Re: 40" Gauge Porter #1

The locomotive owned by the Railroad Museum Of Long Island is 40" gauge.
It was built by Porter and operated on the "Defiance Coal Company," here in New Mexico.
In March 1952 the coal mine closed down and all operations ceased. #1 was purchased the following year by Dr. Stanley A. Groman and shipped to Sandy Pond, New York (on the shore of Lake Ontario). Dr. Groman was opening up an amusement park known as "Rail City" with railroad equipment, both std gauge and narrow.
In later years the museum closed and equipment sat there to let the fate of time take it's toll.
John Degen from Southampton, New York bought the Porter #1 and restored it to operating condition. Not having any track to run it on, he designed a flat bed trailer with track and rollers. The drivers sat over the rollers, and when steamed up, locomotive could be run in place. This arrangemet allowed John to have Porter #1 in parades and viewers could see the rods move and hear the whistle blow, plus soft chug, chug sounds.
Looking ahead after his retirement, John donated the Porter #1 to the RRMLI.
On the grounds of the original "Rail City" is a depot building which houses a museum. This was done by the Son of the late Dr. Stanley Groman, which is Robert Groman. Inside the depot are photographic displays of how "Rail City" once looked and many written descriptions about the rise and fall of operations.