Western Maryland Scenic Acquires C&O 1309

JayZee · **Joined:** Sat May 07, 2016 1:12 am **Posts:** 140

The big question is cost though. How much will 1309 cost to rebuild, and how does WMSRR plan to pay for it? The donation fund is only for $200,000 right?

PennsyPride94 · **Joined:** Sat May 14, 2016 7:03 pm **Posts:** 10

JayZee wrote:

The big question is cost though. How much will 1309 cost to rebuild, and how does WMSRR plan to pay for it? The donation fund is only for $200,000 right?

I had thought the WMSR had received a grant for around $600,000 to complete the locomotive. That was mentioned on the OGR forum and nobody on there is a working representative of the WMSR so I could easily have heard wrong info.

At only $200,000 seems to me the WMSR has everything almost set and are getting ready to really crank out work. They have also been heavily advertising for donations which again indicates they are really gearing up to get this project moving.

Then again with a frame up rebuild like this project is, I don't know if you can really even tag a price to it since I've bet on multiple occasions while taking it apart they've said "oh $%#&!!" Which is to be expected after the 1309 has been exposed to the nasty weather of Baltimore, MD for years.

JayZee · **Joined:** Sat May 07, 2016 1:12 am **Posts:** 140

I can relate to that to a point. Rebuilding vintage cars is alot like that. Set a budget after inspecting it carefully only to find hidden damage/corrosion. Rule of thumb for rebuilding a car estimate the cost to rebuild it, and double it. More times then not that saves a parts car or helps finish a car. Same could be said for a steamer. Everyone has heard horror stories of unfinished projects. Steam being few and parts nearly impossible to find (in many cases), among the nature of the machine is more expensive, but also creates intellectual skills that become priceless. (self taught blacksmith or bearing forming teaching others the skills). That IMHO is the seen, but underutilized resource many steam restoration groups have. Solving a problem where no solution was and have it work is a rare trait today, and groups that do this earn their pride in their work.

CO 2666 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 08, 2016 12:09 pm

Im not sure what this means, but WMSR just set up a crowdfunding page a few days ago. I wonder if they're hurting for cash?

https://www.gofundme.com/277xns4

Best,
-Andrew

Dave Lewandoski · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 5:58 pm **Posts:** 1083

not many people/groups don't need extra $$

steamloco76 · **Joined:** Tue Mar 24, 2009 6:16 pm **Posts:** 61

CO 2666 wrote:

Im not sure what this means, but WMSR just set up a crowdfunding page a few days ago. I wonder if they're hurting for cash?

https://www.gofundme.com/277xns4

Best,
-Andrew

The more money the WMSR can raise from private party donations, the less they have to grovel and beg for grants and public funding. A smart move on their part which I hope pans out. I want to see #1309 running! Cumberland is only a bit over two hours from my home.

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2876

They have one up for office car WM 204 also, which if I have it right is a neat story. As I recall it was purchased from the WM by a private owner and moved off track with its trucks in the mountains somewhere, where it sat for several decades, used as a hunting lodge as I recall. It is intact but needs work:

https://www.gofundme.com/27cwws7w

ekrwy2 · **Joined:** Sat Jul 16, 2011 3:12 pm **Posts:** 121

Just bumping a thread. I saw where they're hoping for a fall steam up. Any restoration updates? The Facebook page has been silent.

co614 · **Posted:** Sun Jul 17, 2016 4:24 pm

There's still lots to do before this engine steams again. With any restoration this complex it is not possible to establish a timeline as until the machine is completely torn down you do not know what you're dealing with.

I would say that next summer or fall would be realistic possible targets for completion assuming the funding is sufficient to finish the job.

IMHO-Ross Rowland

ekrwy2 · **Joined:** Sat Jul 16, 2011 3:12 pm **Posts:** 121

For your viewing pleasure. Good to see excellent progress made on this classic H-6 Mallet steam locomotive.

https://youtu.be/eyyvkse4lXA

R.L.Kennedy · **Joined:** Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:37 pm **Posts:** 242

Had to turn off the video. All that hammering is a big PIA! Either ask that guy to hold off for a few minutes or MOVE!

John Risley · **Joined:** Tue Aug 24, 2004 10:34 pm **Posts:** 966

Thanks for sharing the video. Nice to hear/see something on the #1309.

Regards, John.

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 10, 2016 9:45 pm

Some commentary from Trains by John Hankey that's worth reading, and a great antidote to Sgt. Oddball's infamous "negative waves."

http://cs.trains.com/trn/b/observation- ... unity.aspx

Overmod · **Joined:** Thu May 24, 2012 1:37 pm **Posts:** 2492

Posted Tuesday evening to the Trains "Steam and Preservation" forum, in response to some of the telling-people-how-to-paint-their-property commentary over there:

Quote:

I'd like to add a bit to the discussion. It is my pleasure to serve as WMSR's Curator, and to the best of knowledge the following is accurate.

First, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Development Corporation (the quasi-public 501(c)3 entity that operates the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad) purchased the 1309 from the B&O Railroad Museum in Spring of 2014. The purchase price was $50,000 and it was a straightforward sale. It is not a "loaner."

By the time the rehabilitation is complete in April or May of 2017, WMSR will have spent close to $1 million on the project, typical for a locomotive of that size. There have been no major surprises and few unexpected issues. But it is almost like restoring two locomotives. Also, the locomotive sat with an asbestos "sponge" holding water against the boiler and firebox for roughly 30 years, which caused a great deal of damage to studs and flexible staybolts. Correcting those issues has taken somewhat longer than expected.

WMSR staff and governance carefully considered what identity the locomotive should have. It is important to bear in mind that C&O 1308 is preserved and well-cared for in Huntington, WV. It is complete, well-interpreted, and in excellent condition as a "museum locomotive."

The 1309 was something of an orphan in the B&O Museum collection. It will be ideally suited as one of WMSR's workhorse locomotives and fulfills a longtime goal of having two large steam locomotives available for service. WMSR 734 will undergo the same thorough rehabilitation as the 1309 over the next few years as resources permit.

1309 will retain its original C&O number and will be lettered "Western Maryland." It was a C&O locomotive for 7 years, and in all likelihood will be a WMSR locomotive for at least 50 years. The railroad envisions at least three 15 year/1472 day inspection/rebuild cycles for the locomotive. WMSR has been in service for nearly 30 years and bases its long-term planning on a 50-year horizon. That is both standard railroad practice and good cultural resource management practice.

WMSR briefly gave some thought to renumbering the locomotive 760. It was a consensus decision that the 1309 had sufficient "identity" to continue to be 1309 on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. But WMSR is an operating railroad and certainly has the right to paint and letter its locomotives accordingly--in the same way that the C&O repainted locomotives it acquired into its own paint schemes.

Absolutely nothing would preclude occasionally repainting the 1309 in a C&O scheme or in some other style. WMSR may paint it differently over the years in the same manner that railroads generally evolved their "look."

Most importantly, WMSR is committed to being a good steward of the locomotive and to making it available to the greatest number of people in the most engaging and interesting ways.

John Hankey

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

Overmod wrote:

Posted Tuesday evening to the Trains "Steam and Preservation" forum, in response to some of the telling-people-how-to-paint-their-property commentary over there:

Quote:

I'd like to add a bit to the discussion. It is my pleasure to serve as WMSR's Curator, and to the best of knowledge the following is accurate.

WMSR briefly gave some thought to renumbering the locomotive 760. It was a consensus decision that the 1309 had sufficient "identity" to continue to be 1309 on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad.

John Hankey

A quick comment. I think that John made an error here in mentioning that WMSR gave some thought to renumbering the C&O 2-6-6-2 as number 760. The next unused number up from the Western Maryland 2-6-6-2's would have been 960 and that's probably the number that was at least briefly considered. There actually was a 760 on the WM but it was a 2-8-0. Number 960 would have been a logical number to give the C&O engine, but the fact that the Western Maryland had no steamers numbered in the 1300's makes the retaining of 1309 on the articulated, a most logical decision.

Looking forward to WM #1309's future operation.

Les