Last steamer in regular service?

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UP 844 was never retired, period. It is not some engine that sat in a park, or some old lady's barn in Maine, and was brought back from the dead. Yes, it had some extended shop time here and there, but it is an accepted fact that 844 deserves that title.

I have done my research. I could go on, but why bother? Foamers don't like to accept facts-

Kind of "interesting" to hear some folks mention Steamtown, or other shortline/museums, but they fail to mention the power there came after it was retired from service, or sold off/donated, etc. Occasional trips on a museum property, or after a loco was removed from service, displayed, rebuilt then "resurrected" after being out of service seems to go against the original question. UP seems to have the winner here.

What do you mean by a foamer? There are still other main line steam engines besides the 844 that are still in active service. The question also didn't say a main line steam engine, it just asks the last steamer in regular service. So any engine that is still in active service, and has never been taken out of active service, falls under this category. Even if it is operated two or three days out of a week, it still counts. The only engine from Maine that ever went and sat in a barn, was W, W, & F #9, which also belonged to the SR&RL, and KC. However, I know that was taken out of active service when the railroad closed, so I didn't mean that engine any way. And somebody else stated that excursion service also counts, so that would also fall into a tourist railroad category since they run excursion trains.

Joe

A number of the Ex D&RGW steamers on the Silverton line and on the C&TS were never retired and equally deserve the title along with 844.

The steamers on the Mount Washington line have never been retired. In fact they built a new one 10 or so years ago.

That is the exact point I am trying to make to the people who think the 844 is all by itself. As I have said, there are several that are still in service, and have never been taken out of active service. Hence the reason for me saying earlier to the people who think that only 844 get the tiltle, DO RESEARCH BEFORE POSTING. And I know for a fact that there are still a lot more than the Mount Washington Cog Railway Engines, D&S engines and C&TS engines also.

Joe

Joe - closer to home, CPR ran steam in Maine until early 1960... particularly on the on the Moosehead Sub's daily mixed train, nicknamed the "Scoot."

PS:

Three degrees of railfan, from bad to worst : ), used derisively by railroaders:

FRN = F*%*&^% rail nut
FOAMER = foams at mouth when a train's in sight
FLM (pr. "flim")= Fan Living with Mother

Thanks for the info Cowford. As a volunteer firemen on a railroad, I am almost certain that I don't fall into the foamer catergory, because I don't go train watching, or stop and watch a freight train that is a mile away.

However, the one that called me a foamer (EMD5970) I guess would be considered a foamer because he isn't thinking of all the other steam engines in the U.S. and world that are still operating besides the 844. So far since this argument started, we have proven that there are the Cog Railway engines, UP 844, Cumbres & Toltec engines, and Durango & Silverton engines. There might also be the EBT 15, W, W, & F Ry #10, and many more. So EMD5970 is the foamer person here who isn't doing research and isn't accepting facts. Now if this was a standard gauge thing, than yes, the 844 would be the winner for sure. However, it only asks last steamer in regular service.

Joe

Joe, those guys have to be yanking your chain. Anyone who considers "hostling service" (whatever the heck that is) and excursion service as "regular service" is... well... I gotta ask the question (and I'm probably going to regret it because this should be under the topic of "Who cares?"): What, then, would be classified as "special" or "non-regular" service?

Joe,

So you're a steam locomotive fireman. Great. It's been close to thirty years since I have had a coal scoop, firing valve or (alas) a steam locomotive throttle in my hand.

However, in those years, as opportunities have presented themselves, I have supported my family and paid my mortgage with several jobs in the rail industry or in rail equipment restoration. I have also done some extensive research, diesel related, for which I was well paid. Your CV?

Respect your elders-

Regards,

EDM

Ok EDM5970. What railroad did you operate a steam engine on, and what was the class or wheel arrangement? Cowford, hostling service is when somebody goes in and gets the engine ready for the engineer and firemen. From what I am told, the EBT has a hostler that goes to work at 2a.m. and lights the fire, etc.

Joe

so 844 is legally still in regular service -- excursion service, freight service, hostling service, it's all the same.

Joe, I am more than familiar with the term, and was referring to this claim that an engine can be in hostling service.

I was a fireman, hostler, and conductor on the Whippany River operation operated by the M&E back in the 1970's. The locomotive was FEC Pacific 148. As hostler I ocassionally got to run, light engine and switching coaches.

Before that, in the 1960's I was with the same engine on the Black River. When it went to the M&E, I went with it; the owner and I were very good friends.

While at M&E, 148 was used on two excursions operated by the Mainline Steam Foundation. One was on the Lehigh Valley, the other on the CNJ.

I was hostler the entire night before each of the trips. I was riding the engine on the CNJ for part of the trip, too, and we ran at 60 for a bit with nine heavyweight coaches, not too shabby for a "light" 4-6-2.

Toward the end of the 1970's, I was at New Hope as a fireman and ocassionally as conductor. Power at the time was former US/ATC 0-6-0 9, which had also seen service on the Virginia Blue Ridge. Again, I sometimes got to do a little switching. (No. 9 is currently in pieces and for sale.)

After that, I was part owner of one of the pioneer contract switching operations. (See the NY State Railfan forum, light move of RS-1 # 43.)

Oh. Very interesting EDM5970, I wish I could have been around back in the later days of steam.

Joe

Aa3rt wrote:The Edgemoor and Manetta Railway lasted into 1976. Check out:

http://www.geocities.com/joedbart/conte ... index.html

I believe Pennsy ended steam operations in the late 1950's with Pennsy's B6sb# 5244 operating sometime into 1959, leased by the Union Transportation Company of New Jersey. Check out:

http://kc.pennsyrr.com/guide/pemberton.html

The Pennsy did stop running steam in the 50's but then ran into a motive power problem. They had to rent some of Readings T1's to help them haul their loads. After they gave them back to Reading I think some were in service till the mid 60's pulling the coal trains out of Schuylkill County. Please correct me if I am wrong.