The Lebanon, Mason, & Monroe Railroad is having their 2009 All Steamed Up event starting this Saturday. Flagg Coal #75 is in town and will be pulling trains on weekends from July 4th through the 19th. Ohio Valley Railroads covered this event when it was in Lebanon last year. I was lucky enough to be invited out to a media event today and was able to get some pictures for the site.
#75 is an 0-4-0 saddle-tank switcher built by the Vulcan Locomotive Works in 1930. It originally performed switching duties for the Flagg Coal company as engine #2. Around 1935 it was sold to a quarry in New York and renumbered to #75. In 1953 this engine and 12 others were sold to a locomotive museum where it sat for nearly 40 years. After the museum went defunct and the owner passed away, the locomotive was restored by Byron and John Gramling of Ashley, Indiana. In 2001 the restoration was finished and #75 was loaned to the Steam Railroading Institute of Owosso, Michigan to be used to pull tourist excursions.
Photo: Steam locomotives are quite the labor intensive process. Here certain purifiers are being added to the engine’s water.
Photo: GP7 #55 helps pull the train back to the Brazenhead Pub.
For these excursions the planned route is to cross the Tylersville Road intersection and head south along the former CL&N to somewhere near the end of track. The round trip is expected to take 45 minutes. This section of the line is on a steep 1.6% grade so expect to see the steam engine working hard as it travels south. Engine #55 should be along for the ride as well, used for pulling power on the northbound leg, additional braking help, as well as for additional safety on the grade crossings coming back. The difference between the locomotives of the 1930′s and the 1950′s is quite apparent, and a healthy contrast.
Photos: LM&M firemen Jim Malone will be working hard to keep the fire hot in #75.
The steam engine will be running on weekends during most of July. There will also be some special rides that include a Civil War campsite set up by local reenactors. For tickets check out LM&M’s website. All rides leave from the Brazenhead Pub in Mason. I’ll continue to cover the steam events as they happen. Those who subscribe will never miss out.
Update: The Western Star has an article on the “All Steamed Up” event.