Yes, opening day for the Silverwood Central Railway was back in May, but I wasn't around for that. When I got there yesterday, former E&P #7 was up and running with a bunch of gleaming new hardware in the cab. Seems Gary Norton, owner of Silverwood Theme Park, took a ride in the cab one day and realized the oil firing system and the brakes were not up to snuff. Yeah, it's small potatoes compared to what happened to #489, but it was generally agreed that brakes are important and a better firing system would use less fuel. The Maintenance Dept. usually has to divide its time among the 20 other rides in the park, with priority going to the two huge wooden roller coasters (they're the most heavily advertised). Instead, they went over #7 and rolled it out of the shop after installing new valves and other firing components. They also removed 7.5 gallons of soot from inside the boiler tubes.
The coaches got some attention as well, receiving new steps and floors, new P.A. equipment cabinetry (they're all open cars), new paint and, incredibly, working air brakes (imagine taking a four-car train downgrade with only about half the brakes working).
Kahului Railway #12 still sits in the shed in a state of suspended animation since it was put up for the winter last fall. We (the train crew) fervently hope it will NOT be sold, as we would be left completely without motive power the next time #7 conks out (she was out of service for five weeks last season to receive new tubes and flue sheets, allowing #12 to strut her stuff for the first time in three years).
Correction: In a previous post, I stated the ballast hopper on the back siding was former East Broad Top; another source says it's Southern Pacific. Can anyone offer confirmation either way? There don't seem to be any identifying marks on the superstructure, and questionable brakes preclude close inspection of the running gear (no way am I sticking my head down there).
