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Re: [BRHSlist] Donated Steam Engines

To: nftrains@n..., BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [BRHSlist] Donated Steam Engines
From: WPDiven@a...
Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 11:19:41 EST
In a message dated 12/13/01 2:46:04 am, nftrains@n... writes:

<< I was wondering, when a RR donated these steam engines, what kind of 
working condition are/were they in. >>

Greetings list:

I know we don't like to discuss heathen roads like the AT&SF, but bear with 
me a moment, and I'll get back around to our cause.

The Santa Fe kept two retired steamers, 4-8-4 2925 and 2-10-4 5021, under 
cover of the Belen, NM, roundhouse through the 1970s. These were among the 
last built and maybe 15 years into expected long service when they were 
retired. A yard crew dutifully pulled each from its stall and shoved it back 
in on a monthly basis to keep everything lubed. There were rumors (or 
perhaps wishful thinking) that one of these beasts was actually fired up 
under cover of darkness and taken for an illicit run.

When ATSF tore down the roundhouse ca. 1982, as I recall the story, the 2925 
went to Amarillo (Cleburne?) for possible return to service, but the brass 
hats decided the promotional value wasn't worth the ($500,000?) cost. The 
5021 was parked in the Albuquerque roundhouse with the rest of the "Santa Fe 
Collection" which included Warbonnet F units with a kazillion miles on them 
and ready for scrapping. When ATSF razed the Albuquerque house ca. 1987, the 
Santa Fe Collection including both steamers was donated to the California RR 
Museum. The kicker to the story is that the locomotives, lovingly protected 
by the railroad, have been parked outdoors in Sacramento and are, according 
to second-hand reports, rusting away.

The sidebar to this story is the failed attempt by locals in Albuquerque to 
turn the roundhouse into a museum. An ATSF vice president told me the 
railroad was willing, but the locals couldn't get it together. Now a local 
group has succeeded in acquiring the ATSF shop complex for the Wheels Museum 
and has its eyes on the roundhouse site with the still-working turntable. 
The goal is supposed to be a combination museum/retail/exhibition center to 
include 4-8-4 2926 recently pulled from a city park. The group is even 
competing with the city to get the Amtrak station located there. A separate 
group has hopes of firing up the 4-8-4 once they get covered shop space at 
the museum.

The museum is not limiting itself to railroads, hence the name Wheels, which 
is why racer Bobby Unser is involved in the project. The potential Q 
connection here is the statewide scope of the project. I have not heard the 
C&S or FW&D mentioned specifically, but they caught enough of the state to be 
relevant. Any chance they'll be referenced in more than a few maps and 
photographs? Beats me, but if anyone knows of C&S/FW&D equipment in need of 
rescue, this place has potential. It's at least a year or two from being 
more than just a big piece of property with grandiose plans, but equipment is 
already accumulating in the yard. Long range there is hope for a working 
restoration shop supporting steam excursions. You can check the place out at 
<A HREF="http://www.wheelsmuseum.org";>www.wheelsmuseum.org</A> In the 
meantime, we're looking for volunteers to shovel decades of pigeon droppings 
from the blacksmith building.

Regards,

Bill Diven

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