Steam Engine for Hire. One of the more unique steam operations in the United States is an outfit called the "Gramling Locomotive Works." Based out of Ashley, Indiana, this operation is run by the father and son team of John and Byron "Barney" Gramling. Together, this pair has restored at least 3, coal-burning, saddle-tank steam locomotives, and they offer their services to tourist railroads and museums all around the country. They provide operations that don't have a permanent steam program with an opportunity to run one for perhaps a couple of weeks at a time. Since the locomotives are relatively small, they can be trucked from their home base to the customer location relatively easily. The Gramlings provide experienced crew to run the engines, but they also offer the customer's crews the chance to pull throttle themselves....under close supervision, of course. Once they arrive on scene, they couple up to the customer's own passenger consist, and off they go.
Pictured here is Lehigh Valley Coal Company #126, and 0-6-0 saddle-tanker built in 1931 by the Vulcan Iron Works. The Gramlings acquired this engine in 1993 as a derelict, and she eventually became the second steamer to be restored and go on the road. She is pictured here at the Railroad Museum of New England (aka "The Naugatuck Railroad") in downtown Thomaston, CT. This operation normally runs diesel-powered excursions on the old New Haven Railroad Torrington Branch. For 4 straight years, between 2010 and 2013, one of the Gramling Locomotives visited the RMNE during the month of June. This visit by LVC 126 occurred in 2013.
