Thanks Bob:
I knew that It was sold because the R&GN Ry. Preservation Society tried to
buy it at the auction, but it went too high and I never heard who bought it.
They now have only two original Sandley locos on the property, ex-Milwaukee
Zoo # 54 (4-4-0, Sandley 1958) and #1, Tom Thumb (0-4-0 vertical engine,
Sandley circa 1949). The society built a SW-type hydrostatic drive loco,
and bought a Hudson from somebody and are fixing it up for service. The
4-4-0's were too small for "real work", they require a re-build every
season. The Atlantic's that I ran would go about three years before they
were all beat out. Until Norman sold the #127, we would trade off every
other month with the #128. After that, it was the #128 all day, every day.
When I designed the Pacific #1924 (Sandley, 1977) for the Milwaukee Zoo
line, I hoped to be able to build one of those for the R&GN Ry.
Unfortunately, the Company was too far gone by then, so I left and went to
work on the BN.
My wife and I were in negotiations to buy the R&GN Ry. operation from the
Locomotive Works, but after 24 years, I'm sure that the choice between going
into what was a considerable amount of debt (for the time) and hiring out on
the big railroad was properly made. We would have been buying a piece of
track that was in pretty bad shape, equipment that was worn out (and
dependant on Normen for maintenance facilities), and paying rent for the
property. The passenger base of about 40,000 per season wouldn't have
supported it at the time. BTW, Norman was no machinist. He did very little
actual work around the place. Most of what was there was built by his dad,
Elmer, before he left. Hired men, like me, built the rest.
Best,
Mike Decker
Mike-
I have been told that all that 15" gauge equipment is still in Quincy, still
stored in a barn since it was sold at an auction. When I asked if it was
possible to see the stuff, I was told the owner doesn't want to show it to
anyone; wants to keep it out of circulation. I was up in the Dells the year
Mr. Sandley was shipping the equipment to Quincy and he had asked me if I
knew where Quincy was, since I was driving a car with Illinois license
plates
on it. He gave me a nice tour of his shop; quite a machinist!
Bob Campbell
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