International Paper Company sells 1906 Shay engine to Libby Heritage Museum
by Duane Williams, KLCB-KTNY Radio
February 16, 2013
The Heritage Museum launched an effort to restore the 1906 Shay, 'Old Four Spot', locomotive in 2010. Shay 4, a 37-ton, two-truck, 3-cylinder locomotive was manufactured in Lima, Ohio at the famous Lima Locomotive Works.
During the time when track was being laid to move the locomotive into its engine house, a letter was discovered in Museum files dated 1987 from the late Inez Herrig, then board secretary, to Douglas Kilner of Champion International Corporation. The letter thanks the company for allowing the Museum the "indefinite loan" of the locomotive. Since the Museum was expending time and money and soliciting public support for the restoration of the locomotive to working condition, the board made the decision to approach International Paper Company, successive corporate owner of the locomotive, with an offer to buy the Shay for the Museum.
The Heritage Museum of Libby has received a signed receipt of purchase agreement with International Paper Company conveying legal title of Shay locomotive 4 to the Museum for the total purchase price "of One United States of America Dollar and no/100 (USD $1.00) in cash."
Receiving title to the locomotive from International Paper has freed the Museum to proceed with the restoration of the Shay to working condition. The results of two ultrasound tests and an assessment by the state boiler inspector have determined that the main pressure vessel is in good condition and repairs are needed in the front tube sheet and firebox. The volunteer technical team hopes to have steam up this summer.
'Old 4 Spot', one of very few 37-ton Shays in existence, came to Libby in 1917 to join the fleet of J. Neils Lumber Company Shays working in the woods as logging locomotives. After trucks superseded locomotives in the woods in the 1930's, it worked as a switch engine, retiring in 1946, but used occasionally into the 1950's. All the other J. Neils Shays ended up at the scrapper or being sold to out-of-state parties.
Phase I of a three-phase tourist excursion route is planned to include 6000 ft. of standard gauge track on 26 acres of property east of Museum grounds administered by the Lincoln Co. Port Authority. A website documenting progress on the Shay to date can be found at www.gearedsteam.blogspot.com. Contact person for the Shay railway is Ron Carter at 406-283-1830, rb.carter@Outlook.com.
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By Duane Williams, KLCB-KTNY Radio, e-mail: klcb@frontiernet.net, www.klcb-ktny.com.
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