The remaining Locos.

[Fritz 52]

Hi
DI remember eading a while back about a group approaching the City of Idaho Springs about the possibility of getting their loco restored to running condition. Is there any news on this? Also is there any possibilty of the loco up in Central City in steam again. I realize its now more of a static display but it was running at one time. Just two more things. Number 9 is another that was running not too long ago on the GLSRR. Is there any interest in possibly getting it back in steam and dojng what they did with #315 and use it to travel around to the remaining lines? Ok final question..The Museum in golden has two locos that once ran on the C&S. #191 was done up cosmetically to look it did originally and lettered for the DL&G. Was it ever considered to be retored to running and the former RGS/Boulder/ C&S loco too?
There's my questions. Remember the old Enquirer saying,  " inquiring minds want to know .
Fred Cotterell
C&S Ohio Creek sub
'The Kebler Pass Line'

[South Park]

  In recalling past discussions on these by others far more knowing than I,

DSP&P 51 / DL&G 191 has an iron lap seam boiler, and would be cheaper
to build a new one from scratch than make the original legal to run.

C&S No.9 had all sorts of issues when last running and would require major
work to really make it "right".  The City of Breckenridge wants it for display
purposes, and only sees making it operational as taking it away from their
display.

C&S No.60 has crown sheet issues from burning tires for smoke effect by
people, since being put on display.  85 years of sitting there has done it no
favors either.  But the bottom line is the City of Idaho Springs likes it just
as it is, and like No.9 in Breckenridge, making it operational only takes it
away from their interests.

C&S No.71 is owned by the Central City Opera Association, or a group of
some similar name.  They got talked into letting an outside interest make it
run and use it for tourist trains.  This did not end well, with the locomotive
damaged from operation and lack of maintenance.  Talking the Opera Association
into another go would probably take some serious finesse and sorcery.

 ....  at least, that is how I last understood the situations to stand.  Correction
and updates are certainly encouraged.

[Fritz 52]

Thanks S. Park.
I was just curious about them. It is good they are still with us.
I just would like to see one running. The Golden museum had #20 RGS rebuilt but itvwas a major undertaking. #168 is going to be finished soon, and there already been a video or two of it under steam. Of course there's Klondike Kate in Como which I celebrate the it's use in Como. Itvwould just be a bit of 'icing on the cake' on see a C&S Loco running again.
Fred Cotterell
C&S Ohio Creek sub
'The Kebler Pass Route'.

[Kurt Maechner]

The situation with C&S 9 was that it was never intended to be the main motive power on the GLRR.  The season when it was restored had a perfect storm of problems for its other steam and diesel locomotives and No. 9 was pressed into service and was worked beyond its capacity.  Quite simply it just wasn't built to pull the loads that the GLRR presently hauls.  

Idaho Springs did give the green light to the C&S Ry. Society to do restoration work on No. 60 to bring her to operational condition.  The plan, as detailed in an article, was to ship it around for operation but always to bring it back to Idaho Springs (a bit like Jerry Jacobsen's locos at the Age of Steam Roundhouse in Ohio).  

Below is an excerpt from the article:

[Idaho Springs] Council member Tracy Stokes asked how the city could show the train off to the public and make the best use of the associated tourism.

Fearn said his organization [the C&S Ry. Society] would pay to get the train to be showcased part of the year at other railways around that state, ultimately bringing attention to Idaho Springs.

“We as a group would act as custodians for the town, and we would take it there,” Fearn said, adding the train would be returned to the city for the rest of the year. He added even if the city wasn’t willing to let the train go on tour, he wants to see the locomotive restored “no matter what.”

On the other hand, they are still at work on C&S caboose 1006 in Idaho Springs and that project has gone much longer than expected, so it's hard to tell when 60 will finally be focused on.

C&S 74 is another engine out there.  Right now she's on lease to CRRM.  74 is a big engine and could pull much more than 9 could.  74 was considered for use on the GLRR back when 9 was getting restored.  74 was sidelined as it was determined that 9 was easier to restore.  

All in all, these aren't really updates.  More of just additions to the info.

[South Park]

  Well, thanks for the updates. At 1200 miles away, I am not exactly on top
of things to keep a finger on the pulse of everything.

[Fritz 52]

Kurt

Thank you for those updates. I read that the GLRR had tried to convert #9 to an oil burner, which was a failure.
Fred

[Kurt Maechner]

Hi Fred,
I read Jason Midyette's book One Short Season on No. 9's restoration and short season (he was also ran the engine on the GLRR).  He doesn't mention the conversion to oil as a problem.  He remarks instead that the "heavy use took its toll on the engine, piston rings wore out, the first Chinese air compressor gave out (due to casting sand left in it at the factory) and staybolts started leaking....Another issue...was the failure of the feed valve in the air brakes.  The valve would occasionally clog as a result of chunks of dried-out oil coming loose in the air lines and making their way to the feed valve [which] wreaked havoc with the air brakes, causing them to apply as pressure in the reservoir was not maintained."  By the end of the 2006 season he notes, "Its piston rings were so worn out that it seemed like more steam was escaping past the piston rings than was bing utilized to propel the locomotive."

Towards the end of the book Midyette comments on the status of No. 9 at Breckenridge: "John Braun and the Mammoth crew reassembled No. 9 [after it left the GLRR] and cosmetically restored it.  Along with the cosmetic work, they addressed as many of the mechanical issues as possible.  As a result of Mammoth's extra effort, No. 9 not only came out looking good but also theoretically operational in a limited manner.  The locomotive retains all of the oil burning appliances from its 2004-06 operational restoration, has new gauges in its cab and even has insulation under the boiler jacketing.  However, engine 9's tender has not been operationally restored, nor fitted with an oil tank [No. 74's tender was used during GLRR operation], so additional work would be required to actually operate No. 9.  Also, the tender's brake cylinder is missing; it was used on No. 74's tender in 2006 and has never been replaced."