Roundhouse visit

Classic Toy Trains Forum
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Sometimes life gives you FUN surprises, and that’s exactly what happened to me! (Sorry, no toys here! Just the real deal!) I wasn’t planning to do this, but I visited the Midwest Railway Historical Society at the B&O roundhouse on West 3rd St. in the Cleveland flats today.

Reading 2100:

Unfortunately Cleveland doesn’t get to keep this one! She’s just visiting for her restoration!

Can anyone identify the HZRX reporting marks on the diesel in the background?

B&O wagontop caboose.

UP 1861. (I’m leaning against the missing cowlings.) On the right you can see the ex-Ferroequus tender that belongs to fire up 2100. The 2100’s own vandy tender is down the line a bit:

To the left of the caboose you can see the operating diesel and NKP coach “Mount Baxter” they took us for a short ride in:

Here’s the diesel a few years ago:

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great pics, thanks for sharing!

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Nice pic’s. Look likes you had a good time.

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Nice, thank you.

Always sad to see the iron horses stabled. At least some were saved for us to see.

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Horizon Rails: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPicture.aspx?id=217210

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Nice shots Becky, thanks for posting them!

Man, that 2100 is one BIG engine!

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Yep! You win! [:D] I thought with the loco being big and blue it might make for an interresting question. I thought it was a Conrail loco at first glance! [:D]

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Monstrous! [:D]

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Nice photos Penny![bow] The Reading T-1’s were a huge steam engine weighing in around 400 tons and were re-built from older steam engines at the Reading PA shops during the 1940’s. There were 30 of the T-1’s built by Reading RR but only 4 survive today, they were numbered from 2100 to 2129.

I have 2 websites that will help with the restoration progress of the Reading T-1. www.americansteamrailroad.org or www.fireup2100.org

Lee Fritz

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If you get a chance go to the Pennsylvania RR Museum in Strasburg PA. You can spend the whole day there, there is both indoor and outdoor exibits.

Lee F.

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A T-1 weighed around 400 tons? Wow, that’s 100 tons less than a Big Boy, and the size of one of those things will take your breath away. Trust me on that one.

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Here’s another good one with photos of the move: https://akronrrclub.wordpress.com/tag/reading-2100/

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Thanks for the additional website Penny.

Another thing about the Reading T-1’s when they were being built in Reading PA is that Baldwin Locomotive Works supplied(Reading RR paid for the parts) some parts for the rebuild process.

Lee Fritz

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Hi Becky. I was surprised to see Reading 2100 under such a major restoration so soon. I was fortunate enough to have it in my neck of the woods about 12 years ago where it was having some work done at my local railway museum. (Elgin County Railway Museum). It was in darn good shape then!!

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After reading about the history of the locomotive I have to say I’m a bit surprised too. But I’m no expert. Here are some more pics of appliances:

Right side drivers and rods:

Fireman’s side (and roundhouse cat! [:D]):

I was a bit surprised by the condition of the backhead. But maybe I’m just thinking that because some of the gauges are off:

A better picture of the tender:

There ya are. [:D]

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Neat post Penny!

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Some good news from MRPS! They’ve raised enough money to re-roof and restore the 5 stalls of the roundhouse where the roof collapsed a few years back! [:D]

Construction starts on Monday!

I also scanned and cleaned up this photo of the Cuyahoga Valley Line excursion I rode back in 1976 with Mikado 4070 on the point:

Here’s a better idea of what 4070 is supposed to look like:

When the rounhouse repairs are completed, they’ll be able to get 4070 back inside where heavier work can be done. They also got the donation of surplus rail from the Brookpark Ford plant which, with a lot of effort, will give them more and better trackage at the complex.