Five and one half years after I visited the Bangor and Aroostook at Northern Maine Junction [photoid=510914], the BAR auctioned off most of their F3 and BL2 fleet. Three of those locomotives ended up in relatively close proximity to my home in eastern Pennsylvania. F3's 44 and 46 were sold to the Tri-State Railway Historical Society and the Anthracite Railroads Historical Society, respectively. They both now operate at Steamtown dressed as DL&W 663 and 664.
BL2 54 was purchased by interests in Wayne County, Pennsylvania for excursions on the ex-Erie Honesdale branch. Honesdale is the location of the 1829 trials of the Stourbridge Lion, the first steam locomotive to operate in the US. The new excursion train was dubbed the Stourbridge Line. This train operated until 2011, being suspended due to financial reasons related to the loss of freight traffic, and the loss of a freight operator (M&E by this time). I have seen press claiming a planned resumption of service in 2015, so it's possible that the 54 will emerge from the Honesdale enginehouse and again pull excursions on this line.
Her we see the 54 in better times coupling to NYS&W RS3 101 to leave Lackawaxen with one of the early excursions.
An assortment of photos of the distinctly unique (and 'cute') little locomotive EMD ever built, the BL2! I understand it also makes a tasty sandwich..Oh, that's a BLT! (When a new BL2 photo is "ordered", it will be served fresh!)
