Behind The Scenes Trains LIVE Trains LIVE — Inspecting Black River & Western No. 60

Trains LIVE — Inspecting Black River & Western No. 60

By Bob Lettenberger | February 16, 2024

| Last updated on March 20, 2024

What does it take to pass an FRA steam locomotive inspection

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Trains LIVE — Inspecting Black River & Western No. 60 — 2-16-2024 — Tucked away in the Black River & Western Railroad shop in Ringoes, N.J., a group of Black River Railroad Historical Trust volunteers are working to complete the Federal Railroad Administration Form 4 inspection on No. 60, a 2-8-0 Consolidation built by Alco in 1937. The locomotive is legendary in the East Coast tourist world, having hauled excursions on the BR&W and other roads since the early 1960s.

Two men at a table with another on a TV screen in an interview setting. Trains LIVE-Inspection Black River & Western No. 60
Bob Lettenberger (left) and Bryson Sleppy chat with Ryan Gerhardt, Black River & Western Railroad steam manager.

Today we are speaking with Ryan Gerhardt, manager of the BRRHT steam program. Gerhardt and crew are working through the inspection of No. 60 in order to complete the six-page FRA Form 4 document and have the locomotive again certified for operation. Our discussion focuses on the process followed to complete the inspection. Our conversation also leads into the locomotive’s history and the inner workings of the BRRHT crew.

The next time you are in New Jersey plan to take a train ride on the Black River & Western Railroad. Today the short line is part of the Chesapeake & Delaware Railroad family. The independent Black River Railroad Historical Trust still runs steam excursions on the railroad, just as has been done more than six decades. A ride on the BR&W will take you through the New Jersey countryside from Flemington to Bowne.

Come along as Trains LIVE learns about inspecting Black River & Western No. 60.

Want to see the Black River & Western Railroad
in action?
Click HERE to watch a Trains Trackside video featuring various steam locomotives operating over the line!


Trains LIVE is a regular video program, recorded live and unscripted from Kalmbach Media. The series began in July 2022.

Trains LIVE features Bob Lettenberger, Trains associate editor, Bryson Sleppy, Model Railroader associate editor, Kalmbach Media staff, and guests talking about railroads and trains in a casual, behind-the-scenes format. On Trains LIVE we will ask the questions you would like to ask and take you into places normally not open to the public. Trains LIVE also takes you on the road to museums, trackside locations and other railroad-related venues.

You can watch and listen to new episodes every other Friday at 2 p.m. Central time. Trains LIVE is now available as a podcast and in full video versions. The podcast can be found on RSS.com, Apple Podcasts, and Listen Notes. The full video version is a membership benefit for Trains.com Unlimited members.

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