Word from a friend this afternoon it has been loaded up and will soon be heading to a new location. Long stored at the Tri-Cities in Washington state, I'd forgotten all about this locomotive. Has anyone heard who or where?
Ken, it is headed for Cleveland, to the same group that has rescued another steamer. Some of the posts I have seen on another site are by Kelly Lynch, who is very active with the Fort Wayne group operating the NKP 765.
The organization is "American Steam Railroad Preservation" and they were supposed to restore Frisco 1352. Apparently it has not been moved to their facility, wherever in Cleveland that might be. I tried to access them by searching, and got a temporary website saying they would "return soon" with big news. There was also a link to "fire up 2100" which produced a 404 message. From what I can find, 1352 is a 2-8-2. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens, if anything.
Jim, I appreciate your research and info, and look forward to every update. Unfortunately, as a caregiver, Cleveland is too far away, let alone your neck of the woods, which is the only area of our country I have yet to visit.....Bucket List!!!! BTW, I mean the Pacific Northwest, not Rensselaer. I'm quite familiar with the Tri-City having traveled on Hoosick Street (NY-7) many times. I was touchy-feely with 2100 and her sister 2102 at an Iron Horse Ramble in Reading, PA in 1961. So I'd love to see her again...she was magnificent!!!!
I wonder about condition. She has been sitting for a few years now. And in what shape was the loco before rust application?
The guy who tried to operate her out of Tacoma installed some "Rube Goldberg" firing system which I understand did some damage to her firebox, besides not being able to produce enough steam pressure to allow her to pull her short train up the hill out of Tacoma. I don't know how much deterioration happened during all the time she was "parked" in the Tri Cities area. BTW, Hank, the Tri Cities out here consist of Pasco, Richland and Kennewick, Washington, a long way from Albany, Troy and Schenectady, NY.
Now that you mention it, I do seem to recall the alteration mentioned. I was surprised to hear it had troubles getting up that hill. It should have had enough juice to make it. Their trains were not so heavy as to stop progress. Did you ever hear who the engine crew was, running it? That might have made some difference.
The engineer was Tom Payne, who made the modifications. Various other folks fired it, including Bob Harbison from Mt. Rainier Scenic. Bob knows his stuff.
