Moving Georgetown Loop Shay #8

As regular readers around here doubtlessly remember, the original Georgetown Loop Railroad ceased to be on 3-Oct-2004, when their contract to operate the line ended. I’ll spare everyone yet another rehashing of all of the gruesome details of this amazing blunder by the Colorado Historical Society, but for those who don’t already know the story by heart, check out my trip report from that sad day. Most of the operating equipment went to the Colorado Railroad Museum, but two pieces remained behind – 3-truck 70-ton Shay #8 and C&S caboose 1012. These two were non-operating, and existed on a short display track outside the railroad’s former offices in Georgetown proper.

On 12-Mar-2008, both pieces were moved to the old GLR’s sister railroad – the Canon City & Royal Gorge (aka the Royal Gorge Route) in Canon City, CO. The move was made by two trucks – one carrying the caboose and the tender, and the other carrying the Shay. Thanks to a tip from one of the CCRG guys (thanks Robert!) via Nathan Zachman, I got the chance to go down and watch the unloading process. It’s not every day you get to watch a large narrow gauge steamer being unloaded from truck. What follows is the unloading process, from the arrival of the truck to the final setup of the equipment just before sundown. The engine now sits just outside the CCRG‘s depot, and will be on static display for passengers coming to ride through the Gorge.

This is where GLR Shay 8 has been sitting for quite some time - on a short piece of track in front of their old office building in Georgetown, CO. This photo was taken on 3-Oct-2004, the last day that the Georgetown Loop Railroad operated the route. — This is where GLR Shay 8 has been sitting for quite some time – on a short piece of track in front of their old office building in Georgetown, CO. This photo was taken on 3-Oct-2004, the last day that the Georgetown Loop Railroad operated the route.

All three pieces - the caboose, the tender, and Shay 8 itself had come down from Georgetown on Wednesday, 12-Mar-2008, via two large flatbed trucks. Here's the Shay in the parking lot west of the depot, as seen when we arrived around 1620h. — All three pieces – the caboose, the tender, and Shay 8 itself had come down from Georgetown on Wednesday, 12-Mar-2008, via two large flatbed trucks. Here’s the Shay in the parking lot west of the depot, as seen when we arrived around 1620h.

Oversized Load is probably a pretty decent case of understatement when you're hauling a 70 ton locomotive down the highway. Of course it's really lighter than that, since the tender went separately. — Oversized Load is probably a pretty decent case of understatement when you’re hauling a 70 ton locomotive down the highway. Of course it’s really lighter than that, since the tender went separately.

That's how you mount a Shay on a trailer... Note the angle of the front truck - the lead axle is actually off the track. — That’s how you mount a Shay on a trailer… Note the angle of the front truck – the lead axle is actually off the track.

With the rear axles disconnected, they begin the series of turns to back the truck out of the parking lot.

The plan is to back up across the standard gauge (the Tennessee Pass line), then pull into the space between the siding and the old Santa Fe depot (now the Royal Gorge Route's passenger facility). — The plan is to back up across the standard gauge (the Tennessee Pass line), then pull into the space between the siding and the old Santa Fe depot (now the Royal Gorge Route’s passenger facility).

Generally this is not the way trains approach this crossing... — Generally this is not the way trains approach this crossing…

A wide view, showing the depot and display track, as well as the truck pulling up with the Shay.

At the end of the display track, they'll drop the trailer and pull the truck out of the way. — At the end of the display track, they’ll drop the trailer and pull the truck out of the way.

The two-axle caboose and number 8's tender are already in position. — The two-axle caboose and number 8’s tender are already in position.

With the truck out of the way, the Canon City crew forklifts in a section of track to bridge the gap to the trailer. Insert Atlas Snap Track jokes here... — With the truck out of the way, the Canon City crew forklifts in a section of track to bridge the gap to the trailer. Insert Atlas Snap Track jokes here…

The track panel isn't quite large enough, but it wasn't expected to be. — The track panel isn’t quite large enough, but it wasn’t expected to be.

That's why they have a supply of ties and rail on hand - to fill the remaining gap the old fashioned way - ties, rail, a spiking maul, and manpower. — That’s why they have a supply of ties and rail on hand – to fill the remaining gap the old fashioned way – ties, rail, a spiking maul, and manpower.

Building the connecting track and putting in a few extra ties where the forklift tines were

An overhead shot of the whole operation, as they're still working on connecting the rails. — An overhead shot of the whole operation, as they’re still working on connecting the rails.

Another view, from further to the west. No, I didn't plan for my employer to be in the background. — Another view, from further to the west. No, I didn’t plan for my employer to be in the background.

While I was up on the bridge, the crew got the first of the ramp rails set up on the trailer.

And now the forklift has come and placed the second one. Now it's just an issue of finding something to fill that remaining gap. — And now the forklift has come and placed the second one. Now it’s just an issue of finding something to fill that remaining gap.

Which rail should we use? The one at the bottom of the pile, of course!

Spiking down the short pieces the old fashioned way.

Here they're torching off a couple of chunks. These won't be used to fill the gaps, though - these will be used to get the front axle back on track after they jack it up. — Here they’re torching off a couple of chunks. These won’t be used to fill the gaps, though – these will be used to get the front axle back on track after they jack it up.

The first attempt to jack up the front truck in order to get rail under it ended in a rather frightening bang. The tie under the jack broke in two... — The first attempt to jack up the front truck in order to get rail under it ended in a rather frightening bang. The tie under the jack broke in two…

After stepping back for a minute to reassess the strategy, the crew starts setting up the jack again, this time from the steel trailer frame rather than the wooden ties.

Shortly afterwards, they slide the second piece of rail under the other wheel, and the Shay is ready to roll.

In what can only be viewed as the weirdest form of a tractor pull I've ever seen, the Kenworth will be used to control the Shay's descent down the ramp. — In what can only be viewed as the weirdest form of a tractor pull I’ve ever seen, the Kenworth will be used to control the Shay’s descent down the ramp.

Once mostly off the ramp, the truck is disconnected and the forklift hooked to the other end to pull it to the desired location.

That'll do - 8 reaches the spot where she'll sit for foreseeable future. — That’ll do – 8 reaches the spot where she’ll sit for foreseeable future.

With a little help from the forklift and a chain, they pull the tender up to connect it.

Things don't initially quite line up, but a little jacking on the rear corner straightens that out. — Things don’t initially quite line up, but a little jacking on the rear corner straightens that out.

Phil climbs up to drop in the connecting pin.

Such a tiny caboose - it's light. Nothing like using a bunch of guys to switch cars around. — Such a tiny caboose – it’s light. Nothing like using a bunch of guys to switch cars around.

With everything in place and the sun below the horizon, it's time to take the temporary track apart. — With everything in place and the sun below the horizon, it’s time to take the temporary track apart.

A good old spike bar makes quick work of dismantling things.

All settled in, ex-Georgetown Loop Shay 8 begins her new life as a static display at the Royal Gorge Route in Canon City, CO.

All photographs in this trip report were taken with a Canon EOS 40D using either a Canon 24-105mm F4 L IS/USM, Sigma 18-50mm, or a Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS/USM.

This work is copyright 2024 by Nathan D. Holmes, but all text and images are licensed and reusable under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license. Basically you’re welcome to use any of this as long as it’s not for commercial purposes, you credit me as the source, and you share any derivative works under the same license. I’d encourage others to consider similar licenses for their works.