What if you found a locomotive?

[augusthog]

Welcome from Bagram AF, Afghanistan! (Really I'm home on R&R for 1 more week)
Was speaking with my elderly neighbor and he told me about a train that fell off a bridge sometime in the late 50's/earley 60's when he was a kid and he watched it sink into the sand over a period of time. As far as he knew it was never recovered. I checked the area and got a solid signal for about 40 steps. long and 15 wide. I may have found it. Couldn't begin to tell how deep it is. As far as recovering it, who knows? It's located on the bank of the river.
Question is: is it worth going after? What kind of legal problems would a person encounter? And what kind of shape would it be in after being burried in mud for about 50 years?
Any help would be appreceated!

 

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[creskol]

Wait a second .. an Elderly neighbor who was a kid in the late 50's and early 60's? Boy .. do I feel old now!

That would be neat to recover it, but I imagine there are a lot of hurdles to jump over before you get there.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[HuntNdig]

Thanks for your service!

Sounds like you would have your hands full with arguably the biggest relic ever lol!

 

[augusthog]

My service time was from 74-78, and thanks. I'm a civilian contractor over there. (pays better). And my elderly neighbor is 2 yrs older than me, lol.

 

[diggemall]

http://www.12mbdragoons.com/panzer/


Diggem'

 

[augusthog]

http://www.12mbdragoons.com/panzer/


Diggem'

Great article! Gives me enthusiasm now, got something to do when my contract is up next April!
Thanks Diggem!
It would look Super Groovy in the front yard!

 

[junkhunter]

actualy lost trains in pa are very common.It used to be standerd practice to park them on bridges during floods to keep bridges from washing away.have several in lycoming county alone.a train would most likely be considered a historical item so local historical group would most likely file a claim on it.Not to mention extreme weight of item.

 

[augusthog]

actualy lost trains in pa are very common.It used to be standerd practice to park them on bridges during floods to keep bridges from washing away.have several in lycoming county alone.a train would most likely be considered a historical item so local historical group would most likely file a claim on it.Not to mention extreme weight of item.

Do you know of any being recovered?

 

[High Plains Digger]

Is this the old "Locomotive in Sand Creek" story? I remember an article about it a number of years ago and I believe it was the Denver and Rio Grande that stated they never lost one, the one that was said to be lost was run into the 60's and retired, etc., but the story started up and keeps coming up. Try to index the Rocky Mtn. News for that story. Details get muddled and changed around, especially in my brain, but the paper had the facts. Otherwise, get you shovel! When you hit big iron, call and I will come help you.

 

[augusthog]

Not in Sand Creek. South of Colorado Springs area. I go back to Afghanistan in a couple days. I will be digging in the area when I get back next April. Gives me LOTS of time to do research!
I will call you if I find anything.

 

[jeff of pa]

#1. Ask the Rail Road if they are familiar with the story.

IF They say yes, Ask if you can recover it,
& Whether you could keep it, IF you do.

If they Say No they never heard of it,
Or it's not true, Ask if you can recover it,
& Whether you could keep it, IF You find it.

 

[heat45]

This brought back some memories. I use to go to see this train in the woods, two feet deep in a swamp. I wonder if it has sunken lower by now. There was also an abandoned school out in the same woods.

 

[relichunters]

If it was abandoned and no bodies recovered, then it's not illegal, unless they never found the location of it. But beware you might find skeleton bones in it.

But anyways, dig it up! Being in the sand, it'd be very easy to dig. Old train parts are worth a ton of money to collectors. Plus if you can get inside of it where parts remain untouched, that would be even better. I'd spent weeks digging it.

Perhaps there is a bag of money or coins from someones pocket in it? Most likely be from the 40's or older.

If you dig it out, you'd get all kinds of media attention. I think it'd help look good for metal detectorists.

 

[augusthog]

This brought back some memories. I use to go to see this train in the woods, two feet deep in a swamp. I wonder if it has sunken lower by now. There was also an abandoned school out in the same woods.

Now that sounds like a good place to hunt!

 

[missmetaldetectingdiva]

Just wondering what is your plan of action on digging up a train? What type of equipment do you plan on using?

 

[Seamuss]

I'm lucky enough to find a locomotive only when I have been railroaded into something.
Ops, I'm in the wrong post. Your talking about a real locomotive.

 

[N.J.THer]

Here are two engines off the Jersey shore...not too far from where I live. I've always found them interesting.

http://njscuba.net/sites/site_locomotives.html

NJ

 

[augusthog]

Just wondering what is your plan of action on digging up a train? What type of equipment do you plan on using?

Well, the plans are as followed:
Tomorrow, talk to the land owner, or, the person who owns the land next to the river. Dont know if he owns right to that part. Perhaps they can tell me more about it!
Get my detector out and "map the area". Then drive some steel rods into it to find the depth if possible. If it's not to deep, start shoveling a hole to see what I can find, hoping that the water table aint to deep. As of today, theres water on both sides.
Then Saterday, go back to Afghanistan and do research for the next 6 months. Bummer.

But I'll take any and all advice I can get in the mean time.

 

[Joe(TX)]

.....If you do get permission to dig it out....and they say that you can have it.......you may want to consider a few points.....1)...You may need to get some help....2)...You most likely need to rent some heavy duty equipment such as a BackHoe.....or a BullDozer.....Figure out what these would cost??....How many days of Rental??.....Do you want to spend that much money??......Once it is out of the ground...What are you going to do with it??......Restore it??....Give it to a Historical Society or a Museum??......These are all important questions ....so you do not wind up way over your head in a project.....Maybe you can handle it by yourself??.....or you need to give it to someone....(or a group..) who can handle it ??.......Sounds great......I never found a Locomotive before.....LOL....now maybe a steamboat??............JT

 

[Joe(TX)]

....SERIOUSLY...this is Not a One Man Operation....try to get a club or a group interested in helping you....see the link about the group that rescued a Russian/German tank from a watery grave....this was accomplished because of a group effort.......JT