I liked the "Flying Scotsman". It was always so Clean and neat! The RR's over here don't care so much what the public think about the equipment, only how much will the public pay. That's one reason I never weather any of my Locomotives, besides that destroyes their value if I want to sell one. ------------------ Watash
My favorite is a streamlined Ps4 Pacific #1380, Southern Railway. The "bullet" nose has a bit of N&W J class to it. Otto Kuhler thought that #1380 (The Tennessean) was his best streamlining job. Of course the regular Southern Pacifics were handsome too!
