Throwback Thursday - Need a Lift?

Ex-Wabash 51 was carefully shoving a heavy duty flat under suspended ex-Reading 2100 at the Elgin County Railway Museum in St Thomas on Sept. 26, 2005.

 By Peter Mumby.

Ex-Reading 2100 spent a few seasons in residence at the Elgin County Railway Museum at St Thomas, Ontario.  At that time it was owned by Thomas Payne Holdings Inc, and was lettered "Ferroequus."  In 2005, arrangements were made to have the locomotive transported to the Golden Pacific Railroad at Tacoma, Washington.  Two heavy duty flat cars, QTTX 131342 and QTTX 131334, were procured to move the locomotive and tender.  Today's photos illustrate the process of loading the locomotive.  The heavy lifting was performed by a pair of rental cranes, while the pushing and shoving was in the hands of "Tillie," the ECRM shop goat.  Tillie was a 1939 product of GE, and had originally performed as the switcher at the Wabash yard in St Thomas.

The entire process of transferring the 2100 to Tacoma was spread out over several months.  The approximate time line was as follows:

Aug. 22, 2005 - the heavy duty flat cars arrived at St Thomas.

Sept. 26/05 - I was present to witness the loading of the 2100, as seen in the accompanying photos.

Oct. 04/05 - I photographed the locomotive and tender loaded on the flats in position at the CP interchange in St Thomas.  On its own wheels between the two loads was auxiliary tender TPHX 21002.

Oct. 05/05 - I photographed the equipment at the CP Woodstock yard on the Galt Subdivision mainline.

Oct. 28/05 - 2100 and company were at the BNSF siding in New Westminster, B.C.

Nov. 14/05 - Delivery to the GPRR was complete. 

Easy does it!  The steamer has to be positioned just so to make sure everything is properly in balance.