Little Engine that Could

By Norman M. Covert, Chef de Gare, VL 155, Grande du Maryland

Voyageurs of Frederick and Carroll Counties (Md.) Voiture Locale 155 exceeded their own expectations, taking a junked 1950-era GMC Locomotive and giving it a new life representing the Voiture in area parades and events.

The Locomotive, a rusting hulk when it was towed to Frederick in 1998, is the gleaming ebony smoke puffing, horn blowing and bell ringing pride of Voiture 155.  The Locomotive and French Box Car are the enduring symbols of La Societe.

VL 155 has had at least two Locos since its charter in 1920. It is interesting that the new rolling stock is a contemporary of VL 155s first locomotive. A circa 1950 postcard depicts that first one. Voyageurs say that about 1948, VL 155 took ownership of a Chevrolet Chassis for the purpose of building a locomotive.

The chassis was taken to the Brunswick rail yard, where the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad management agreed to build a locomotive on the old chassis. The Locomotive became a popular addition to local events and parades, delivering food to needy veteran families at Thanksgiving time and providing rides for children during the Great Frederick Fair each September.

That old locomotive wound up in a backyard and was forgotten.  It was replaced by a loco contrived from an old school bus, which was scrapped some 30 years ago. The school bus version never reached the same popularity as the original VL 155 locomotive, which was so big it required an assistant driver to help see the road.

VL 155s new 1950-era locomotive was unveiled in July 2002 at the Mount Airy, Md., Volunteer Firemens Parade bearing the markings of La Societe. Afterward it was parked adjacent to the midway of the Carnival Grounds, where hundreds of children and their parents inspected every inch.

Its next appearance was at the Promenade Nationale in Hagerstown, Md., September 2002, in honor of VL 155s own Francis Marino, who was Nationale Chef de Chemin de Fer.

The Loco was a late but popular entry in the November 2002 Department of Defense-sponsored Veterans Day Parade in Brunswick, Md.

It was awarded the Grand Marshals Special Award at the 2003 Mount Airy Firemans Parade.  It also appeared for the second consecutive year in the Brunswick Veterans Day Parade, where it was also given a Grand Marshals Citation.

The saga of the Locomotive that wouldnt die began at a Maryland Grand Cheminot. During the fellowship portion of the Cheminot, Voyageurs from VL 1230 (Severna Park, Md.) offered ownership of the Locomotive to whoever would tow it away. The B&O Railway Shop, Baltimore, had built it in the early 1950s on a General Motors Truck chassis. A voyageur from VL 1230 was anxious to get the hulk out of his backyard.

Originally owned by Voyageurs of Baltimore VL 113, the Locomotive had fallen into disuse due to its age and difficulty of getting repairs accomplished. A last ditch effort by VL 1230 simply failed.

Voyageur Richard L. Stup of VL 155 presented the idea of taking title from VL1230 and getting the locomotive fixed up. Such a big project was discussed at several Promenades before, with some reluctance, VL 155 agreed to take ownership.  A committee would have to find a way to get it to Frederick, find someone with the ability to repair it and the Voiture would have to raise the cash to meet the expected expenditures.

A cadre of Voyageurs took on the mission of getting the locomotive to Frederick, where it was stored for another year. The GMC truck was a challenge, owing to its age, need for extensive repair and replacement of major parts. Several potential mechanics were unable to spend the time to get it running and few Voyageurs had the skills and time to get dirty in a plan, which did not exist.

James Grimes, then mayor of The City of Frederick and owner of Grimes Trucking, volunteered to tow the hulk some 20 miles to another storage site near Jefferson, Md.

Voyageurs Bill Holley, Ed Daugherty, Ron Harshman, Randy Weddle, Mason Wilburn, and others then spearheaded the effort to get things moving. Money was committed for sandblasting and painting of the locomotive in Keymar, Md., where Grables Commercial Painting gave a discount and partial donation on the overall cost of the work. Once again Mayor Grimes towed it, this time more than 45 miles.

With painting completed, Voyageurs Holley and Wilburn recruited Post 191 Legionnaire Bob Browning, who owns a towing and wrecking company and is a first class mechanic. He took on the project of getting the Locomotive running, turning it into a labor of love.  He hauled it to Tin Lizzie Restorations in Monrovia, where he worked on it with help of Tin Lizzies team, which provided some specialty tools and a carburetor from a 1938 Chevrolet.

The repair kit for the 1950 stock carburetor just didnt work, said V. Mason Wilburn. Tin Lizzie offered the carburetor from the old Chevy. Bob took it off and bolted it on the 1950 engine and it worked.

Everyone was encouraged when Bob got the engine to turn over and fire. He tore out the rotted electrical wiring and replaced the entire system. He also reworked the mechanisms that enabled the smoke machine, rang the huge brass bell, and turned on the unique horn, which bellows like a steam locomotive.

After many months of work, it was pronounced fit to run with new fluids, gaskets, seals, spark plugs and lots of other important parts only he could identify. 

Voyageur Browning, who was Wrecked about the time he finished, donated nearly every hour of work and found ways to make or repair the vintage parts.

Joes Upholstery Shop of Frederick donated custom vinyl seats for the caboose area and with the first VL 155 and 40 & 8 Stickers prominently displayed, it was pronounced ready for its unveiling at the Mount Airy Volunteer Firemans Parade.

With Bob in the drivers seat and a full complement of Voyageurs in the caboose, the rejuvenated Locomotive was proudly lined up in the parade route. It was judiciously placed behind Bobs Browning Towing & Recovery entry in the parade, a huge rollback, which could shed its display of red, white and blue, to take on the Locomotive if it should fail somewhere along the route. 

The Locomotive did not fail and became the star of the show.

The Voiture understands there are limits to using the massive, steel-plated vehicle.  To preserve it, the locomotive must be carried on a rollback to each event and the Voiture depends on Voyageur Browning to keep it running. VL 155 is hoping the Locomotive and its caring hands will continue to be its pride for many years.