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http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=252064


I just found this photo of the C&O 2716 in operation in 1996, and was completely unaware that a Kanawha operated in excursion service that recently. A quick search on Google didn't turn up much information about the current status of this locomotive. I know several C&O Kanawhas were saved from the scrapper. I haven't heard anything about this engine in service recently. One would think with all the Kanawhas still remaining, enough parts would be available to get one of them running. Anyone know anything about this locomotive's current status, or the restoration efforts of any other Kanawhas?

2716 was donated to the Kentucky Railroad Museum in Louisville, KY upon its retirement in the 1950s. In the late 70s, it was leased to the Southern Railway for their steam excursion program and was rebuilt under the command of Bill Purdie. It operated as the main excursion engine in 1981 and 1982, just prior to the release of N&W 611. While this period of operation was brief, the locomotive was used rather extensively and racked up a good number of miles. Upon its removal from service, it was stored in the Birmingham Steam shops in Birmingham, AL, where it remained until NS ended the steam program in 1994. In 1995, it was moved to the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society in Fort Wayne, IN, who performed enough repairs on the locomotive to bring into operable condition once again. Once again, however, its period of operation was brief as it only ran a few excursions over the Toledo, Peoria and Western in the summer of 1996 (When the above photo was taken) before once again being placed into storage at FWRHS' site in New Haven, IN. At the conclusion of these trips, the locomotive was to return to the Kentucky Railroad Museum at their new location in New Haven, KY, where plans were to operate it on excursions over their mainline. This move did not take place until early 2001, and today the locomotive is sitting under a shelter at KRM. Its operational prospects do not look bright, at the moment, as it would need another overhaul before becoming operable again. Given the relatively short route of KRM's mainline, and the cost of maintaining the locomotive, there is currently no impetus to restore it.
Here are two relatively recent photos of the locomotive. The first was taken in 2007, while the second was taken earlier this year, after the construction of a shelter to bring the locomotive out of the elements. The second photo also features the pride of KRM's fleet, L&N 4-6-2 #152.

Gregg Pullano wrote:Once again, however, its period of operation was brief as it only ran a few excursions over the Toledo, Peoria and Western in the summer of 1996 (When the above photo was taken) before once again being placed into storage at FWRHS' site in New Haven, IN.

Wow Gregg, thanks for the history lesson. However, just one question. The photo at the top of the thread was taken at the yard in New Haven, IN. The photo caption says it was to be run out of Logansport, on the TP&W, but to the best of my understanding, the east end of the TP&W is in Logansport. Therefore, that shot couldn't be on the TP&W... I'm not intending to be sarcastic or anything, I'm just curious if the TP&W ran farther east than Logansport...?

The photo at the top of the thread was taken at NS former Nickel Plate New Haven, IN (Ft. Wayne) yard.

Charles W wrote:The photo caption says it was to be run out of Logansport, on the TP&W, but to the best of my understanding, the east end of the TP&W is in Logansport. Therefore, that shot couldn't be on the TP&W... I'm not intending to be sarcastic or anything, I'm just curious if the TP&W ran farther east than Logansport...?

That shot was probably taken as the engine was being ferried to Logansport of their "Iron Horse Festival" they would hold in the summers. They would get a couple of steam locomotives in town for this, and run them on the TPW or former PRR to the east IIRC (might just have been TPW). Festival died before 1999 when I arrived at Purdue, and 1996 *may* have been the last year.

Hoosier Valley Railroad Musuem has another C&O 2700 (2789 maybe?) and they are trying to restore it to running condition. Small museum so its a long process.

Practice Safe CSX

Yes, it is the 2789 at HVRM. And now they even have a nice piece of track to run it on....

Yes, we sure do!

nice pict