Streamliners At Spencer

North Carolina Transportation Museum; Spencer, N.C.; May 29, 2014

At the end of May one the biggest rail enthusiast events of the year took place; Streamliners At Spencer brought together one of the largest gathering of 1940s-1960s "cab units" built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors (EMD) and the American Locomotive Company (Alco) for one colorful show. We'll take a day-by-day look at the event, starting with Thursday, May 29, as the locomotives began to gather around the turntable at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer. Reading F7 No. 284 came from the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey (above). Iowa Pacific E8 No. 515 was briefly disguised as Illinois Central No. 4035 on the first day (below).

North Carolina Transportation Museum; Spencer, N.C.; May 29, 2014

Also in attendance was Norfolk & Western 4-8-4 No. 611, a streamlined steam locomotive. The J-Class locomotive had just arrived in Spencer where it will be restored to operation as part of the "Fire Up 611" campaign. It was given the position of honor on the turntable for the first night photo session.

North Carolina Transportation Museum; Spencer, N.C.; May 29, 2014

Highlighting the second day was a freight train powered by an A-B-A set of F3 locomotives representing the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western. The two A units came from the Bangor & Aroostook, while the B unit is a converted F7B from the Boston & Maine. One A unit is owned by the Tri-State Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, while the other A and the B come from the Anthracite Railroads Historical Society. The F3s were the oldest operating units at Spencer.

North Carolina Transportation Museum; Spencer, N.C.; May 30, 2014

The three-unit set was used for the night photo session, and made a fine sight as they passed under the museum's restored signal bridge.

North Carolina Transportation Museum; Spencer, N.C.; May 30, 2014

Also a part of the night photo session was a multi-unit set-up in the field south of the roundhouse, highlighted by "Baltimore & Ohio" F7 No. 722 (former Bessemer & Lake Erie) and "Chesapeake & Ohio" F3 No. 8016 (former Clinchfield). Both are now owned by the Potomac Eagle Scenic in West Virginia.

North Carolina Transportation Museum; Spencer, N.C.; May 30, 2014

Day Three found Canadian National FPA4 No. 6789 on the photo freight. Like all the other locomotives in attendance, movement to Spencer was provided free of charge by Norfolk Southern. No. 6789 came from the Monticello Railway Museum in Illinois.

North Carolina Transportation Museum; Spencer, N.C.; May 31, 2014

An antique car show was part of the festivities at Spencer, and the car owners didn't need much encouragement to bring a car over to pose with the trains. New Haven FL9 No. 2019 from the Railroad Museum of New England in Thomaston, Conn., passed at Studebaker. Both were built in the same year -- 1960.

North Carolina Transportation Museum; Spencer, N.C.; May 31, 2014

Locomotives came from all across the country and from not only museums but also Class I railroads. The roundhouse tracks included privately-owned "Nickel Plate Road" (former Santa Fe) No. 190 from Portland, Ore., Southern Railway No. 6900 (which lives at Spencer), Erie No. 833 from the New York & Greenwood Lake in Port Jervis, N.Y., Union Pacific No. 949 which is used by UP on its business trains and Norfolk Southern F9 No. 4271 which is used in business train service for NS.

North Carolina Transportation Museum; Spencer, N.C.; May 31, 2014

In attendance was Electro-Motive Corporation (a predecessor of EMD) FT No. 103, the very first streamliner built in 1939. It shared the roundhouse tracks with Southern FP7 No. 6133 (which resides at Spencer), Pan Am business train FP9 No. PAR-1, and Chicago & North Western F7 No. 411 from the Illinois Railway Museum in Union.

North Carolina Transportation Museum; Spencer, N.C.; May 31, 2014

Perhaps the most surprising attendee was "Nickel Plate Road" No. 190, one of only two surviving Alco PA locomotives in the United States. Privately owned by Doyle McCormack, the PA made a cross-country trip from Portland, Ore., (with BNSF Railway donating the move across the west) to be one of two Alcos at the Streamliner event (joining Canadian National FPA4 No. 6789 from Monticello, Ill.) No. 190 was used during the final night photo event.

North Carolina Transportation Museum; Spencer, N.C.; May 31, 2014

All good things must end, and Sunday, June 1, marked the end of Streamliners at Spencer. There were still a few photos to be had, however. North Carolina Transportation Museum's own Atlantic Coast Line E3 No. 503 took a morning spin on the turntable.

North Carolina Transportation Museum; Spencer, N.C.; June 1, 2014

Chicago & North Western F7 No. 411 from the Illinois Railway Museum was making morning passenger runs. IRM also sent Chicago, Burlington & Quincy E5 No. 9811 to the Streamliners event.

North Carolina Transportation Museum; Spencer, N.C.; June 1, 2014

All in all, it was a well-run event. Thanks to the staff of the North Carolina Transportation Museum for all their hospitality. Also thanks to the Mountain State Railroad & Logging Historical Association for providing the lights at the night photo sessions. And thanks to all the railroads and museums who sent crews and equipment to Spencer. You can see more photos of Streamliners At Spencer here.