The Ottaway that was in Pogosa Springs,Colorado number 1053 is alive and well in private ownership in Loveland,Colorado.
The Ottaway mentioned in Washington state is number 1024 and owned by BOB HAYES and we are currently casting wheels for his tender.
The man that brought the train to Goodland,Kansas was no other than Harold Chance himself builder of the trains and later owner of the company after 1951. He would take the train for weekends prior to Christmas and run it for the local merchants or the chamber of commerce and everyone got a free ride and Harold made some extra money for Christmas presents. He designed the track to form a 57' wide loop so it could be set up in a city street, The C and H Railroad has the only complete trailer(only two were built) for hauling the engine-tender-cars and track.
The engine in the Chance lobby is not the engine from the Texas State Fair but the 1st 4-6-0 number 1042 built by Harold in 1947 while his wife Marge was pregnant with their son Richard now the owner of the company. She said she went with him to the shop in north Wichita and knitted booties while Harold worked on the locomotive. Harold did buy back the Taxas Fair engine a 4-4-0 and restored it and has since tranfered it to a relative that lives out of state.
Harold is still steaming at 85 years of age and he and his wife and son were our guest over Labor Day weekend and is currently featured on the first page of our website (www.candhrailroad.com)running our number 1011.
Also our website features Harold's railroad under the Peppermint Park section
We currently offer restortion parts for Ottaways and are always interested in hearing people with stories about an Ottaway that has crossed into their life. IF YOU KNOW OF AN OTTAWAY THAT NEEDS RESTORED AND IS FOR SALE WE WOULD LIKE KNOW ABOUT. CONTACT US THRU OUR C and H RAILROAD WEBSITE.
MIKE HAWKINS
STEVE CREGUT
C and H RAILROAD
