> Whatever became of Marianna &
> Blountstown No. 444? I understand that is
> does not have a tender.

I never did complete tracking it down, but it seems to have gone from Forida to Texas and, in the past few years, come back to either Marianna or Blountstown again in private hands.

444 was built for the Brinson Railroad, ran on Savannah and Northwestern RR and Savannah and Atlanta RR before going to M&B.

I only drove through Marianna once 30 years ago and have dim recollections of a natural cedar or cypress courthouse with carved Corinthian columns. Seemed like a beautiful town. Wish I had seen the railroad.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

> I never did complete tracking it down, but
> it seems to have gone from Forida to Texas
> and, in the past few years, come back to
> either Marianna or Blountstown again in
> private hands.

Steamlocomotive.com has a photo of the engine as presently on public display at Blountstown.



M&B No. 444
AMaples@aol.com

> Last I heard, 148 was somewhere way up north
> like Michigan and theoretically being
> restored to operating condition, but this
> information is several years old. I would
> have expected to see it under steam by now
> if the information was accurate. Perhaps
> somebody shivering in the cold up there can
> provide an update?

> dave

The 148 is currently stored in Traverse City,MI.
The engine is not operable. I dont even know where to start with all the stories that suround the status of the engine.


Lake Central Rail Tours
ra1508vh@cs.com

> I never did complete tracking it down, but
> it seems to have gone from Forida to Texas
> and, in the past few years, come back to
> either Marianna or Blountstown again in
> private hands.

It went to the George Ranch in Richmond, Texas; a stock car and some trackwork remain there about seven years ago.

It then went to M&B Train Park, Blountstown, FL; where it was photographed by Wes Barris, as mentioned already.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Project
james1@pernet.net

> Whatever became of Marianna &
> Blountstown No. 444? I understand that is
> does not have a tender.

Obviously, as seen in the photo link in a following post, 444 does have a tender with it now. However, during a visit about 2 years ago, I noticed the tender trucks have L&N cast on the sideframes. I'm not saying this means the tender is not original to the locomotive, especially considering our Georgia Northern Ry Pacific 107 (FEC 88) has the tender from FEC 126 with Erie RR trucks under it (a change made at some point after it came to the Georgia Northern). Just an observation of something that may indicate a possible change of tenders (or at least trucks) at some time in M&B 444's history.

Happy New Year to all!!!

Stephen

syfrettinc@bellsouth.net

> The 148 is currently stored in Traverse
> City,MI.
> The engine is not operable. I dont even know
> where to start with all the stories that
> suround the status of the engine.

I probably know less than Ray, so I'm not afraid to start. This engine holds the current record for the number of distinctly peculiar individuals who have told me they "own it." The true owner seems to be an individual in Missouri who expended some money on hiring local northern-Michigan help in overhauling it for a tourist-hauling scheme that was never developed. When I last saw it about 18 months ago little seemed to have been accomplished. The tires had been re-set somehow after coming loose due to dragging brakes in the move up north.

This engine spent a couple of years parked next to PM 1225 in Owosso, where we got a good look at it. It was easy to tour its firebox, as the firing stuff was all missing (whatever that is on an oil-burner; I've never seen a whole one). Someone had replaced much of the firebox lower sheets, converting from rounded corners to square, butt-welded corners in the process, but the work had been abandoned half done. None of this had been rectified when I saw the engine in Traverse City, where it sits next to the former PM one-stall enginehouse, by the shore of Boardman Lake, very far from the Florida keys.

The engine is completely stripped down, but the Connecticut gang say that the missing parts existed at some point in the recent past. I was told the sexier brass hardware was once recovered following a theft when the lubricator was spotted in the window of an antique store.

Aarne H. Frobom

Is yet another Humpty Dumpty engine. In pieces and nobody can put it back together again! Sam Freeman is turning over in his grave.

Old Time Trains
oldtimetrains@rrmail.com

Aarne I am aggrieved having read your post. Not even a clear chain of ownership? The missing stuff can be replaced, but I would hate to think there was no hope for the poor old girl now.

Sorry you guys aren't in charge - your record of successful management of the steam byusiness would indeed bode well, but what with a big hog and a tanker you probably have all you need now.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

When I visited the Kettle Moraine on the occasion of their last run in October 2001 I noticed two headlights marked "148" inside the shop. When I asked about them I was told that quite a few of the 148's parts are stored there.

Jeff Terry

It went for $10.26 Not a bad price for a great book.

Boyd

> Found one here on Ebay. Though I'd share...

> Jeff Lisowski
> West Chester, Pa


ddg14@attbi.com