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The Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation (KSHCO) is a nonprofit organization based on the border between Irvine and Ravenna, Kentucky. The organization mainly focuses on the restoration of Chesapeake and Ohio K-4 2-8-4 steam locomotive No. 2716 along with other vintage railroad equipment. The organization has plans of turning the surrounding area into its own tourist attraction called the Kentucky Rail Heritage Center through a partnership with the R.J. Corman Railroad Group and CSX Transportation.
Founded | February 7, 2016 |
---|---|
Type | Non-Profit |
Focus | To provide education and preservation with vintage railroad equipment and to restore Chesapeake and Ohio 2-8-4 No. 2716. |
Location | |
Coordinates | 37°41′02.2″N 83°51′21.3″W |
Area served | Eastern United States |
Products | Vintage Railroad Equipment |
Website | https://www.kentuckysteam.org/ |
History
editKSHCO was formed on February 7, 2016, and on that same day, they announced that they signed a long-term lease with the Kentucky Railway Museum of New Haven to restore and eventually operate Chesapeake and Ohio K-4 No. 2716.[1] They spent a few years searching for a facility to properly rebuild the locomotive, and then in May 2018, KSHCO partnered with CSX Transportation to move No. 2716 to a former Louisville and Nashville rail yard in Ravenna to build a new rail-based tourist and community development center.[2] With the help of CSX and the R.J. Corman Railroad Group, KSHCO has slowly gotten settled into their new location with the addition of more locomotives and rolling stock, and they are currently expanding their plans to enhance tourism and economic growth in central Kentucky.[3]
Equipment
editLocomotives
editChesapeake and Ohio No. 2716 on static display at the Kentucky Railway Museum in 2009 Nickel Plate Road No. 587 pulling an excursion train in 1991 - R.J. Corman QJ 2-10-2 "Santa Fe" type No. 2008 Old Smoky. It was built by CRRC Datong in 1986 as China Railways No. 7040. It spent fifteen years pulling fast and heavy freight trains over the Chinese mainline, before it became relegated to pulling trains on Jitong trackage in 2001.[6] It was withdrawn from active service altogether by 2005. The following year, No. 7040 was shipped across the Pacific Ocean to the United States after becoming one of three QJ locomotives to be purchased by the Railroad Development Corporation for possible plans to be used on the Iowa Interstate Railroad. Shortly afterward, No. 7040 was purchased again by the R.J. Corman Railroad Group under the order of the company's chairman, Richard J. Corman, and the intentions were to bring the locomotive back under steam as a public relations tool. The locomotive was renumbered to 2008, since it made its inaugural run on May 24, 2008, and it was subsequently used for group tours and excursion services during special occasions. After Richard Corman passed away in 2013, No. 2008 was stored indoors, and new management at R.J. Corman made plans to donate it to the city of Midway, Kentucky. However, after the company began helping KSHCO get settled into their new location in Irvine, a final decision was made in 2020 to donate No. 2008 to KSHCO.[7] The locomotive currently awaits to be moved to Ravenna for display and evaluation for a possible return to service.
- Louisville and Nashville C30-7 No. 7067. It was originally built by General Electric in 1980 for the Louisville and Nashville railroad. It was eventually renumbered by CSX to 1837 and repainted in a white and green livery for Marshall University of Huntington, West Virginia.[8] CSX donated the locomotive in 2017 to the C.P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society, who stored it in their South Yard. In May 2021, the locomotive was donated again to KSHCO, who moved it to Ravenna the following summer.[9] KSHCO has reverted No. 7067 to its L&N appearance.
- CSX SW1500 No. 1100.[10] It was originally built by EMD in 1970 as Louisville and Nashville No. 5000, and it was eventually renumbered to 1100 after the L&N merged with the Clinchfield and the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (which itself was a merger between the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL)) to create the Seaboard System, which was soon merged into CSX. It was used to move rolling stock throughout various freight yards throughout the southeastern United States. CSX put the locomotive in storage in 2017, and two years later, they donated it to KSHCO. KSHCO currently uses No. 1100 as their own yard switcher, and they have plans to eventually revert it to its original identity as L&N No. 5000.
- Norfolk Southern SD40-2 No. 6162.[11] It was originally built by EMD in 1978 for the Norfolk and Western Railway, and it continued service after the N&W merged with the Southern Railway to create the Norfolk Southern. No. 6162 spent over four decades pulling mainline freight trains across the eastern United States until late May 2020, when it was put into storage in Illinois after being marked as surplus by NS. It was donated to KSHCO two weeks later. KSHCO originally had plans to repaint No. 6162 in either L&N or C&O colors. In October of 2023, the KSHC announced that 6162 would be repainted into its as delivered N&W black paint scheme. A few days later, the 6162 was unveiled in its original N&W colors.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Franz, Justin (February 7, 2016). "Kentucky group to restore C&O 2-8-4 No. 2716". Trains. Kalmbach Media. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ "C&O; 2716 group partners with CSX on Kentucky rail heritage site | Trains Magazine". 2018-05-21. Archived from the original on 2018-05-21. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
- ^ "About". Kentucky Steam. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
- ^ "Steam group to celebrate 75th birthday for Chesapeake & Ohio locomotive | Trains Magazine". 2019-06-28. Archived from the original on 2019-06-28. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
- ^ Campbell, Chris (2021-03-05). "KSHC Acquires Cars; New Path For Nickel Plate 587". Kentucky Steam. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
- ^ "RailPictures.Net » Photo Search Result » Railroad, Train, Railway Photos, Pictures & News". www.railpictures.net. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
- ^ "R. J. Corman's Classic Steam Locomotive, "Old Smokey," has a New Home | R. J. Corman Railroad Group". www.rjcorman.com. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
- ^ "Pictures of CSX 1837". www.rrpicturearchives.net. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
- ^ "Kentucky Steam Heritage Adds L&N C30-7 to Collection". Diesel Era. 2021-05-25. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
- ^ "Pictures of CSX 1100". www.rrpicturearchives.net. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
- ^ "Pictures of NS 6162". www.rrpicturearchives.net. Retrieved 2021-11-03.