Steam Locomotive Information

Here are the notes for Omaha Zoo Railroad No. 119, a 4-4-0 located in Omaha, NE. If you have additional information about this locomotive, and would like to share it, click the Add Note button.

Posted: May 27, 2013 @ 16:05:57 by Chris Little
119 has returned to service.

Posted: Aug 20, 2012 @ 21:08:23 by Ken Bean
Spoke to Henry M. - Trainmaster at the zoo. #119 is out with a broken axle. The parts are back and she just needs to be assembled. Also in the shop is the diesel Virgie getting repairs by contractors.

Posted: Jul 16, 2012 @ 23:07:19 by Chris Little
Currently out of service for repairs.

Posted: Jun 5, 2006 @ 23:06:29 by Chris Little
Surprise! #119 is operational and has already started to run again! During Memorial Day I checked & it was nearly done. Its tender was already back the boiler hatch was closed it was mostly ready. Riva probably did do another weekday run or 2 before friday when I went and it was operational I went again today I am planning on friday to go back and get some pictures of what it really looks like now. There have been some knew things that they have done to it one the flag poles had a little black part they put through the poles so that the flags would be in. Now it has been changed and has an outer part that looks like the normal size part but are small golden as usual and have the flags put in them so the flags are permanitly stuck to the poles. On both sides between the driver wheels they're were small water pipe tubes pointing down with a hole that were always dripping water out which looked very awkward but they finally fixed that problem by getting rid of them and leading pipes to the back of the driving wheels with bent pipe tubes that let out very small dipping water. You see before it always dripped out water because they're was too much water that the boiler could handle so water was always coming out. But with this new system most of the water is used so that it won't come out all the time just every now and then letout some water that over fills the tanks hardly and needs to be let out. They adjusted this to some of Rivas standards since Riva never did what #119 used to do. I be back With the photos soon. And one more thing the engineers alowed me last friday to sit at an old delivery cart that was past the visitors point and see Riva get all the cars organized apparently Riva and #119 help set up Rivas load and for your engineers out there at the zoo I was the kid who told those kids and their mom what you were doing and stayed longer than those Kids did.

Posted: Apr 2, 2006 @ 21:04:32 by Chris Little
I talked with an engineer and it turns out their cleaning out #119s' tank and should be operational by the time for the weekday runs.

Posted: Mar 19, 2006 @ 23:03:55 by Chris Little
It looks like #119 is currently going under some work. The tender has been unhooked from the engine so something is going on but the train should be operational by the time it is time for the weekday runs.

Posted: Apr 28, 2005 @ 11:04:34 by Sam Shull
Actually Chris, 119 did run weekdays for the first part of 2003. We had to pull her out mid July when the plumbing got too plugged up and she woudn't pull the hill anymore. The new coach is part of a set of six that could eventually be restored for two train operation at the zoo. There are currently no plans for this to my knowledge, but that one coach was brought in to increase capacity on the weekends. It is also a memorial to one of our former crew members who recently passed away. It runs with the 119 because it is newer and in better shape than some of the original cars. 119 will continue to pull the weekend train until the Austrian's new water tanks arrive and it is put back togather.

Posted: Mar 29, 2005 @ 13:03:07 by Chris Little
It turns out that right now #119 is pulling the train for the weekend runs for now. Plus the Handicap Coach has had it's wheelchair lifter upgraded just recently.

Posted: Mar 23, 2005 @ 20:03:32 by Chris Little
#119 spent the 2003 season in the shops and #395-104 ran for the season and now that it was 2004 the two engines were both operational and #119 does the weekday runs sense they don't need all the coaches and previously the railroad got a new coach which is now the second coach so #119 pulls the first coach, this new coach, the third coach, and finally the handicap coach.

Posted: Jan 10, 2003 @ 12:01:22 by Sam Shull
#119 spent the past three years (2000, 01, 02) as the main duty engine on the zoo's railroad while the more powerful 0-6-2T was undergoing overhaul. The Austrian will soon be back in service, and hopefully both engines will be running for the 2003 season. In 1999, 119 emerged from the shop following a complete rebuilding, and now wears a correct paint scheme of red with blue boiler jacket and brass trim.


Omaha Zoo Railroad 4-4-0 No. 119 Omaha, Nebraska, United States	Location: Henry Doorly Zoo Status: Operational