WRC Projects

WRC crews have spent a great deal of time in Switzerland working on 141 R 568. During the late 2009 inaugural runs the 568 encountered a few problems. WRC is working to repair such items as the feed water heater system, minor boiler repairs and more. We expect 568 be back out and running for early fall and possible mid summer excursions behind the William Cook Rail Swiss Classic Train. You can see the train and read it’s history here at the Swiss Classic Train web page.

WRC aided the Union Pacific to ensure that No. 844 is ready for it’s long summer season.You can see the 844’s rigorous schedule here at www.upsteam.com.The 844 had it’s driver tires turned this last winter. A great deal of running gear work was also completed during the winter of 2009-2010. No. 844 left Cheyenne last week on April 2, 2010 for a thirty-day tour to Texas and return. WRC wishes the UP all the best on this long trip.

WRC wishes to congratulate the Golden Gate Railroad Museum on the return to steam of 2472 for the 2010 season. WRC was on hand to aid in final preparations for season opening runs on March 25-26, 2010. 2472 also made a late evening run under a nearly full moon.The 2472 did a great job and experienced no mechanical defects.

2472 had minor boiler work performed in early March 2010 by WRC. The teams of both GGRM and WRC work very well together and as such, the two groups made repairs to have 2472 ready for the late March events. Support the Golden Gate RR Museum by riding behind 2472 at any of their upcoming events. You can learn more here at the GGRM web site.

Wasatch Railroad Contractors is pleased to announce that the Swanton Pacific Railroad has elected to install new boilers on what could be all of their historic locomotive fleet. This monumental project begins with Locomotive 1913. This beautiful 19 inch gauge 4-6-2 Pacific has been out of service for a number years.  Having had some boiler repairs made, and owing to the fact that even more repairs were needed, the staff at the SPRR has elected to make a big step in terms of preservation by purchasing new locomotive boilers.

WRC will build a new boiler for locomotive No. 1913 at our Cheyenne, WY facility. The new boiler will be installed on the 1913’s frame and running gear in Wyoming.  Once complete, the boiler and frame will be sent back to California for final assembly. This first boiler is expected to take between 6 to 8 months to complete.

No. 1913 is one of three 19 inch gauge locomotives operated by the SPRR which were originally built in the early 20th Century to operate at the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco.

The locomotive and container departed California on Friday, April 9, 2010 and arrived in Wyoming on Monday, April 12, 2010.

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At the end of October, No. 141 R 568 was steamed up and operated locally in Schaffhausen, Switzerland to test new piston rings that had been installed in the piston valves. CEO John Rimmasch and an assistant mechanic, Levi Mueller, made the trip to ensure all went well with the locomotive.

That said, the Swiss Classic Train and the 141 R 568 will be engaged in its first public excursion, handling one part of a two part trip from Zürich to Brig and return. The 141 R 568 will handle the portion between Zürich and Bern, while a classic electric Ae 6/8 will take the train from Bern to Brig over the Lötschberg mountain line.

It has been made known to us that space is still available on this train. The all-inclusive price for train tickets and hotel stay in Brigg is CHF 230 (about US$230, but will depend on exchange rates at the time of purchase.)

There is still time to book a trip. Please download this brochure for complete details and contact information. [Update: The brochure file has been compressed to a smaller file size. If there are any problems viewing or downloading the file, please contact us.]

The excellent black and white photographs above were taken by Thomas von Meyenburg, father of Urias von Meyenburg who assists in caring for the maintenance of the locomotive in Schaffhausen.