svsfilm.com
December 2011 Newsletter

CHRISTMAS 2011
SVS Film wishes all our friends and customers a very happy Christmas and prosperous 2012. Please note that the final date for orders for SVS Film DVDs and CDs from customers in the US and Canada in time for Christmas is December 8 and for UK customers is 16th December.

NEW SVS FILM DVD

Guildford - an Engineman’s View
This is a real treat for fans of British Southern steam. The DVD features restored 8mm cine film shot by a Guildford steam locomotive driver between 1963 and 1966. These films are special as they were mostly taken while at work or from viewpoints not generally accessible to the public. Often filmed in poor light and never with a tripod, they nevertheless give us a rare insight into the people and their lives at the steam locomotive depot - over 80 staff members are identified in this film. The driver also took his camera on some of the Guildford workings to such diverse locations as Woking, Weybridge, Walton, Feltham, Nine Elms, Aldershot, Reading and even as far as Salisbury and Redbridge. Nothing physically remains today of the Guildford steam depot which closed in July 1967 but its memory lives on in these rare films. Railway sounds have been added to the silent 8mm cine film on this DVD.
The DVD is available now in both British PAL and US NTSC TV formats.

Full details at http://svsfilm.com/gfd.htm

30939archives news:
SVS Film is delighted to announce that 30939archives, producers of the ‘Silent Cine Series’ of DVD’s featuring restored 8mm cine film, have granted SVS Film an exclusive licence to manufacture and distribute their DVDs. This leaves Bob Bridger of 30939archives to continue to research and work on new productions. Full details of the current list of titles can be found at http://www.30939.svsfilm.com
Please note these are currently only available in PAL TV format.

London Steam - Nine Elms Website
Read about the techniques of cooking breakfast on board the locomotive. The Nine Elms website is at: http://svsfilm.com/nineelms

FEATURED SVS FILM PRODUCTS

Audio CD ‘American Steam Railroad Sounds Volume One
Enjoy a full hour of contemporary American Steam Railroad Sounds on this audio CD. Locomotives featured include ex-Rio Grande narrow gauge 2-8-2's, 2-8-0's on Utah's Heber Valley Railroad, Grand Canyon Railway 2-8-0 and 2-8-2, SP 4-6-2 #2472, #261, #4449 and #844 4-8-4's, and the Challenger! Lineside, on-train and even some footplate cab sounds are featured.

A recent customer said: WOW!!! Magnificent sound. Recordings are all of the highest quality. A MUST HAVE for any Steam Train Nut. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! - Steve from Texas.

Full details at http://svsfilm.com/ussound1.htm

Steam updates -

In the UK:

Flying Scotsman’s Expensive Return To service - Now Scheduled for ‘Late Spring’
The purchase and overhaul of the National Railway Museum’s Iconic steam locomotive, No. 4472 Flying Scotsman now looks as though it could cost up to FOUR MILLION POUNDS. The National Railway Museum has announced that the restoration of Flying Scotsman is expected to be complete by late spring 2012. The iconic locomotive was expected to be completed during the summer of 2011 but unfortunately the project was delayed due to the discovery of a number of additional defects. These were not spotted while the engine was under repair over the last five years and the engine was presented to the public and financial supporters last May. At this unveiling, it was anticipated that the engine would be operating on the main line by September but cracks were found in the frames, and the wheels also required attention. The engine was dismantled and remedial work to the frames is currently underway at Riley & Son (E) Ltd in Bury and is focusing on ensuring that the locomotive is in a condition to be able to run for decades to come. The work due to take place on Flying Scotsman in the next few weeks includes the fabrication and installation of a new mid stretcher, the machining of the axle boxes, the manufacture of a new middle motion bracket and the repair and installation of the horn guides.

Railfest 2012 - York
The National Railway Museum will host “Railfest 2012” a celebration of Britain’s railways. The nine-day event will take place June 2-10, 2012 and will offer the opportunity to visit locomotive cabs and ride behind several steam engines. There will also be a trade show and family activities during the celebration. The following locomotives have been announced but may be subject to change. Many more locos will be added to this list in the months leading up to the event.

A4 No.4468 Mallard
A3 No.4472 Flying Scotsman
LNWR Webb No.790 Hardwicke
LNER No.60163 Tornado
GWR No.3717 City of Truro
No.6229 Duchess of Hamilton with matching coach
Shropshire & Montgomeryshire 0-4-2WT Gazelle
Schools No.925 Cheltenham
RSH No.1 Castle Donington
A4 No.60007 Sir Nigel Gresley
9F No.92203 Black Prince
Peckett No.2150 Mardy Monster
Peckett No.2012 Teddy
Tysley 0-6-0PT No.L94
Webb No.1054 Coal Tank
No.55002 King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
Prototype HST
LMS Jubilee Class No.45596 Bahamas
LB&SCR Brighton Belle brake car No.88
Hunslet No.1786 Courage / Sweet Pea

More information will be available at the Railfest 2012 website: http://www.nrm.org.uk/PlanaVisit/Events/railfest2012.aspx

‘Belgian Marine’ runs again!
Sharp-eyed spotters may see Merchant Navy Pacific 35028 ‘Clan Line’ running as 35017 ‘Belgian Marine’ on at least one special excursion including the December 21st trip from London Victoria.

In the US:

261 Rebuild Update
By Ed Selinsky Work is steadily continuing on the rebuild of Milwaukee Road 261 in Minneapolis. While the drivers have been out from under the locomotive, the suspension system has been removed and all the wear points have been rebuilt to specifications. All eight major leaf springs that support all the weight on the drivers have been reinstalled, one over each driving wheel. In the next few weeks, the shoes and wedges, which hold the driving wheel sets in their proper position in the frame, will be prepped for installation so that when the drivers are done, we will be ready to reinstall them under the locomotive. Work continues on several smaller parts such as the firebox butterfly doors, which have been dismantled and prepped for sandblasting. Also, the injector starter valve has been cleaned and lapped, and the cab floor is being replaced with new wood. The major job of pressing the No. 2 driver off its axle, resetting the tolerances for the wheel bearing, and refitting the driver to its axle, has been successfully completed. All four sets of drivers have now been shipped to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM) in Chattanooga, Tenn., where they have the specialized equipment necessary to turn the wheels and crankpins. Because of the weight of all four sets, it was necessary to ship them on two separate flatbed trucks. This is the first time that 261's drivers are having this done since it was retired in 1954. After thousand of miles of operation, the drivers become a bit oval shaped, because they will wear down a bit faster at the strongest part of the piston thrust on each side of the engine. Riding on the engine now is similar to riding in an automobile with the wheels out of balance. You can feel the vibration of the engine while running at speed. The first set of drivers has the most wear on the flanges so it will be turned down first to restore it to its original profile. The other three sets will be turned to exactly match the first set. On Oct 8 and 9, the Friends of the 261 operated two trips to raise funds for the overhaul. However the Friends are still in need of funds to complete the rebuild. Please consider a donation of any amount. You can mail your amount to: Donate to 261, 4322 Lakepoint Ct. Shoreview, Minnesota 55126

Steam Locomotive Scrapped
A once proud product of the American Locomotive Company built for logging service on the Oregon coast is presently being scrapped in south Florida. Coos Bay Lumber Company #10 was built by ALCO in 1930 to log the Oregon coastal range up above Coos Bay, Oregon. The one-hundred ton 2-8-2 tank locomotive served the Coos Bay Lumber Company and then successor Georgia Pacific Lumber Company until replaced by diesels in 1956. Georgia Pacific donated the #10 to the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry in 1961, and she was used as a fund raising auction "prize." The engine was repainted and brought to Portland, Oregon by Georgia Pacific at the lumber company's expense. She was purchased at auction by Frank Bayliss who then worked out an arrangement with the Oregon Pacific & Eastern in Cottage Grove, Oregon for the display of #10 at the OP&E engine house. The OP&E ceased operations in the late 1980's and after it was scrapped, #10 was sold to a group in Kansas who intended to convert the engine to a 2-8-2 tender locomotive for operation on their short line in the midwest. This project was eventually aborted and in the late 1990's #10 was purchased by a group in Florida who had the locomotive shipped to Williston, Florida where she remained nearly untouched until early this year. Unfortunately, her saddle tanks, cab and oil bunker were scrapped in Kansas and a number of essential parts, such as eccentric rods were lost in the shipping to Florida. In June, 2011, the owner of the property where #10 was stored announced that unless he could find a buyer for the engine, he would be forced to scrap the engine to remove it from the property. A number of rail groups contacted the property owner but costs of trucking the engine together with the numerous missing parts, rendered purchase and shipment financially impractical. When western rail groups contacted the owner in August, he announced that he had commenced scrapping of #10. The smoke box had been cut off and test cuts had been made into the boiler itself. The sad demise of Coos Bay #10 is further testament to exactly how difficult and costly it is to preserve, let alone operate, steam in the 21st century. Fortunately, sister engine Coos Bay Lumber Company 2-8-2 T #11 has been preserved at the Pacific Southwest Railroad Museum at Campo, California. She now will be the last remaining example of the original four Coos Bay Lumber Company ALCO 2-8-2 T saddle tankers.
(Thanks to Martin Hansen via John Biehn)

Future Pennsylvania Steam
A replica of a Civil War era steam locomotive being built in Illinois is scheduled to roll into York County in 2013. President Abraham Lincoln traveled on a train through York County to deliver the Gettysburg Address. Two years from now, tourists will be able to ride a replica Civil War era train to learn about York County's role in the war, travel the historic line that once connected Baltimore and Harrisburg, and enjoy the countryside. York #17 is a $2 million steam locomotive being built by hand by Mr. Dave Kloke, owner of Kloke Locomotive Works in Elgin, Illinois. It took him nine years to complete his first engine, the Leviathan #63. Construction of the oil burning York #17 began in 2010. It will appear similar to Leviathan with a few exceptions.
(Thanks to Paul Kuehnel, Teresa Ann Boeckel, York Daily Record via John Biehn)

Oregon Steam
On December 2-4, the SP&S 4-8-4 #700 is powering the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation's "Holiday Express," a forty minute trip from Oaks Amusement Park. On December 9-11, the "Holiday Express" will be powered by Southern Pacific 4-8-4 #4449.. On December 10-11,the BNSF Employees Santa train will be powered by SP&S #700. The special will run from Portland to Vancouver, Washington. The two SP&S 700 weekend trips are sponsored by the Pacific Rail Preservation Association.
(via John Biehn)

Pennsylvania Steam
On October 30, 2011 Steamtown National Historic Site was twenty-five years old. The park was created to preserve the history of steam railroading in America. For more information, go to http://www.nps.gov/stea/index.htm

Future West Virginia Steam
The West Virginia Railroad Museum based in Elkins is dedicated to archiving, exhibiting and operating significant items to tell the story of West Virginia railroad heritage. The West Virginia Northern was a coal hauling short line based out of Kingwood. In the early twentieth century, the "Northern" served the coal mines of Preston County using a fleet of Baldwin Consolidations. Locomotive #9 arrived in June 1906 and worked for the West Virginia Northern for nearly four decades. Over time, the railroad sold off its other motive power as mines in the area closed. By the end of World War 2, the coal burning #9 and another locomotive #8 were the last steam locomotives left on the property. In 1947, the two locomotives were purchased by the Preston Railroad Company who operated a forty-two mile logging railroad between Crellin and St. George. The locomotives were renumbered #18 and #19 and for several years plied the logging branches served by the Preston. They were retired in 1960 when the Preston was abandoned. Mr. Earl Leap, a steam enthusiast, purchased both 2-8-0's and moved them to his property at Hyndman, Pennsylvania. Eventually the West Virginia Railroad museum agreed to pay a significant sum for the engines to ensure their preservation. The museum decided to restore #9. Presently, the restoration work on locomotive #9 is on hold. The museum is waiting for an authorization to proceed with the final grant. To date, the boiler repairs are almost complete. The installation of stay bolts, tubes and a pressure test are basically all that remains to be completed on the boiler.The boiler will then be taken to Allegheny Welding where the wheels and axles have been turned and trued to FRA specifications. The main axle bearings were rebuilt or replaced as necessary and all of the side rod bearings have been replaced. If you would like to make a donation for #9's restoration, please send a check to WVRRM PO Box 203, Elkins, West Virginia 26241
(Thanks to Robert Kearns via Alex Mayes and John Biehn)

Steam at Knoxville
The Lexington group is a non profit organization that concentrates on all aspects of transportation history, particularly railroads. The group has been active since the early 1940's. This organization just completed a major, mostly private session in Knoxville, Tennessee, which saw three 2-8-0 steam locomotives and the Norfolk Southern F-9 led executive fleet running various specials during the week of November 8-14. Railroad activities began on November 8 with the Southern #630 running from Chattanooga to Knoxville over the former Southern mainline. This was the longest Southern steam locomotive trip in almost eighteen years. Thursday, November 10 saw two steam locomotives operating on the Knoxville & Holston River Railroad. Washington & Lincolnton #203 and the newly rebuilt Southern Railway #154 did the honors. Saturday November 12, the Norfolk Southern's F-9 A B B A's led a fourteen car train to Asheville and return. Sunday November 13, the Southern #154 powered a train to near Alcoa, Tennessee with the assist of a diesel locomotive at the rear. The #154 was met there by the Southern #630. The #630 returned the train to downtown Knoxville. Monday, Nov 14, the 630 powered a public excursion to Chattanooga but about midway suffered a mechanical problem and was replaced by diesel power. Also heard for Southern steam fans while in Knoxville. The Norfolk Southern wants 2-8-2, #4501 ready by next year for the 21st Century Steam program.
(via John Biehn)

California Steam
Restoration work is continuing on Clover Valley Lumber Company #4, a Baldwin 2-6-6-2T, by the Pacific Locomotive Association Steam Department. Locomotive #4 was built for operations on the Clover Valley Lumber Company to haul log trains out of the woods near Loyalton, California. It was retired from service in 1957. The Pacific Locomotive Association acquired #4 in 1973 and restored and operated it on the Castro Point Railway. Locomotive #4 was moved to the Niles Canyon Railway in 2005. The work required for restoration to service included removal and replacement of tubes. Inspection, measurement and calculation of a new boiler form 4 to meet FRA regulations. Appliance repairs and running gear inspection and repairs. The association really would appreciate donations to help with the higher cost of repairs that have materialized. Please send a tax-deductible donation to: P.L.A.Inc. Clover Valley #4 Restoration Fund PO Box 515, Sunol, California 94586-0515

Possible Mohawk Restoration
New York Central 4-8-2, #3001 is a L-3 Mohawk, that powered many general freight and passenger trains, such as the 20th Century Limited. The locomotive also hauled passenger trains on the Boston & Albany Railroad. With many New York Central Hudsons available for passenger service, the 3001 was often used to haul freight trains. She was retired in 1957. After being on display at Dallas, Texas, the locomotive was traded by the Museum of the American Railroad to the National New York Central Museum in Elkhart, Indiana. Now a group of volunteers has assembled to return the train to working order by fixing the parts that have rusted over, replacing old parts and repainting it. The volunteer's main obstacle is of course money. Fixing the rust and doing some of the metal work will cost $10,000. To get the train running again will take more than a million dollars. The hope that if it is restored, the locomotive could do long range excursions.
(Thanks to the Elkhart Truth via Alex Mayes and John Biehn)

Future Santa Fe Steam
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway pioneer 2-10-4 locomotive #5000, the ‘Madame Queen’ is on the road to operating under full power again. Locomotive #5000 will be restored at the Progress Rail Services facility in Amarillo, Texas. Locomotive #5000 began regular high speed freight operations in 1930. As she demonstrated her demanding yet superior powers on the road, Santa Fe operating personnel christened her Madame Queen. After a quarter century of daily service, she was retired in 1955. Fortunately escaping the scrapper, she was donated for static display to the city of Amarillo, Texas. After years of neglect, Amarillo businessman Sam Teague, using his own resources, began a decade long effort to save her by moving the locomotive and finishing a complete exterior refurbishment. Mr. Teague is overseeing the total rebuilding to operational standards of the Santa Fe's pioneer supreme steam locomotive. The restoration will be done in three phases: relocation, asbestos abatement and the restoration itself. For more information go to http://www.railroadartifactpreservation.org/html
(Thanks to Larry Brasher and John Biehn)

Cumbres and Toltec
The narrow gauge railroad that weaves across the New Mexico Colorado border between Antonito CO and Chama NM will have a new operator from January 2012. American Heritage Railways which operates, amongst others, the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad have plans to boost ridership in the next few years, including more short trips such as Chama to Cumbres, more Christmas trains, and even are planning a build a new roundhouse at Chama. This could house a museum, plus car and locomotive workshop stalls. Watch out for some, hopefully, sensible limitations on access to the yard at Chama, remembering that it is a working railroad with the hazards and dangers that come with such an operation.

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