Mystery Loco of the Month

Mark Jordan · **Joined:** Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:21 am **Posts:** 490

Quote:

Can't explain the numbering, but I nominate it to be this engine...

Nope. An identical sister.

See Robertjohndavis link above.

This is in my hometown, and I have looked at it quite a bit. Not in horrible shape, but "worn out" as is typical. The asbestos was taken off about 15 years ago.

Charlie · **Posted:** Wed Aug 31, 2016 12:01 am

Just to be clear, are we saying that the mystery locomotive is Savannah & Atlanta #502 which became Elk Creek Coal & Lumber #16 which went to a private museum and was scrapped around 1970?

Train Detainer · **Posted:** Wed Aug 31, 2016 1:45 am

Quote:

Just to be clear, are we saying that the mystery locomotive is Savannah & Atlanta #502 which became Elk Creek Coal & Lumber #16 which went to a private museum and was scrapped around 1970?

No - everything seems to point to S&A 502 becoming ERC&L 16 (Baldwin built and scrapped 1970) and the mystery loco is TA&W 100 which became ERC&L 10 (Alco built and still survives). For some reason someone painted 502 on 10's cab at some point for an unknown reason....

Charlie · **Posted:** Wed Aug 31, 2016 4:00 am

Ah, okay, got it. Thanks!

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Wed Aug 31, 2016 7:26 am

robertjohndavis wrote:

http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=34914

And that would explain this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2eUopy9sd8

The difference was being able to read the "10" up by the headlight the first time.

And that would explain this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2eUopy9sd8

The difference was being able to read the "10" up by the headlight the first time.

Kelly Anderson · **Joined:** Tue Sep 14, 2004 7:52 am **Posts:** 2477

Tom Davidson · **Joined:** Sun Dec 29, 2013 6:07 pm **Posts:** 203

So is it agreed that the engine is ERC&L 10, and she was wearing the cab of ERC&L 16 (ex S&A 502)? Or am I missing something?

I still don't understand why the engine is displayed in Huntington as a B&O 4500 series, class Q-3 (USRA light) 2-8-2, with class Q-4 painted below the fake number. What's wrong with her real identity?

Tom

Kelly Anderson · **Joined:** Tue Sep 14, 2004 7:52 am **Posts:** 2477

Mark Jordan · **Joined:** Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:21 am **Posts:** 490

I think my previous post was slightly in error....?

Anyways, yes, BC&G #10 was (WAS) painted as a B&O Q-3 for many years, as it is at the B&O depot in Huntington. When the asbestos was removed several years ago, it got repainted as BC&G #10, which it wears now.

Tom Davidson · **Joined:** Sun Dec 29, 2013 6:07 pm **Posts:** 203

Mark:

Thanks for the lettering update. That's good to hear.

Tom

scwillis51 · **Joined:** Sat Sep 19, 2015 9:01 pm **Posts:** 32

ERC&L #16 was moved to RICHWOOD, WV for a museum Mr. Jim Comstock created. I toured it during my high school years. First Community Bank sits where the museum was located. When Comstock closed the museum, nobody wanted #16 and she was cut up on site. To get the engine in position, it was placed on a section of track that was dragged 90 degrees to the B&O track she rolled in on.

Comstock drew the ire of the US Postal service one spring. There is a pungent edible lilly known as "RAMPS" which smell like a cross between a wild onion and a skunk. Comstock secured a sufficient quantity of them and extracted the oil which he mixed with printing ink for the West Virginia Hillbilly newspaper he edited. The postal folks were not amused.

I talked to him several times after my initial visit to his office. He sold books and I bought my copy of "Shay Locomotive, Titan of the Timber" from Jim. He had a sharp wit and great memory, able to spin stories believable and not, at the drop of a hat. After Jim died, the Hillbilly Publishing Co. folded within a couple years.