Standard Gauge posted:jd-train posted:We did Cass's 4 1/2 hour Bald Knob Trip two weeks ago. Hope to post a thread sometime this week. Cass is located in Cass, WV, and houses the worlds largest fleet of geared Shay locomotives (six of them). They also have a Climax and a Heisler. Shay #5 has been in service, at Cass, for almost 100 years.
Shay #5 is over 100 years old (1905).
Correct: 114 years old but not in continuous service. From the Cass Roster website:
<big>"Shay No. 5</big> -- (Mower No. 5) – C/N 1503, 1905; Class 80-3. Built for the original Cass-based railroad, West Virginia Spruce Lumber Co.’s Greenbrier & Elk River R.R. Shay 5 is the oldest and longest-operating Shay at Cass. Originally assigned to the Cass Hill as road engine; various 
assignments while based at Spruce and on Elk River – until about 1939 the locomotive came to Cass only for heavy repairs. Became Mower (MLbr Co.) No. 5 in 6-42; equipped with power reverse in ICC compliance (applicable to locomotives 100 tons or over) for operation on the Western Maryland, 6-42. Involved in a head-on collision with a WMRy H-8 2-8-0 at Spruce, 10-2-42; due to her weight and the deteriorating railroad, saw little work after 1953; used at the Cass Mill as a steam source during the "Big Freeze," 3-58 – and as needed for other periods when deep snow prevented logs from being shipped. This service ended in [2]-59 – when all cylinders were cracked by freezing out of negligence. Set aside in the upper end of the shop; sold for scrap to Midwest Raleigh, Inc., 9-60; conveyed by Midwest Steel Corp. to the State, 8-62. What was envisioned as a $20,000 repair – "every part except trucks, cab and boiler replaced" – didn’t turn out as such; CSRR service debut was 5-5-66; shopped during [at least part of 1968 and throughout 1969]; became the regular Bald Knob helper and retained that status until No. 7’s demise, then served as regular Bald Knob road engine until No. 2 took those duties. When shopped for firebox flue sheet replacement ([10]-95), a cracked boiler throat sheet was eventually discovered; repairs included all new stay bolts, a replacement cylinder, smokebox, smokebox ring, smokebox door, exhaust gooseneck; several setbacks occurred in out-shopping (outside-contracted parts not correctly machined, the boiler welder’s retirement) occurred; a newly created water tank was borrowed from Shay No. 11 in 9-99; out-shopped and tested on 9-31-00, then placed into service the next day as Bald Knob pusher engine – an assignment held (as needed) throughout the operating season’s remaining weeks (sans tender letter lettering); served as the Bald Knob pusher engine during the first part of the 2001 season then, with No. 2’s post-shopping reactivation, went to standby status."
Rusty
