Ex-Edaville 2' Porters

[Jim Karins]

I ran across some pictures of two, 2'ga. 'Edaville' 0-4-0T Porters recently, each posed on a very short bit of track out in some parking lot.  They were numbered 10 and 11.  The 10 had its tank; the 11 had lost its tank.  The (very slight) bit of information connected with these photos indicated that both were originally Ananconda Copper engines...  Question is:  Does anybody know where these engines are now?  If at some museum or other organization, would there be a website link to it?

[Stephen Hussar]

Hmmm, not still displayed at Edaville? Steamlocomotive.com lists them as 36" gauge and located at Edaville...steamlocomotive.info lists them as 30" gauge, also located at Edaville...
 Scroll down: http://steamlocomotive.info/state.cfm?state=Massachusetts 

[Jim Karins]

Residing in Colorado, can't say as I know what presently is (or isn't) at Edaville.....  As to gauge, since the engines were lettered for Edaville I assumed that they would be 2'ga.  However, perhaps not....  (!?).  When looking at the photos, the gauge certainly appears to be quite small... Perhaps either 24" or 30", but it seems that 3' is rather too large.  I'm not sure how to embed photos in the post, so I've attached one for reference....

[Glenn Christensen]

Hi Guys,

David Conrad's book "The Steam Locomotive Directory of North America" (published in 1988) lists 4 display 0-4-0Ts owned by Edaville. 

Three of them are 16 ton, 30" gauge Porters, which came to Edaville from Anaconda in NJ.  All these locos had identical specs.  One of these is listed as being located in Hyannis.  The other two were located at Edaville.   I know that one of these two locomotives was moved for display to a shopping center at the old roundhouse in Keene, NH.

The fourth locomotive was a 20.5 ton, 42" gauge Vulcan from the Sullivan Train Coal Company in Pittston, PA.

While not an Edaville locomotive, Anthonys Pier 4 restaurant in Boston had a 30" gauge "Vulcan" on display.  I've put the word Vulcan in quotes because I've seen this locomotive live and in pictures  and the steam dome was located inside the cab with the whistle and pops protruding through the cab roof, just like the B&SR and WW&F Porters.  I don't know where this loco was moved to when Anthony's was closed.

All these locos could be rebuilt as Forneys and regauged to 24" gauge (the Sullivan loco could be made outside frame by widening the frame spacing by a total of 2" and by putting the connecting rods outside the main rods ala the Festiniog's Blanche and Linda.)  The resulting locomotives would be quite Maine-like in power and appearance.

I have no further information concerning the location of these locomotives at the present time.


Best Regards,
Glenn

[Jim Karins]

Thanks, fellows....  You're a wealth of fast (and detailed) information.  I appreciate it.  These do seem to be nifty little engines...  Would be nice to see them rebuilt and brought back to 'life' by folks that appreciate these kinds of things..

Jim K.

[Stephen Hussar]

Jim, in the photo you attached of Ananconda No 10...the location of the photo is at Edaville -- the mainline is directly behind the engine. Also, the red wood structure on the left was the old machine shop, unfortunately it was razed a few years ago.

Glenn, does J David's book happen to list Jack Flagg as owner of those Porters?

Stephen

[Keith Taylor]

Those locomotives are former Raritan Copper Works locomotives of the International Smelting and Refining Company (Anaconda Copper) They are definitely 30" gauge, and sister locomotive IS&R No. 9 is at the New Jersey Museum of Transportation's Pine Creek RR at Allaire State Park in NJ. IS&R donated all of the 30" gauge locomotives at their Perth Amboy refinery back in the 1950s. One went to Jay Wulfson's Pine Creek RR (before that became a non profit museum) and the rest went to Edaville. They are all H.K. Porter locomotives.
When they were donated, all were in operable condition. The I.S. & R. had all maintenance work done by the Jersey Central RR at their E'Port, NJ shops.

Keith

[Glenn Christensen]

Hi Steven,

No, it only lists Edaville.  Jack didn't actually get involved at Edaville until after the original RR closed in January 1992.


Best Regards,
Glenn

[Jim Karins]

You guys are top drawer.... (!).  Or, as the Brits would say, "...Full Marks!"  However (if I understand correctly), am I right in concluding that the present location of the remaining 2 engines is still (at least at the moment) 'unknown'...?

- Jim

[Stephen Hussar]

Jim, there's a photo on the current Edaville USA web site (map page) that shows No 10 positioned near the WK&S No 250 display -not like that means anything these days...
http://edaville.com/edaville_interactive_map.html

Glen, that's what I meant...I could swear Jack owned them during the creation of the "new" Edaville (which he was a partner in).

Where's Bruce when you need him?? 

Stephen

[Glenn Christensen]

Glen, that's what I meant...I could swear Jack owned them during the creation of the "new" Edaville (which he was a partner in).

Hi Stephen,

The fact that the locos remained on the property for the "new" Edaville indicates they weren't sold by George Batholomew prior to his departure.  The photos also look rather recent and I can picture Jack making the decision to replace the original wooden buffer beams (which were likely in pretty sad shape after 40 years outdoors) with the new wood shown.  For that reason your understanding that the locomotives were acquired by the "new" Edaville (and therefore Jack) sounds perfectly reasonable.

Best Regards,
Glenn

[Keith Taylor]

This is from the steam locomotive information web site concerning Raritan Copper Works No. 8, which was at Edaville and later was at Hyannis, Mass.

Here are the notes for Raritan Copper Works No. 8, a 0-4-0T located in Navarre, OH
If you have additional information about this locomotive, and would like to share it, click the Add Note button.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: 2007-04-22 18:43:09.25 by Harry C. Stebbins
Locomotive is now owned by Harry Stebbins. Is located in Navarre, Ohio and has been restored to operating condition. Locomotive has been changed from a saddle tanker to a tender engine.

Keith

[Jim Karins]

So....  Let me see if I understand (...low probability, there).  Of the known IS&R Co. 30" ga., 16T, Porter 0-4-0T's:
 > one (#..?) is on display at a shopping center at the old roundhouse in Keene, NH.
 > one (#9) is at the New Jersey Museum of Transportation's Pine Creek RR at Allaire State Park in NJ. (...formerly Jay Wulfson's Pine Creek RR..?)
 > one (#..?) is listed as being located in Hyannis
 > one (#10) might still be on display at Edaville

Were there then 4 of these engines?

Jim

[Keith Taylor]

> one (#..?) is on display at a shopping center at the old roundhouse in Keene, NH.
 > one (#9) is at the New Jersey Museum of Transportation's Pine Creek RR at Allaire State Park in NJ. (...formerly Jay Wulfson's Pine Creek RR..?)
 > one (#..?) is listed as being located in Hyannis
 > one (#10) might still be on display at Edaville

Jim, there were three Anaconda locos at Edaville and one at the Pine Creek. Two remain at Edaville and one was sold. It spent some time at Keene, NH...but is now gone. I believe this was engine No.8 Apparently it left Keene for Hyannis, and later was sold to a private owner in Navarre, Ohio, where he has restored it to operation.

[Stephen Hussar]

Here's a short video clip of No 8 in Navarre, OH
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-Jk6voALdA