Mogul info

[MsChrissi]

Was surprised to see someone mention mobile and gulf, number 97....I used to fire that engine, in frenchlick indiana......regretfully, it now sits in the weeds, a rusting heap of junk

Where abouts in Indiana is this engine, still in Frenchlick?

[hoppercar]

Yes, it's still in frenchlick, in southern indiana, at the Indiana railway museum, ..sadly, it's just a big eyesore,now....tender completely rusted out, smo kebox rotted thru, and most of the cab appliances missing.....it's in real sad shape, I'm sure it will never run again

[Fender]

I cut my teeth on that engine when it was still in Alabama on the M&G. Rode many trips along the Sipsey River between Brownville and Buhl between 1966 and 1970. Sorry to hear that it’s in such bad shape.

[MsChrissi]

Yes, it's still in frenchlick, in southern indiana, at the Indiana railway museum, ..sadly, it's just a big eyesore,now....tender completely rusted out, smo kebox rotted thru, and most of the cab appliances missing.....it's in real sad shape, I'm sure it will never run again

Google Earth of the French Lick Scenic Railway shows an engine with 4 cars on a branch by itself, 38 33'24"N 86 37'03"W, looks somewhat accessible.

[hoppercar]

Yeah, I have many happy memories firing that engine.....if you Google search, Indiana railway museum, I'm sure there are probably pictures of it online

[MsChrissi]

Yeah, I have many happy memories firing that engine.....if you Google search, Indiana railway museum, I'm sure there are probably pictures of it online

Yes, some pictures available, thanks!

[hoppercar]

I'll have to look online for the pictures. Last time I was in frenchlick and seen that engine was maybe 2 years ago...It was pretty deplorable....I made my way thru the weeds, and climbed up in the cab, to relive old memories.

[Pontiacguy1]

I'm sure it COULD run again, but with all the stuff you said is wrong with it, and also not knowing what shape the boiler is in or the running gear... you could restore a larger and more powerful locomotive for about the same money, or less, which is what I would do if I was a museum and had very limited resources. Sad to say, but you are probably right that it will never run again. Seems sad that a locomotive that was in revenue service as late as 1970 is now such a pile. What happened to the stack?

[Fender]

Here’s a couple of photos of M&G 97 in service about 1967:
http://www.msrailroads.com/images/mg-5.jpg
http://www.msrailroads.com/images/mg-9.jpg

[hoppercar]

I remember the last time I seen it under steam, looking in the firebox, and the back flue sheet was like Niagara falls. Just typical management, all they see is dollar signs, didn't put any kind of repairs into, just ran it into the ground. ...I know the boilermaker, who used to work on it, many years ago..he said it got to the point, he would not work on it, and is the one who called the state boiler inspector and had it condemned. .....and this was all close to 30 years ago...so, sitting outside in the weeds all this time, I'm sure has been nothing but damaging to it....your right, I suppose it could run again...but it would need a new boiler built for it. ..the tender has holes ' rusted in the sides of it , so theres no way it would hold water, a new tender would also have to be built......who knows whathappened to the stack casting?...last time I seen this engine..maybe 2 years ago, the area of the smoke box where the stack is bolted to, is completed rotted out and gone....maybe the stack fell inside the smokebox?......I can't attest to the shape of the running gear, but taking the sad condition iits in now, after sitting in the weeds for 30 years, I can't imagine it's in too good a shape ?

[MsChrissi]

It is hard to conceive of how they would let something historic just deteriorate.

[hoppercar]

Just typical American management...all they think about is how deep there pocketbook is