Leroy, NY. the rumoured Vulcan 0-4-0

I have heard several rumours, from several sources over the years, about this locomotive..
supposidely it still sits in an abandoned quarry near Leroy, NY.

and this page says its on display?!
http://www.ngsl.org/template.cfm?tpage= ... 1&typeID=7

I know its not one of the locomotives in Industry..(Rochester NRHS)

anyone ever see this engine?
does it really exist?
thanks,
Scot

It exists, or at least it did. I have a pic from the '80s with it sitting next to an old steam shovel, both on 'display' out in the grass behind the fence. I haven't been anywhere near there since then, so I have no idea whether it's still there.

Scotty - For many years that 0-4-0 saddle tank locomotive sat in a static display alongside a large Bucyrus(?) steam shovel. They were set out in front of the General Crushed Stone quarry on Gulf Rd, just west of the LV grade crossing.

Last time I was out that way (several years ago...) the locomotive was gone. No idea what happened to it.

...FB

The engine is now on display at Central Square by the CNYNRHS group. I think it is right at the station in Central Square, which is north of Syracuse.

Charles

hmmm..
thanks guys, but I dont think the loco at central square is the same engine that was in Leroy..
the Leroy engine is always said to be Vulcan,
the engine at central square is an Alco, and they say it was a Solvay Process engine.


here is a photo of the Leroy engine with the steamshovel:
http://home.att.net/~bhf51/critters.htm
(bottom link)

and here are some photos of the Alco which is now at Central Square:

http://www.steamlocomotive.info/vlocomo ... splay=1699

http://www.steamlocomotive.info/valbum.cfm?display=1699

they clearly are not the same engine!

and the CNYRRHS does not list the Leroy engine as being in their collection:

http://www.rrhistorical-2.com/cnynrhs/r ... locos.html

According to a CNY NRHS member as of yesterday, there are two engines in Central Square, narrow gauge one from Leroy and a a Solvay Process tanker.

NYSW3614 wrote:According to a CNY NRHS member as of yesterday, there are two engines in Central Square, narrow gauge one from Leroy and a a Solvay Process tanker.

ok then, case closed!
thanks Joshua..

For what it's worth, the guys at the stone plant say that the steam shovel was originally built for excavation of the Panama Canal.

It vaguely matches some pictures I've seen of the canal under construction. Other than that, I can't vouch for the truth of the statement.

Back in the late 60's a brief history of the steam shovel and mine locomotive was neatly stencilled on the right rear quarter of the cab. Wish I had paid more attention or taken a photo of it back then.

Unfortunately the stencilling is no longer visible - at least from the road.

...FB

The lettering on the shovel was:

"This shovel was purchased from the Marion Steam Shovel Co in the year 1906...it operated continuously from that time to June 1949 and is now in operating condition. General Crushed Stone Co. General Office Easton Pa."

Both the shovel and the saddletanker bore the number "3" in a circle. The loco was coupled to a small dump car in which rested the bucket of the shovel. The boiler (or saddle tank actually) of the locomotive had large lettering "The General Crushed Stone Co." There was no narative on the locomotive itself, and nothing on the steam shovel regarding the Panama Canal.

This info from a slide I took in summer 1961.

Number 3 was not the only shovel to operate at the pit on Gulf rd. When the stone plant was still operating there was a huge aerial shot of the old pit, on the north side of the LV,in the office and one could see 2 shovels and at least 5 locos working on the floor. I had a conversation with a Mr Regoni who operated one of those locos and he said at the height of production there were 7 such locos in service at that site.
Mr Regoni retired when they ceased rr loco operations, that 45 ton engine sat on the property until after the pit closed. They did load an occasional few ballast cars but switched them with a payloader.
BTW, that operation was started by the LVRR and I always wondered if there
was a connection between General Crushed Stone and the rr as GCS had its headquarters in PA. Wyoming I believe.

BR&P wrote:The lettering on the shovel was:

"This shovel was purchased from the Marion Steam Shovel Co in the year 1906...it operated continuously from that time to June 1949 and is now in operating condition. General Crushed Stone Co. General Office Easton Pa."

Both the shovel and the saddletanker bore the number "3" in a circle. The loco was coupled to a small dump car in which rested the bucket of the shovel. The boiler (or saddle tank actually) of the locomotive had large lettering "The General Crushed Stone Co." There was no narative on the locomotive itself, and nothing on the steam shovel regarding the Panama Canal.

This info from a slide I took in summer 1961.

I know this is an old thread, but just came across it. I am currently working with the LeRoy historical society on the Marion 91 shovel there, have drawn up a 3D CAD model and full plans for it, also in the middle of a 3/4"-1' live steam model of it. One thing we are trying to determine about the shovel is the shop number for it, which is its serial number. The plate that used to be on the side frame rails with the number was removed at some point in its history. I was wondering, if you have a slide from 1961 showing the old text on the side, its just possible that the number plate is visible in it - it would be just forward of the rear tracks, left of the patent number plate (which is still there). Any chance you could dig out that slide and take a look? We would love to have a copy of that slide too, are looking for more vintage photos of the shovel. We are starting a fundraising effort to get some informational signage up this summer, also are hoping to get some preservation work done on it (have had input from the team at SteamTown for how to go about it). BR&P - I would have sent you a PM about this, but apparently am too new to this forum and it won't let me do that yet. Any information on the shovel would be most appreciated!

Chris R.

I will look for the slide, and will scan it and post here. However the pic was taken from far enough back that it takes in the shovel and the loco so you're not going to be able to read a builder's plate even if it's there.

BR&P wrote:I will look for the slide, and will scan it and post here. However the pic was taken from far enough back that it takes in the shovel and the loco so you're not going to be able to read a builder's plate even if it's there.

Thanks very much for looking!

FYI - here is the model I am building of it so far:

For anyone reading along, there was a long thread here in this forum, with lots of great information, about the Marion Steam Shovel.
http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.ph ... 45#p413293" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;