Looks great.
I'm glad to realize that the other photograph was from a long time ago and the drivers are looking ready to roll at this point.

If you look at the photograph showing the rear frame of the front engine that was assumed to be current, please note that it's still secured to the TTX flat that carried it from Baltimore.

If it was current I'd hate to pay the demurrage fees.

What photograph are you referring to?

What photograph are you referring to?[/quote]

I deleted the 5 year old photos so there would be no further confusion.

They were merely posted only to answer a question from another member about how the front engine was attached to the rest of the locomotive.

I apologize for any and all confusion...

Tim W.

Probably a good idea. Some railfan might start a 3 page discussion on why after all this time the wheels are not done, who is responsible for this delay and if Rons Tire Shop is really the contractor to do the work. And why are the wheels in Canada like Howard Cosell narrating sports history.

In all seriousness thanks for the pics, explanations and a thank you out to Jason for doing the video. Maybe the armchair mechanics can learn from him some of the reasons a restoration is so time consuming above and beyond the theft of critical parts and a relatively small workforce in the shop. I am excited about this restoration making it to the finish line and being done right. Regards, John.

Just in case anyone didn't see that work has been stopped again, pending funding.

https://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2019/08/24-western-maryland-1309-project-halts-again-for-need-of-funding

Let's at least celebrate that John Garner has learned not to issue completion dates and be selling reservations based upon them.

I was hoping they'd maybe have her in service for this years Santa trains but that's now not very probable. Let's hope they can find the needed funds to get her over the finish line before too much additional water goes under the bridge.

Hope springs eternal.

Ross Rowland

"A last remaining part for the rear engine, a driving box, must be purchased from a foundry at a cost of $39,000, then machined and installed."

It's too bad it isn't possible to make one of these overnight like Burt Lancaster did in The Train. Is the cost of this piece mostly the price of the metal or the labor?

Is this one of the pieces sold by the former employee for scrap?

The guy who committed the theft had a number of similar theft convictions going back fifteen years, I'm still astonished a person like that would have access to the locomotive.

.

I assumed it was a typo....... maybe not?

I assumed it was a typo as well. They have wheeled the front engine but not the rear engine so my guess is that that need $39k for the rear six boxes.

C'mon, you don't really expect your run of the mill journalist to get those kinds of details right, do you, lol?

Rob Gardner

PS...here's hoping this is the last of the major hurdles. Perhaps, however, they have learned from past experience that crying "Crisis, Crisis!!! We're ALL out of money!!!" is indeed an effective way to raise funds?

Does anyone have an update on the WMSR concerning status of the 1309 as well as the required trackwork before this engine is ready to roll to Frostburg?

Here is a reply to a post on their facebook page they made about a week ago in response to the question "any word on 1309 hitting the rails soon?": "Western Maryland Scenic Railroad [name redacted] once additional funding is secured, work will continue.

Like · Reply · 1w"

https://www.facebook.com/WMSRailroad/po ... &__tn__=-R (Click on the "20 comments" or whatever it is now if you don't have faceplant).

Are restoration efforts on this engine at a total standstill or is there progress being made "under the radar"? I couldn't find anything on their Facebook page.

Obviously its not going to make the just ended Santa season trains as at one time was hoped for.

They need to raise $ xxxx to fund its completion and one would hope that the management would issue an official status report sooner than later??

Happy New Year. Ross Rowland