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 Post subject: Wilmington & Western 0-6-0 #58 returns to steam
PostPosted: Sat Nov 11, 2017 5:03 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:07 am
Posts: 737
Location: Philadelphia Pa
Saw today that Wilmington & Western #58 has returned to steam after a 4 year rebuild which included many, MANY things that I'm sure Tommy can share in further detail, but like 98, 58 is tagging along a brand new tender tank. The old 110 year old tank had exhausted it's life.

Ironically #58 was taken out of service the immediately after Veterans Day in 2013, fittingly, today 58 pulled the train into Greenbank Station for their Veterans Day ceremony.

#58 is officially "The Veterans Locomotive". 58 was built in 1907 for the Altlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic.

#58 will lead their Santa Claus trains starting in a few weeks.

Today, 58 was on live display at Greenbank. 8408 led the regular trips today (afaik).

The First State is steaming once again!

Congratulations to the volunteer shop staff and mechanical staff for a job well done. They continue to perform great tasks of preservation.


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 Post subject: Re: Wilmington & Western 0-6-0 #58 returns to steam
PostPosted: Sat Nov 11, 2017 5:29 pm 

Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2015 7:28 pm
Posts: 545
Location: Northern WV
An interesting bit of trivia concerning #58's rebuilding. The steel tires that were heated and fitted to the drivers were AMTRAK GG1 tires rendered surplus when the GG1's were all retired. As I recall, they had to be machined a little, but remember the PRR electrics were built during the steam era when large wheels were common.

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 Post subject: Re: Wilmington & Western 0-6-0 #58 returns to steam
PostPosted: Sat Nov 11, 2017 6:43 pm 

Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:29 pm
Posts: 1899
Location: Youngstown, OH
GG1s had 57" drivers which are clearly into the range of steam locomotive sizes. I think that is pretty cool to be able to repurpose those tires.

By the way, the number 58 is a good one for steam locomotives. Just sayin! :)

Looking forward to seeing her in steam next year.

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 Post subject: Re: Wilmington & Western 0-6-0 #58 returns to steam
PostPosted: Sun Nov 12, 2017 10:13 pm 

Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 7:57 am
Posts: 2576
Location: Faulkland, Delaware
It was very nice to see No. 58 rolling into Greenbank Station. A lot of hard work went into getting her this far. Many volunteers and our small paid staff did a lot to get here there. The amount of work amazing. Not only is there the physical work by the guys swinging hammers, but the coordination, planning, getting quotes from vendors, and finding the money.

The tires on engine No. 58 were indeed intended for a GG-1. In the early 1980s Amtrak sent over a set of 6 tires from their former PRR Wilmington Shops which was the home base for the fleet of the famous GG-1 locomotives. We sat on the tires for ~35 years until No. 58 needed tires. They had to be both bored and turned which wasn't cheap, however doing so was about 50% of the cost of purchasing new tires. Here is a short video of the tire removal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1EpBFebrfo

The new tender tank was built by Curry Rail Services of Hollidaysburg, PA. They are the folks who built the cab for the planned PRR T-1 in the works.

Here is a video of her arrival on Veteran's Day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3X_o4pFZUQ

No. 58 did make a shakedown run after the scheduled passenger trains on Veteran's Day. I was not on the train nor do I know specifics but there is a punch list of items before she will be pronounced ready for service. I'm scheduled to be fireman on 11/26. Come buy a ticket and help support real live steam.

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Tom Gears
Wilmington, DE

Maybe it won't work out. But maybe seeing if it does will be the best adventure ever.


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 Post subject: Re: Wilmington & Western 0-6-0 #58 returns to steam
PostPosted: Mon Nov 13, 2017 12:23 am 

Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:50 pm
Posts: 2815
Location: Northern Illinois
Looks nice. Welded firebox stays?

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 Post subject: Re: Wilmington & Western 0-6-0 #58 returns to steam
PostPosted: Mon Nov 13, 2017 1:19 am 

Joined: Thu May 06, 2010 10:30 pm
Posts: 981
Location: Bucks County, PA
And here's the five-minute video - enjoy!

https://youtu.be/ryvpL_zm_hs

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 Post subject: Re: Wilmington & Western 0-6-0 #58 returns to steam
PostPosted: Mon Nov 13, 2017 11:07 am 

Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2004 7:57 am
Posts: 2576
Location: Faulkland, Delaware
No. There are no welded stays on No. 58.

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Tom Gears
Wilmington, DE

Maybe it won't work out. But maybe seeing if it does will be the best adventure ever.


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 Post subject: Re: Wilmington & Western 0-6-0 #58 returns to steam
PostPosted: Mon Nov 13, 2017 2:34 pm 

Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:50 pm
Posts: 2815
Location: Northern Illinois
tomgears wrote:
No. There are no welded stays on No. 58.


Good to hear. 00:46 in this video makes it appear otherwise:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3X_o4pFZUQ
Must be poorer resolution in the video that I would have suspected.

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