Helping our friend Sam Freeman, with FEC #148

#148 crosses the trestle at New Hope, PA under steam 1975 

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In 1974, a man by the name of Sam Freeman had asked his good friend Jimmy McHugh, if he could use the McHugh's shop facilities operation in New Hope, PA to rebuild his locomotive, ex-Florida East Coast 4-6-2 #148. The 148 was built in April of 1920 by ALCO, and saw service on the Florida East Coast Railroad. She is one of three examples of this class in existance, a operating locomotive resides at the Gold Coast Railway Museum in Miami, FL.

Frank Menair a former NH&I 1966-1970 & McHugh 1970-1972 employee started his own business ( MFC ) and was contracted by Sam Freeman to do the heavy repair work on #148. The McHugh employee's and the MFC employee's jointly worked together on the 148 rebuild project at New Hope, PA. Jimmy McHugh never charged his friend Sam Freeman for Jimmy's employee's work on the #148 project. However, Sam later purchased two used GE 44 ton locomotives from the closed Hoboken Shore RR for $7,000.00 and gave #700 to Jimmy along with an air side dump car. Sam keep #701 for the Adirondack RR project that Frank Menair & Sam Freeman were working on together in New York state. The #701 was renumbered to #107 but it never was shipped to NY and that project was not sucessful railroad operation.

Once the work on #148 was completed, it was test operated for two weeks over the NH&I in 1975. Jimmy's son, 14 year old JC McHugh rode with the NH&I engine crew on one of those scheduled passenger train trips with FEC #148 from New Hope to Buckinham Valley and return. Sam then leased the 148 locomotive to a group that operated a tourist railroad in New Jersey, however several issues devoloped and this agreement was not for the long term. The 148 also operated on a few mainline railfan trips, before being sidelined once again in 1979. At this time Sam was willing to spend the additional money on the locomotive to put it back into excursion service. However it was determined that major boiler work was necessary and with Sam now in poor health repairs to 148 were placed on hold. After Sam's passing, the 148 was sold several times and now the locomotive resides in an unknown location.

There are several untrue stories of, why, how, when, & who, were the parties directly involved with the former FEC #148 rebuild project at New Hope, PA during 1974 thru 1975. We hope this information will provide a conclusion to the false rumors that have been stated verbally and even posted on the internet by others over the years regarding 148's stay at the NH&I. The pure simple fact is that Jimmy McHugh and Sam Freeman had been good friends since 1971. Sam had also loaned Jimmy free of charge several peices of M-O-W equipment for use at the Rockhill Trolley Museum from 1971 until 1973. Sam Freeman had a large amount of stock in the BR&W railroad and had most of his rail equipment located there until he was forced out by a group of minor shareholders. Much of Sam's railroad or other related equipment at one time or another found it's way to Jimmy's operations for storage or use. The Michigan crane that Sam loaned Jimmy to use at the Rockhill Trolley Museun in 1972 was still there when Sam pass away, and it was willed to RTM. Over the years several partnerships between Jimmy & Sam were made on vaious railroad equipment, machinery, along with other related materials. Jimmy refered to his friend as, 'uncle Sam' it was a friendship that endured until Sam's death.

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