Freshly delivered! In a scene reminiscent of the way in which small railroads once celebrated the arrival of new power, the crew of Moore-Keppel Climax #6 poses with their newly delivered....or in this case, newly RESTORED locomotive, complete with builder's delivery banner, near the Cass Depot.
The lettering of the freshly restored Moore-Keppel Climax #6 is currently a little odd. While she carries the name of her original owner, she is currently numbered as 9. I believe that's because 9 will be her number on the Cass Scenic Railroad Roster. Both of her previous owners numbered her 6. I don't know for certain, but I suspect that the decision to go with 9 may relate to the fact that Cass already has a Shay #6 (WM "Big 6") and a Heisler #6 (Meadow River #6), and perhaps the railroad was concerned that too many 6s would just lead to confusion. Regardless, the little 70-tonner looks great and performed well on this November, 2019 charter organized by Trains Magazine. All that's left to be done on this engine is to manufacture a new turret and stack, for her. Both of those appliances are currently borrowed from M&K Climax #3, which is awaiting restoration in the Cass Yard. The use of the 3's turret is currently limiting the 9's boiler pressure to 150 psi, which is about 50 lbs less than what she's capable of, which does limit her hill-climbing ability. Once the new appliances are manufactured, we should start seeing photos of her up on Cass Hill.
Thanks are due to Photographer Walter Scriptunas, for creating the builder's delivery banner you see on the engine. This was a great touch for one of the new Climax's first photo shoots.
For aficianados of geared steam engines, it's "almost heaven." Here are some scenes from the park's annual Railfan Weekends, as well as some private charters.
