Re: RGS 41

41 was one of the last three "little" engines to operate on the RGS, along with 20 and 42. She was known to be stout and a good steamer as well as a pretty good rider. She had a reputation of performing occasional miracles. Once she was on a work train which went to rescue an errant K-27 and tender which had completely left the rails and was down an embankment, although right-side-up. They got everything in place to pull the engine back up to the tracks and were going to call for more power to do it when they decided to try it with the 41 alone. They hooked the cable around the spar they had set, tied it to the rear of the dead '27's tender and let her pull. Everybody thought she'd just spin her wheels and couldn't do it. Nobody bothered to mention those doubts to the 41 and she just walked the big engine right back up onto the right of way, tender and all.

Not to put to fine a point on it, but she had a great reputation.



In recent years she has been completely rebuilt and returned to better than original condition. Along with the 340 she has provided reliable service at Knott's for over 55 years and hardly shows her 125 years of age. Knott's is very fortunate to have extremely competent personnel in their Rides Maintenance department who know steam and have a solid appreciation of the historical. The 'circus' paint jobs are gone and the mechanics are top-drawer.

Yep, she's got a lope to her. Comes from ancient eccentrics that frequently slip a little out of time. As you may be able to tell from my comments, she has always been a personal favorite.