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Black River Railroad Historical Trust |
BR&W #60
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Operating a steam locomotive in our modern world is no easy task, as the immense amount of parts, skills, and funds needed
for such an endeavor are not easy to come by. However, if you are lucky enough to have had the opportunity to see one of these
massive machines in operation, you know that it's all worth it!
BRW & BRRHT volunteers have recently completed an extensive restoration project on this historic locomotive and we are looking forward to returning New Jersey's only standard-gauge American built steam locomotive to revenue service in 2010. This page is your official source for information about BR&W #60; this is where information about #60's history, restoration, and operation will be posted. During 2010 this page will be frequently updated as new information becomes available. Last Update: August 9, 2010 Click Here to get notified when news is available! |
BR&W / BRRHT Steam Program Share
About #60
The star of the show...
Since the BR&W began operating passenger excursions in Flemington back in 1964, #60 has been the star of the show.
#60 was built by the American Locomotive Company (Alco) in Schenectady, NY in August 1937. This is a consolidation 2-8-0 type
locomotive, meaning that #60 has two pilot wheels, eight drive wheels, and no trailing wheels. This design of locomotive was typically
used in slow to medium speed freight service.
The locomotive was first owned
by the Great Western Railway
of Colorado, and had the distinction of being the only Alco locomotive in their fleet - all of the
company's other locomotives were built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA.
Because #60 was one-of-a-kind at Great Western, it saw the least amount of service of all their locomotives. When the BR&W
purchased the locomotive from Great Western it was delivered along with a box car containing their entire stock
of parts for #60!
Specs
- Fuel: Bituminous "soft" coal.
- Top Speed: Approx. 50 mph.
- More coming soon.
About the Restoration Project
#60 has been out of service since November of 2000. During this time, volunteers of the BRRHT and BR&W have
undertaken a massive restoration effort. The work performed on #60 has been done with the ultimate goal of bringing
the locomotive into a state of good-repair to ensure that it can be safely operated
for the enjoyment and education of the public for years to come. This project has been funded almost entirely by funds raised through
ticket sales on our passenger trains.
Updates:
- Dec 1, 2009: Restoration work on #60 is near completion.
- Feb 1, 2010: The BRRHT has been tasked with overseeing completion of the BR&W steam program. The program consists of three sections: one to govern system-wide steam procedures for the Bel-Del and BR&W lines, one to govern procedures specific to locomotive #142, and one to govern procedures specific to locomotive #60.
- Mar 22, 2010: Work on the steam program is progressing. The system-wide and #142 sections are largely complete. Section for #60 is in progress. Plans for steam-crew training/qualifications are in progress.
- Aug 9, 2010: Work on #60 in preparation for recertification and operation is complete. The mandated Federal inspection (the last significant hurdle to be cleared for #60 to operate) has been scheduled and will take place during the coming weeks.
Steam Schedule
What to Expect
Our goal is to develop a steam schedule which provides the public the opportunity to experience this locomotive during
a variety of events throughout the year. Please be patient as we finish the necessary details to place #60 in service, and remember that we look forward to #60's return to service as much as you do!
| Date | Event | Notes |
We reserve the right to substitute motive power at any time as operating conditions demand. We make every possible effort to adhere to the above steam
schedule at all times, however, due to the unique challenges presented by steam operations, diesel power may be substituted when deemed necessary on any train at any time.
Any modifications to the published steam schedule will be posted ONLY on this webpage.