Vintage bell stolen off engine in rail yard#### The brass bell was taken from a locomotive owned by the National Railway Historic Society.
Eddie Mooneyham figures the people who broke into the rail yard at the Roanoke Industrial Center off Ninth Street Southeast sometime last weekend or early this week knew just what they were looking for.
The fenced-in rail yard houses several historic locomotives and passenger cars owned by the Roanoke chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. Two of the steam locomotives known as the “Lost Engines,” recently saved from a Roanoke scrapyard, are also being restored there.
Someone took a brass bell from the front of a diesel locomotive owned by the NRHS, said Mooneyham, the chapter’s vice president. The bell measures 9 by 12 inches and says “C&O RY” – for “Chesapeake and Ohio Railway,” he said. Mooneyham said the bell would probably be worth several hundred dollars at a pawn or antique shop. The thieves also took an oval sign that says “Stop, look and listen.”
“It was somebody who knew what they wanted to get,” said Mooneyham. “They were fairly brazen. Those bells are not light.” He said the thieves cut the 8-foot-high fence to get in.
Mooneyham said it was the first major theft to occur at the site in 30 years.
Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call Roanoke police, or send a message via the chapter’s Web site at roanokenrhs.org.
Check all local scrap yards. That is where they found the bell and harp to ex-CN # 2441 of the Kamloops Heritage Railway some years back. They were ‘that close’ to being melted down when the railroad people stumbled across it looking for another part. Buddy at the junk yard sold it to them for just a few bucks. What do you suppose he paid for it in the first place?
While it’s possible it was stolen by some junky looking for some quick cash, I’m afraid it may be just as likely that it’s on somebody’s mantle or in their train room.
I have to agree that it wasn’t stolen for it’s scrap value…it was stolen as a trophy to be proudly displayed in some foamers club room, along with the ‘Stop Look & Listen’ sign.
My PO-lice experience is that the scrap hounds will steal the aluminum downspouts off of your house and will strip the copper pipe out of a vacant house, but cutting through a fence and stealing a locomotive bell is the the work of someone who views themselves as a railfan… Having worked for the Roanoke Police Department for 30 years, I know that this theft will be assigned for follow-up, and that the local scrap dealers there will be generally of assistance. Still, not a crime with a great deal of follow-up leads, which is why I thought the additional attention to this TRAINS community may at least be a shred of help.
Even if not a rail fan themselves, someone who realizes the worth and desirability of this piece. They probably either have a buyer or a fence in mind. Since some members of the criminal element are not too smart, it is always a possibility this piece surfaces somewhere for sale. If not by the thief, then by an unsuspecting second hand dealer. Just a thought, I will leave the real detective work to the pros.