Hi Everyone, Does anyone know the current status of NdeM 4-8-4 3028 on the New Hope & Ivyland? Is she still being overhaulled for NH&I operations or is she going back to New York State? Does the Great North Eastern Railroad Foundation still have long term plans for this locomotive? Thanks - David Notarius, London UK, ex New Hope PA

As a part time engineer on the NH&I I can report that slow but steady progress is being made on the 3028 ( sort of a rainy day project that gets worked on when time&budget allow) and there are plans to run it on the NH&I whenever it gets done.

I wouldn't expect it anytime soon.

Ross Rowland

Suppose to rain today ; )

Seriously, though, there was "talk" of moving the engine back to NY for some type of Alco museum. Anything other then talk at this point?

/Mitch

IMHO there's no substance at all regarding the 3028 moving back to NY State.

Ross Rowland

How close is the spec for the NdeM 3028 Niagara when compared to the NYC's Niagara?

Wesley

They share the same wheel arrangement, track guage, and are both built out of the same type of materials. That's about it.

The smokebox looks disproportionately long, to me. Why is that?

Walt L.

I think the names are even spelled differently: 'Niagara' for NYC and 'Niagra' for N de M.

I always thought these would be good engines for the Grand Canyon Ry when they were in steam.
They are very small 4-8-4s, much smaller than the NYC Niagaras.

Does the Great North Eastern Railroad Foundation even exist today? I might be wrongs, as I often am but I'm guessing it is not much more than a bunch of paper in a file cabinet of some 87 year old guy in New York State.

That's pretty much right on the mark, Tom.

Those NdeM 4-8-4s were both modern and antique at once: cast engine beds (and cast water bottom tenders), dome throttles, no mechanical lubrication, Penberthy injectors. The long smokebox is the result of no combustion chamber, I think.

Howard P.

"Penberthy" injectors? I didn't know they made them for locomotive service.

Penberthy? Sounds reasonable for the tinker toys, but not on a 4-8-4.

It does have a combustion chamber, as evidenced by the staybolt pattern.
http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPictur ... id=2273322

I've seen quite a bit of these Mexican 4-8-4s in books that I've taken out from Worcester Public Library, or in my own collection of books and magazines. These ones remind me of the Australian 4-8-4s (500 class 4-8-4 rebuilds, minus side skirting). But, i didn't realize that these 4-8-4s were basically built with obsolete practice. My thought is that all large, modern steam locomotives were build with more modern refinements. Honestly, I thought the dome was a sand dome of some sort...

Yes, Penberthys. I've seen the ones on 3028. And they are prominent in close-in photos of native women drawing hot water off the overflows, as shown in Ron Ziel's "Twilight Of Steam" book.

Howard P.