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Gold Berkshire

This engine makes a brief appearance in one of Frantic's videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVIJ2gb00I8

This reskin is based on the gold livery carried by a 4-8-4 tender engine number 5632. The engine belonged to the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. She was built in 1940 by the Burlington themselves, and was put to work hauling freight trains until her retirement in the 1960s. The engine is probably most famous for when she was repainted gold for a few months in early 1964. This was done to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the CB&Q's suburban service. By May of that year, the engine had been painted black again.

A few months later - but still in 1964 - the engine was painted gold for a 2nd time. On this occasion, it was to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Kansas City Union Station. The engine's last excursion was on the 1st of November 1964, when she ran from Kansas City to Bevier, Missouri. By then, it became apparent that the engine was in need of an overhaul. This is where things went from bad to worse.

In 1965, the retiring CB&Q president - Harry C. Murphy- authorised a Class 3 overhaul of 5632. Unfortunately the railroad was not able to secure enough workmen to complete the task, and it was ordered to be cancelled in 1966 by the new president - Louis W. Menk.

Also in 1966, a preservationist by the name of Richard Jensen bought 5632. Shortly after this, Jensen obtained a lease on a portion of the Chicago & Western Indiana 47th Street roundhouse in Chicago. 5632 was obtained in dismantled condition with three boxcar loads of parts including CB&Q steam shop equipment. By 1969, the presidency and control of the C&WI had changed and Richard Jensen knew that his time at the roundhouse was running out. Knowing that his lease for space at the roundhouse would not be renewed, he spent most of the summer moving parts, tools, and machinery out of the roundhouse and into freight cars. Despite this, 5632 had to stay in the roundhouse, as she was in the middle of a major rebuild, and therefor difficult to move.

Early one Saturday morning in August, while Richard Jensen and Rich Young were trying to sort out a drawbar on another engine, Western Union arrived with a telegram from C&WI stating that Jensen had 48 hours to vacate the roundhouse. Despite this, Jensen had no means of doing so.

After 60 days of waiting, no inspection of the equipment was performed by C&WI and no movement took place. Suddenly, the C&WI made the slightly idiotic decision to move all of the equipment including 5632 to the 88th street yard. Richard Jensen, in an attempt to find out what is going on, contacted the C&NW and CWP&S to find out if any attempt is being made to inspect the equipment and was informed that efforts to inspect at Jensen's request have been denied by the C&WI. After 3 more weeks the equipment is suddenly moved to the Erman Howell scrap yard at 83rd street. As 5632 was being moved into the scrapyard, she was unlucky enough to derail on a set of points. This was the final nail in the coffin for the 26 year-old locomotive.

Jensen waited until his lease expired then asked the C&WI when the move of his equipment was going to be completed. In return C&WI sent him a draft for 4,800 dollars (that's 1966 dollars, by the way). At this point Mr. Jensen filed a lawsuit against the C&WI. Originally the suit requested delivery of the equipment and payment for deprivation of use. The scrap yard then came along and scrapped 5632 right where she derailed. A very sad end for any locomotive, let alone a steam engine.