Model Railroading - Indian Valley Railway's No. 2716 Conversion - Intro

The Indian Valley Railway is a primary sub-focus in the Magic Railroad Adventures. Not all the adventures focus on the railway, but they revolve around the railway as it runs through the little valley railroad town of Shining Time. Though heavily based on the original Indian Valley Railroad of California, the Great Smoky Mountains Railway, Grand Canyon Railway, Western Maryland Scenic Railway and the Strasburg Railroad (to name a few) the IVR of the Magic Railroad Adventures has a wide roster of locomotives that are based on many real-life locomotives that we are so familiar with. One such engine is the Van Sweringen K-4 class 2-8-4 "Kanawha" type locomotive No. 2716.

Photo: Ron Flanny

Part of a fleet of locomotives most common of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, the 2716 is arguably most recognizable in it's Southern Railroad guise as part of the Steam Program in 1981-83. Though it's involvement was short-lived it none-the-less gained a wide-spread fame amongst railroader fans, giving an impression as to what a Southern Railroad Berkshire locomotive would have looked like. So there's no question about my decision to feature this engine in the MRA in it's Southern Railroad guise. 

Shining Time Station is well-known for featuring footage of real engines (like the Grand Canyon's 18, Chessie System's 2101, Norfolk & Western's 611, and most famously Union Pacific's 8444) and shooting real locomotives (such as South Simcoe's 136 and Strasburg's 475). The Magic Railroad Adventures follows that tradition by featuring HO scale replicas of these famous locomotives. Key Model Imports once released an accurate representation of Southern 2716, but that was a long while ago and finding such a model would be very costly indeed. 

However Bachmann Trains has released HO models of the Van Sweringen Berkshires in three forms; the Nickel Plate Road form, the Pere Marquette form, and the C&O form. I was fortunate enough to find a C&O Berkshire, unlettered, on eBay for a decent amount. 

 Over time this engine will take on the appearance of the actual SOU 2716. I will keep everyone updated on the progress that will commence. Next time: the pilot.