Great Smoky Mountains Railroad 1702

Last updated
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad 1702
GSMR 1702 at Bryson City, NC - June 18, 2022.jpg
GSMR No. 1702 at Bryson City, North Carolina, on June 18, 2022
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerMajor J. W. Marsh
Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works
Serial number64641
Build dateSeptember 1942
Specifications
Configuration:
   Whyte 2-8-0
   UIC 1′D h2
Gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia. 2 ft 9 in (838 mm)
Driver dia.4 ft 9 in (1,448 mm)
Wheelbase 51 ft 7+34 in (15.74 m)
Adhesive weight 140,000 lb (63,503 kg)
Loco weight161,000 lb (73,028 kg)
Fuel typeNew: Coal
Now: No. 4 fuel oil
Fuel capacityOld tender: 1,800 US gal (6,800 L; 1,500 imp gal) of oil, formerly 10 t (9.8 long tons; 11 short tons) of coal
New tender: 3,600 US gal (14,000 L; 3,000 imp gal) of oil
Water cap.Old tender: 6,500 US gal (25,000 L; 5,400 imp gal)
New tender: 10,000 US gal (38,000 L; 8,300 imp gal)
Firebox:
  Grate area41 sq ft (3.8 m2)
Boiler5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
maximum diameter
Boiler pressure225 psi (1.55 MPa)
Heating surface:
  Firebox136 sq ft (12.6 m2)
  Tubes1,055 sq ft (98.0 m2)
(150 in or 3,810 mm long ×
2 in or 51 mm diameter)
  Flues567 sq ft (52.7 m2)
(30 in or 762 mm long ×
5.375 in or 137 mm diameter)
  Total surface2,253 sq ft (209.3 m2)
Superheater:
  TypeType A
  Heating area313 sq ft (29.1 m2)
Cylinders Two, outside
Cylinder size 19 in × 26 in
(482.6 mm × 660.4 mm)
bore x stroke
Valve gear Walschaerts
Valve type10 inches (254 mm) piston valves
Performance figures
Maximum speed45 mph (72 km/h)
Tractive effort 31,500 lbf (140.1 kN)
Factor of adh. 4.45
Career
Operators U.S. Army
Warren and Saline River Railroad
Reader Railroad
Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
Class S160
NumbersWSR 1702
RERX 1702
FEVR 1702
GSMR 1702
Retired1961 (revenue service)
2005 (1st excursion service)
Restored1964 (1st restoration)
1992 (2nd restoration)
July 21, 2016 (3rd restoration)
Current ownerGreat Smoky Mountains Railroad
DispositionOperational

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad 1702 is an S160 class 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type steam locomotive built in September 1942 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally for the U.S. Army Transportation Corps during World War II. After the war ended, the No. 1702 locomotive worked on two railroads in Arkansas and one in Nebraska.

Contents

In late 1991, the No. 1702 locomotive was purchased by the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad (GSMR) in Bryson City, North Carolina, where it hauled tourist train excursions on the half of the former Southern Railway Murphy Branch, which spans 53 miles (85 kilometers) of track between Dillsboro and Nantahala, North Carolina. In 2005, it went out of service due to firebox issues but was later restored back to operating condition and returned to service in 2016. No. 1702 is currently one of twenty-six S160 steam locomotives preserved in the United States and abroad.

History

No. 1702's builder's plate Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Steam Engine No. 1702 builder's plate in Bryson City, NC - July 2021.jpg
No. 1702's builder's plate

No. 1702 is an S160 steam locomotive built in September 1942 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally for the U.S. Army Transportation Corps, where it was stationed for training purposes at the Fort Bragg military base in Fayetteville, North Carolina during World War II. [1] [2] In 1946, a year after the war ended, the No. 1702 locomotive was sold to the Warren and Saline River Railroad (WSR) in Warren, Arkansas, where it was assigned to haul lumber trains. [1] [2] [3] When first built, No. 1702 was originally equipped with buffers and chain couplers, which were eventually replaced with knuckle couplers. [4] Additionally, its firebox was modified to burn fuel oil as opposed to coal. [1]

When WSR was dieselized in 1961, the No. 1702 locomotive was sold to the Reader Railroad (RERX) in Hot Springs, Arkansas in 1964, where it was upgraded with a larger tender that was originally used behind a Rock Island steam locomotive and holds 3,600 US gallons (14,000 L) of fuel and 10,000 US gallons (38,000 L) of water. [1] [5] Afterwards, the No. 1702 locomotive served tourist operations on the RERX. [1] In 1985, it was sold again to the Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad (FEVR) in Fremont, Nebraska, where the No. 1702 locomotive ran tourist trains on the former Chicago and North Western line between Fremont and Hooper, Nebraska. [6]

In late 1991, the No. 1702 locomotive was purchased by the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad (GSMR) in Bryson City, North Carolina, where it was significantly altered with a taller smokestack, a larger sand dome, and a wider cab to resemble a more typical American steam locomotive. [1] [5] Afterwards, in 1992, the GSMR operated the No. 1702 locomotive with the Nantahala Gorge and Tuckasegee River tourist excursions on the half of the former Southern Railway Murphy Branch, which spans 53 miles (85 kilometers) of track between Dillsboro and Nantahala, North Carolina. [7] [8] When working on these excursions, No. 1702 uses 400 US gallons (1,500 L) of fuel and 3,500 US gallons (13,000 L) of water per round trip. [1]

No. 1702 leads a special photo charter excursion in Whittier, North Carolina, on September 8, 2017 GSMR 1702 leading a Photo Special.jpg
No. 1702 leads a special photo charter excursion in Whittier, North Carolina, on September 8, 2017

In 2005, the No. 1702 locomotive was sidelined due to firebox issues and became disassembled outside the GSMR's workshop area in Dillsboro, North Carolina, exposed to the elements. [9] In April 2012, the GSMR made an agreement with the Swain County of North Carolina, who donated $700,000 to construct a new steam locomotive workshop for the restoration of No. 1702 and installing a new turntable in Bryson City for the locomotive to be turned around. [10] Afterwards, the restoration work of No. 1702 began in May 2014 and completed on July 21, 2016 with the locomotive returned to service five days later. [11] [a]

Appearances in media

See also

Notes

  1. Originally, No. 1702's reentry to service was scheduled for July 22, 2016, but the locomotive was sidelined with an overheated bearing. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryson City, North Carolina</span> Town in North Carolina, United States

Bryson City is a town in and the county seat of Swain County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,558 as of the 2020 census. Located in what was historically the land of the Cherokee, Bryson City was founded as Charleston to serve as the county seat of Swain County when it was formed from parts of surrounding counties. It grew into an important local rail hub. Today the city serves as a popular tourist destination, lying just to the west of the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, for outdoor activities in the Nantahala National Forest, and along the Nantahala River and Fontana Lake, and serves as the home of the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, a heritage railroad that provides tours of the Nantahala valley. The popular Nantahala Outdoor Center provides guide services for many of the outdoor activities in the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Smoky Mountains Railroad</span> Tourist railroad in North Carolina, U.S.

The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is a heritage and freight railroad based in Bryson City, North Carolina, United States. Originally formed in 1988, it is currently owned and operated by American Heritage Railways since late 1999. The GSMR operates excursion trains on the former Southern Railway's Murphy Branch between Dillsboro and Nantahala, North Carolina. The GSMR is one of the most popular tourist railroads in the United States, carrying 200,000 passengers each year.

The Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad was a 17-mile (27 km) heritage railroad headquartered in Dodge County, Nebraska, which offered excursion services on the line. Its equipment is now owned by the Nebraska Railroad Museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nickel Plate Road 765</span> Preserved NKP S-2 class 2-8-4 locomotive

Nickel Plate Road 765 is a S-2 class 2-8-4 "Berkshire" type steam locomotive built by the Lima Locomotive Works for the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, commonly referred to as the "Nickel Plate Road". In 1963, No. 765, renumbered as 767, was donated to the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, where it sat on display at the Lawton Park, while the real No. 767 was scrapped at Chicago in 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Railway 4501</span> Preserved American Ms class 2-8-2 steam locomotive

Southern Railway 4501 is a preserved Ms class 2-8-2 "Mikado" type steam locomotive. Built in October 1911 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, No. 4501 was the first of its wheel arrangement type for the Southern Railway (SOU). In July 1948, the locomotive was retired from the railway in favor of dieselization and was subsequently sold to the shortline Kentucky and Tennessee Railway (K&T) in Stearns, Kentucky, to haul coal trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murphy Branch</span>

The Murphy Branch is a branch line operated by the Western North Carolina Railroad, later the Richmond and Danville, Southern Railway, the Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) and today the Blue Ridge Southern Railroad. The branch runs between Asheville, North Carolina in the east and Murphy in the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norfolk and Western 475</span> Preserved N&W class M 4-8-0 locomotive

Norfolk and Western 475 is a M class 4-8-0 "Twelve-wheeler" type steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works as part of the Norfolk and Western Railway's (N&W) first order of M class numbered 375–499. It was first assigned to haul freight trains on the N&W mainline before being reassigned to branch line duties on the Blacksburg Branch in the 1920s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Railroad 1361</span> Preserved PRR K4 class 4-6-2 locomotive

Pennsylvania Railroad 1361 is a 4-6-2 K4 "Pacific" type steam locomotive built in May 1918 by the Pennsylvania Railroad's (PRR) Juniata Shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania. It hauled mainline passenger trains in Pennsylvania and commuter trains in Central New Jersey on the PRR until its retirement from revenue service in 1956. Restored to operating condition for excursion service in 1987, No. 1361 and its only surviving sister locomotive, No. 3750, were designated as the official state steam locomotives by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. In late 1988, it was sidelined due to mechanical problems and was currently owned by the Railroaders Memorial Museum (RMM) in Altoona, Pennsylvania, who were currently getting No. 1361 back to operation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nickel Plate Road 587</span> Preserved NKP H-6o 2-8-2 locomotive

Nickel Plate Road 587 is a H-6o class 2-8-2 "USRA Light Mikado" type steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Lake Erie and Western Railroad as its No. 5541. In 1923, the LE&W was merged into the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, commonly referred to as the "Nickel Plate Road", and allocated 587 as its new number in 1924.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Railway 630</span> Preserved American 2-8-0 locomotive (SOU Ks-1 class)

Southern Railway 630 is a 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type steam locomotive built in February 1904 by American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Richmond, Virginia for the Southern Railway (SOU) as a member of the Ks-1 class. It was primarily assigned to haul freight trains on the Murphy Branch between Asheville and Murphy, North Carolina until its retirement in the 1950s. No. 630, along with sister locomotive No. 722, were sold to the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad (ET&WNC) to be served as switchers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Railway 722</span> Preserved American 2-8-0 locomotive (SOU Ks1 class)

Southern Railway 722 is a class "Ks-1" 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type steam locomotive built in September 1904 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works to run on the Murphy Branch, where it hauled freight trains between Asheville and Murphy, North Carolina for the Southern Railway (SOU). In 1952, it was purchased by the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad (ET&WNC), alongside its sister locomotive No. 630, where they were served as switchers around Johnson City and Elizabethton, Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlanta and West Point 290</span> Preserved American 4-6-2 locomotive

Atlanta and West Point 290 is a P-74 steam locomotive built in March 1926 by the Lima Locomotive Works (LLW) in Lima, Ohio for the Atlanta and West Point Railroad. It is a 4-6-2 heavy "Pacific" type steam locomotive, which was remarkably similar to the Southern Railway's Ps-4 class. With sister locomotive No. 190 built for the Western Railway of Alabama (WRA), No. 290 ferried the Southern Railway's Crescent passenger train on the West Point Route between Atlanta, Georgia to Montgomery, Alabama until its retirement from revenue service in 1954.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norfolk and Western 611</span> Preserved American 4-8-4 steam locomotive based in Virginia

Norfolk and Western 611, also known as the "Spirit of Roanoke" and the "Queen of Steam", is the only surviving example of Norfolk and Western's (N&W) class J 4-8-4 type "Northern" streamlined steam locomotives. Built in May 1950 at N&W's Roanoke Shops in Roanoke, Virginia, it was one of the last mainline passenger steam locomotives built in the United States and represents a pinnacle of American steam locomotive technology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tennessee Valley Railroad 610</span> Class of 1 post-WWII American Army 2-8-0 locomotive

Tennessee Valley Railroad No. 610 is a preserved S160 Class 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type steam locomotive built by the Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton Corporation for the U.S. Army in March 1952. It is one of the last steam locomotives built for service in the United States and the last new steam locomotive acquired by the U.S. Army. As of 2023, No. 610 is owned by the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chesapeake and Ohio 2716</span> Preserved American 2-8-4 locomotive (C&O K-4 class)

Chesapeake and Ohio Railway 2716 is a class "K-4" 2-8-4 "Kanawha" (Berkshire) type steam locomotive built in 1943 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O). While most railroads referred to these 2-8-4 type locomotives as Berkshires, the C&O referred to them as Kanawhas after the Kanawha River, which flows through West Virginia. Used as a dual service locomotive, No. 2716 and its classmates served the C&O in a variety of duties until being retired from revenue service in 1956.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Canyon Railway 4960</span> Preserved American CB&Q O-1a class 2-8-2 locomotive

Grand Canyon Railway 4960 is a preserved O-1A class 2-8-2 "Mikado" type steam locomotive built in August 1923 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy (CB&Q) Railroad. It was used by the CB&Q to pull freight trains, until 1958, when the locomotive pulled its first excursion fantrip, as part of the railroad's steam excursion program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Maryland Scenic Railroad 734</span> Preserved American 2-8-0 locomotive (LS&I class SC-1)

Western Maryland Scenic Railroad No. 734, also known as Mountain Thunder, is an SC-1 class 2-8-0 “Consolidation” type steam locomotive originally built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1916 for the Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad (LS&I) as No. 18. It was renumbered to 34 in 1925. No. 34 was used to pull heavy iron ore trains for the LS&I, until it was retired in 1961. The locomotive was subsequently sold to the Marquette and Huron Mountain Railroad, where it was stored in a sideline alongside other LS&I steam locomotives. In 1971, No. 34 was sold to the Illinois Railway Museum for static display.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reading Blue Mountain and Northern 2102</span> Preserved American 4-8-4 locomotive (RDG class T-1)

Reading Blue Mountain and Northern 2102 is a preserved T-1 class 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive. Originally built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in March 1925 as an "I-10sa" 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type locomotive for the Reading Company, No. 2102 was rebuilt by the Reading's own locomotive Shops as a 4-8-4 "Northern" in September 1945, and it was used for pulling heavy coal trains for the railroad until being retired from revenue service in 1956.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buffalo Creek and Gauley 4</span> Preserved American 2-8-0 locomotive

Buffalo Creek and Gauley Railroad No. 4 is a preserved 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type steam locomotive. It was constructed by Baldwin in 1926 as the only locomotive to be bought-new by the Buffalo Creek and Gauley Railroad. It served the railroad by pulling coal and lumber trains throughout Clay County, West Virginia until it was retired in 1965. No. 4 was restored to operating condition by the Quakertown and Eastern Railroad for excursion service in Pennsylvania, and it made its way to the North Carolina Transportation Museum in 1978. No. 4 was subsequently used to pull tourist trains across the museum's property in Spencer, North Carolina from when its multi-year overhaul was completed in 1986 to when its flue time expired in 2001. The locomotive spent fourteen years in storage, waiting for a rebuild that never came to fruition. In 2015, No. 4 was purchased by the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad, who moved it to their shops with the hopes of restoring it to run it on their trackage between Durbin and Cass, West Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryson City Depot</span> Train station in Bryson City, North Carolina, U.S.

The Bryson City Depot is a train station located in Bryson City, North Carolina, United States. It serves as the only active station along the Murphy Branch, a rail line that traverses from Asheville to Murphy in Western North Carolina. Owned and operated by the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, it serves as both the begin and end point of various scenic excursion trains.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 George, Michael; Strack, Frank (2012). Passage Through Time: The Official Guidebook (3rd ed.). Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. pp. 147–148.
  2. 1 2 Plott & Plott (2021) , p. 26.
  3. Lewis, Edward A. (1991). American Shortline Railway Guide: Facts, Figures, and Locomotive Rosters for over 500 Short Lines (4th ed.). Kalmbach Media. p. 273. ISBN   0-89024-109-0.
  4. Wagner, Robert (March 9, 2022). "Great Smoky Mountains #1702, Built for War". SteamGiants. RailfanDepot. Archived from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Wrinn, Jim (July 15, 2016). "Welcome back Great Smoky Mountains 1702. Remember that time we went west across the mountain?". Trains . Kalmbach Media. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  6. Drury, George H. (1988). Guide to Tourist Railroads and Railroad Museums (1st ed.). Kalmbach Media. p. 117. ISBN   0-89024-090-6.
  7. "History". Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. American Heritage Railways. Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  8. "Steam Powered". Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. American Heritage Railways. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  9. Plott & Plott (2021) , p. 187.
  10. "GSMR Steam Engine #1702 Restoration Update". Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. American Heritage Railways. Archived from the original on November 2, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  11. 1 2 Kays, Holly (August 3, 2016). "Renewed steam engine service excites Bryson, Dillsboro business owners". Smoky Mountain News . Archived from the original on June 13, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  12. Hodge, Rex (July 22, 2016). "Return of steam engine train hits a snag". WLOS . Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  13. Muller, Christopher. "Train Movies & Railroad Films on DVD & Blu-ray". RailServe.com. Archived from the original on April 1, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.

Bibliography