Gettysburg

[rustycoupler]

Does anyone know why they stopped the tourist train in Gettysburg?

[Trainman203]

Best guesses could be several reasons......

Escalating insurance.  Escalating costs of steam Operations.  Prohibitive cost of required periodic heavy steam repairs.  Loss of lease to operate on the property.  Some inane local ordinance about smoke or noise.  A lawsuit about an injury to a visitor ..... etc etc etc.

There are so many pitfalls.  It's incredible that any of these lines continue to operate.

[ebtnut]

This is the proximate reason why there are no more train rides in Gettysburg:  https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Documents/SIR9605.pdf

[Trainman203]

The explosion was 23 years ago.  When did the line cease operation?

[bbmiroku]

I'm going to assume not too long afterwards.  People kinda don't want to ride behind a known 'exploded' train.

[Trainman203]

The engine that minimally "exploded" was a ex CPR Pacific if I recall and was not destroyed.  What happened to it?  I presume the injured engine crew recovered.

[ebtnut]

The locomotive was ultimately sold to the Age of Steam Roundhouse museum in Sugar Creek, OH.  It's likely going to be a parts donor for sister No. 1293 which is operable.  There were 3 in the cab - two firemen and the engineer who owned the loco and ran the railroad.  The two firemen were injured but recovered.  The engineer was badly scalded and almost died.  He did eventually recover to some extent but passed away a few years later mostly as a result of the injuries from the accident.  I was working on the train and saw it all.