Grant 0524-1  Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad; $14,500

The Cumbres and Toltec Railroad is one of the country’s premier scenic railroads. It is also known for its excelent engineer and fireman multi day experience courses.

The Cumbres and Toltec Railroad has for years had an Engineer and Fireman’s school.  The first part of this school is a safety briefing and orientation session.  As part of this session an old video produced by the Monticello Railway Museum on how to operate a steam locomotive is shorn for the purpose of orientation. This video produced in the 1970s is very basic and does not go cover the basics of operating a steam locomotive over the grades that the C&TS goes over.

The purpose of this project is to produce a updated video that covers a more complete coverage of operating a steam locomotive to include everything from a safety training section, an initial firing to bring the locomotive up to steam, servicing the locomotive both pre operation and post operation, an overview of how the steam locomotive works and the various controls to unique aspects of operating a train up and down a 4% grade.

The intent is to produce a full length video that both educates and services the interests of the public who visit the railroad, the railfan enthusiasts as well as future students.

To produce this locomotive we will use an operating K-36 coal fired locomotive on the Cumbres and Toltec railroad using one the actual locomotive the school students will actually operate and to help present not only how to operate the locomotive but cover the unique  operating challenges of operating a narrow gauge steam locomotive in the C&TS mountain territory.

When done the community will have a complete video on how to operate a steam locomotive from both as engineer’s and fireman’s perspective.

Grant 0323-1  Wolsztyn Experience  $7,500

One of the premier places one can go to learn how to operate a steam locomotive is in Wolsztyn Poland.  Courses are run by “The Wolsztyn Experience” and range from several days to multiple weeks.   Funds received for these courses help supplement the crew’s income, pay for overhead expenses, and provide significant funds to the overall steam program run by the Wolsztyn Roundhouse, an EU Institute of Culture

While they have 3 large serviceable locomotives for daily service, all three are currently in the shop for overhauls.  The first locomotive, a 2-8-2 PT47 is currently expected back sometime in May/June. Once back the PT47 must undergo running gear work before the locomotive can be put back in daily service. The best current guess for this is sometime in August/September

During this period no steam is operating, and no income is being received from clients taking courses.  This puts the overall steam program and with it the Wolsztyn Experience steam locomotive operation courses at serious risk.

The purpose of this grant is to help The Wolsztyn Experience, and the locomotive crews during this period. The grant has also been updated to include extra funds for the Wolsztyn Roundhouse’s restoration crews to facilitate getting the PT47 back to service

The funds for this grant were saucerful received and transmitted and this grant is now closed.