Mystery Steam Loco in Depew, NY

Quick question. Just east of CP 429 in Depew CSX mainline, and just south of the tracks, there is a large junk yard, behind which there is warehouse, dark brown in color. To the North of that building just visible from our locomotives, (now that the leaves are gone) is a Steam locomotive and tender attached, paint is spotty rust, and primer purhaps. Anybody got any clue what this Locomotive is and what it's heritage is?

The New York State listing for Steamlocomotive.com lists a locomotive in Depew, NY as Canadian Pacific Railway #5361, a class P2e 2-8-2. Location is listed as Gould Coupler (industrial park) and states that this locomotive is on display (?).

Link to NYS locomotives:

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/lists/NY.shtml

UPDATE Here's another link, with photograph, from Steamlocomotive.Info:

http://www.steamlocomotive.info/vlocomo ... isplay=900

If this is the same one I am thinking of, it's just off Rte 78 between the CSX overpass and the former LV overpass. Years ago, I saw it in there. Wonder if someone will ever do anything with it. It's a shame to have it rotting away there.

its been sitting there for..probably 10 years at least, maybe more.
it isnt really "on display"..not officially anyway.
it is only "on display" in the sense that you can view it quite clearly from the other side of the fence..
just pull into the parking lot.

Scot

Oh no. I think I recognize this beast. I think this is the failed restoration that once belonged to O. Winston Link. He gave me a tour back in 1990 when this engine was in storage in Newfoundland, NJ, in the old Morris County Central enginehouse. The plan was to send this engine to the now defunct Rome Locomotive Works for a complete rehab. That never came to be.


Or... this could be another CPR engine altogether...

-otto-

No, Otto. OWL's loco is a small CPR D-4 class 4-6-0 #453, it's on display at a hobby shop in Rome (or close by).

This one is privately owned by a WNYRRHS member, and is a CPR 2-8-2 in the 5300 series, class P-2. Not sure of the number; it may be CPR 5361. It's a pretty good-sized engine, about 168 tons for the engine alone (approx a USRA light Mike). The D-4 ten-wheeler is about 70 tons engine weight.

Don't know of any plans for it; there's a good place for it to run in northwest Connecticut if the owner is so inclined.......

I have lived down the street from this beast for nearly 15 years now, and it has always just sat there. Two years ago a friend of mine told me he saw someone working on it one day, I went to investigate and indeed a large amount of rust had been scraped off, and a coat of some type of sealant had been applied to part of the engine. Never saw any more work done after that.

If anyone has anymore info on it, I would love to here it!!!

Thanks for the info!

-otto-

About 7 years ago my cousin and I were flying the CSX line that passes this steamer. I was video taping the line and when it passed beneath us I was really surprised to see it. Wow, look what I "discovered!"

I brought it up on on the forum at that time. The response was something like [its been a while so I might have it partially wrong]:

This design had a problem with the stay-bolts in relation to the firebox. They failed easily. The owners wanted to move the locomotive to the BR&P station in Orchard Park.

I forget the reason why they haven't. Either insurance or NS didn't want to pull it or risk of further damage. I'm not certain of this but I think with the stay-bolt problem they may not find it worthy to refurbish. Pehaps fix it up as a static display. That would be nice too.

At the time I was told the owner periodically comes out to grease it up to help preserve it. I haven't been back there in several years.

The plan was to send this engine to the now defunct Rome Locomotive Works for a complete rehab.

The Rome Locomotive 'Wrecks' LOST or SOLD critical parts off O. Winston Link's 453. The engine will never operate again. It has been moved to a fenced-in display beside K & K Train & Hobby 494 French Rd Utica, NY 13502 and is visible from NYS 5/8/12. [Beside the ex-Erie/NYSW line.] The engine lacks it's boiler jacket in addition to it's valve gear. It has been painted since being moved but is sort of sorry looking. O.W.Link is lettered on the sides of the steam chests.

Here is the google map link:
http://www.google.com/maps?q=hobby+shop ... oc=A&hl=en

Rumor has it that O.Winston Link's wife and the owner of the R.L.W. had a 'personal relationship' and some 'funny business' happened behind Link's back. Then the wife stole a bunch of his photos, and in the end the whole thing landed in court and the wife went to jail and was fined for stealing and refusing to return Link's photographic work. In the end, a large part of his photographic work was gone and the locomotive parts were never recovered. O.W.L. died in 2001. His son is continuing to preserve and present O. Winston's treasures, mainly in concert with the OWL museum.

In 2003, the ex-wife was caught trying to sell the stolen photos on Ebay. She was sentance to 3 years as a repeat felony offender.

Link's engine is actually next to a short section of former West Shore that connects to some industral sidings - it may go over around to a piece of O&W, have to look at some maps. Erie never made it to Utica.


Engine pictured is definately a CP/Canadian design engine, very very few US engines had that all-weather cab on them.

I'm thinking that is the one owned by Terry Sprague. The gentleman who also owns a few cabeese, the West Falls BR&P depot and the AD Tower at Ashford Junction. He is single and in his 50's with a job and ailing elderly parents. That's why he hasn't had time to fix it.

Thank you all for the info.. A number of my coworkers have seen and we have wondered about this loco.. Now I can give em the "low down". Nice photo Scott L. I beleive this is the loco that we have seen abeit from a distance.