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From the Baltimore Sun yesterday....

http://darkroom.baltimoresun.c...ation-of-the-1309/#1

Restoration of the 1309

For the past two years, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad has been restoring a Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad 2-6-6-2 steam locomotive. When completed, the No. 1309 will be the largest and most powerful steam locomotive still in regular operation in the United States.

 

Restoring the 1309 from Baltimore Sun's The Darkroom on Vimeo.

Photos and text by Barbara Haddock Taylor

The train, a compound locomotive called the “Mallet,” was designed by Swiss engineer Anatole Mallet and was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in September of 1949. It was the last commercially built steam locomotive for use by a railroad in the United States, and was on display at the B & O Railroad Museum in Baltimore from 1972 until it was purchased by the scenic railroad in 2014. 

Powered by coal and steam, the 217-ton train was used to transport coal from mines through the twisty mountainous terrain of of Kentucky and West Virginia. When the restoration is completed, the locomotive will pull railroad cars full of train enthusiasts and tourists on a 16-mile round trip journey between Cumberland and Frostburg. 

“We’re excited to have such a unique locomotive and are looking forward to sharing it with the public,” said Jim Montague, fleet manager for the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. “It will be great to see it back in operation. It’s quite a piece of machinery.”

C&O-Mallet

 

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  • C&O-Mallet
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That's a really good feature. Good to see 2 of the good guys on WMSR; Mike McMarlin is one of the regular engineers for GP-30s 501 and 502, retired after 33 year career on B&O/Chessie/CSX. He ran trains over Sand Patch grade for about half his career, and has many stories and recollections.
Jim Montague has come up through the ranks, I rode with both men twice last year on the 501.

 

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  • 9-26-2015 062: Mike (left) and Jim (right) last September on WMSR 501
Last edited by Borden Tunnel
Robert K posted:

Just wish WMSR had more miles to operate the beast on, CSX certainly won't allow it on their tracks. The former WM is gone past Frostburg and below Ridgley, WV. Oh well, 16 miles of track is better than nothing.

Once again, instead of being happy that something is going to run instead of rotting away, you complain that it's not to your satisfaction.  Guys like you are the reason railfans get a bad rap.  

Resurrecting an old thread on this Mallet, a few days ago pictures of the restored loco popped up on Railpictures here:  https://railpictures.net/showp...oad_number=CO%201309

with the engine under its own steam power at the Western Maryland Scenic RR shop in West Virginia

I know very little about this beyond what the photographer(s) have stated, though I think my son and I saw this engine when it was still stuffed and mounted at the B&O museum in Baltimore.

@Ed Mullan posted:

The thing about the beast in operation on only her own mileage is some of it is steep enough to make her work. And you won't have to wait until someone has her on CSX or what ever for than once in a year run. You will be able to come to Cumberland watch the 1309 every weekend....or more.

Ed

Great Post Ed....The biggest problem with the Major Railroads is the ever changing Politics at the Top...It's seems to change as often, or more so than they change their under ware...?

Last edited by Brandy

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