August 25th and 26th were the annual Heritage Days at the Elgin County Railway Museum in St Thomas Ontario. Steam engine rides behind Essex Terminal Railway #9 were given on both days. On the second day, for the first time in 21 years, a passenger train ran over the bridge at Sunset Avenue. The last train was the Amtrak Niagara Rainbow. This time ETR #9 did the honors, giving the patrons a 4 mile round trip, including the bridge. As well CN K5a 4-6-4 5700 and Ferroequus Railway Company TPHX 2100 (former Reading T-1) were on display. A few weeks prior to the event, 2100 was outside, after her boiler inspection getting a bath. Here are a few pics. Blake Marquette and Shawn Collins wiping down the boiler of 2100, while former Lake Ontario Steel (now DFBX 10) 70 tonner basks on track 11 of the former Conrail Canada Division shop track. Blake finishes soaping up the front of the smokebox........ Jon Pindar wipes down the Reading Logo on the front of 2100. 2100 sits outside the former NYC shop, after the cleaning.
Jon, Great Pictures!! You know you can make me happy by posting Steam. So that's you, cleaning up the emblem on the pilot, eh? At my advanced age I may not even be able to climb up there.
That would look a fine locomotive without that red/orange stripe down the side! To me that really jarrs! It just looks "un-American". Surely it never ran like that in it's former life?
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Alan: That would look a fine locomotive without that red/orange stripe down the side! To me that really jarrs! It just looks "un-American". Surely it never ran like that in it's former life?<hr></blockquote> Well, I will quote Tom Payne owner of 2100......got 2.1 million Canadian...ya can do what ya want with it. There are always purists, why worry about a coat of paint, or a scotchlite stripe (which is what the red stripe is). The engine still runs, it is still in one piece.....why say "it dont look right".....Alan, would you rather see it as it is NOW, or as original, but having to find those tiny original pieces in the scrapyard?
Any locomotive restored to that condition is a joy to behold, but I would love to peel off that scotchlite tape If the whole engine was shiny black, it would look even better (in my opinion). I just wonder why it was done like that?
2100 meets every requirement for mainline service. It has the striping.....a RSC (deadman in US terms), speedometer, and the equipment for a TIBS unit (one of those Japanese conductors). That is the reason why the stripe is there safety and liability reasons.
Alan, Payne has taken a lot of flak from steam railfans in the US and Canada, especially Reading fans--That's a Reading T-1. Do you see the wording on the tender? I think Jon's comments about the reason for the stripe just sum things up. Lawyers have ruined just about everything in the world, now they are ruining railfanning.
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by fitz: Alan, Payne has taken a lot of flak from steam railfans in the US and Canada, especially Reading fans--That's a Reading T-1. Do you see the wording on the tender? I think Jon's comments about the reason for the stripe just sum things up. Lawyers have ruined just about everything in the world, now they are ruining railfanning. <hr></blockquote> I took the flak this weekend, some diehards were up from PA to see 2100...... Personally I get tired of it, having Mr. Payne cut me a check, leaves me at an impass. What side to take. Lawyers no they didnt have anything to do with it. Ferroequus Railway Company is part of Tom's holding company (reporting marks TPHX). Ruined Railfanning, I would say not entirely, I would love to photograph 2100 in her full Reading splendor, yet, looking from a safety standpoint 2100 is as safe as those diesels floating around out there, have the majority of the safety features. As for the railfans. I'll take Mr Paynes side anyday. There are many steamers out there that look totally different than original. At one time Steamtown painted everything Lackawanna, including steamers from CNR and CPR. Weight of all the options, I'll take 2100 as she is now...for those that remember the T-1's its not hard to see what it actually looks like underneath, afterall nothing has changed, its not been technically "cosmetically altered". Just use yer imagination, thats all it takes, she is still the same T-1. Just found a place that actually wants her for a change instead of stuck in a siding awaiting an unknown fate.
Jon, don't take that the wrong way. I think she looks great--heck she RUNS. That's the main thing. My comments about lawyers had to do with all the new rules and laws that everyone has to conform to. Had nothing to do with Payne nor Ferroequus. We can thank the lawyers because of previous lawsuits, sometimes frivolous, which increased the cost of insurance required to run a steam locomotive on a class 1 railroad. Everyone is running scared. Now, any chance that recently restored and successfully tested CP 2816 can join up with Ferroequus? Throw in Bullet-Nose Betty 6060 and we would have a Railfair!
