As we know from my previous post, I like railroad bells. I was reading the blog of the Sumpter Valley Railroad (36" gauge) which brought a pair of Sumpter Valley locomotives down from the White Pass & Yukon Route. Both of the locomotives were missing their bells.
Turn back to the 1980s, a family in Skagway needed a dinner bell, and got one off the dead line of the White Pass. Years later, they and the bell traveled down to Idaho and eventually heard about the Sumpter Valley Railroad Restoration and the missing bells.
An offer of the bell was made; and it took about 30 seconds for the museum to say yes. So you ask, how do you tell which locomotive the bell came from? The bell in Idaho is complete with its bell frame, while the #20 still has its base of the frame bolted to the top of the boiler. Thus, it is the 19's bell and in addition, the bolt holes lined up nicely.
Mostly brass parts are taken off derelict locos to be melted down; but not always. Sometimes these artifacts do return to the proper homes. If anyone is out in eastern Oregon, the Sumpter Valley is a fine narrow gauge operation and they are doing some excellent restorations.
Ted Miles WW&F Life Member
