Sorry to start yet another thread, but I thought this questions might be lost. Mr Ray has posted many updates here concerning 4501, and was the one who contributed the article to Trains. Very informative and well written, by the way. However, I was left with more questions than answers, and was hoping Mr Ray would comment or someone else in the know. I won't ask them all, but the main one was what became of the bent frame behind the #4 axle? The part I didn't follow was "More importantly, we realized that the firebox leaned to the left. We knew that the frame extension for the trailing truck was twisted and that this had caused problems with the cab and cab floor but none of us had expected the firebox to be twisted as well....The smokebox and first course are square to the cylinders. The firebox and dome course are rotated to match the frame twist. The second course then had the circumferential seam to the dome course clocked enough to match the rotated rear end of the boiler. Was this fixed, or did the rebuilt parts have to go back on like this. I'm guessing the locomotive is straighter now than it was, but will it be 100% or is that not possible, and will that cause issues down the road.
Thank-you.

I just read this article and I, too, would love to know more details. Mark Ray, when you all get a chance to breath, feel us in!! As much as I have read in the past on this famous engine, I didn't realize that most of the Ms had been converted to stoker-fired and the 4501 was rare that it had not been. I think that kind of preservation history is very unique and really adds to "fun" and "interesting" to the education side of preservation.

One somewhat off topic question that I have is who is the guy running the 4501 on the cover? He's also the engineer in the triple header photo in the article. In the 1990s, he seemed to always be involved in the operation of the 4501 but none of the other engines. Was he a part time NS steam employee or a TVRM volunteer/employee?

Preservation related, I'm curious as to whom all is involved in the restoration of the 4501 that was also involved in the old steam program. I've seen references that Doug Karhan is involved plus the Trains article pointed to some of the contract companies that are operated by former NS employees.

Just curious.

Matt

Need to get my hands on a copy of the current Trains. In the article, was there mention of the cylinder modification to by the late Robert Soule? I read some time back a description of a modification to reduce the diameter of the cylinders to improve the locomotive's operation - make her less steam hungry at the higher excursion speeds. This was done in the late 60's. Now with a feed water heater and stoker coupled with the cylinder modification, 4501 may be capable of a little more HP at speed than her sister Ms. Course the other SRR Ms may have had similar cylinder mods too – don’t know.

I know folks that fired her in the "Green" days. And from their stories I totaly get the stoker addition.

As to the Engineer in question I guessing it may be Paul Brock.

Both photos are from November 3, 1991. After "breaking up" the tripleheader in Ooltewah, 4501 headed to Cleveland (TN) while 611 & 1218 continued to Atlanta. The cover photo by Mr. Wrinn was taken as the train pulled away from Ooltewah. (Tracks curving toward the camera are Atlanta bound, while 4501 is headed north on the Knoxville line.) For many late 80's and early 90's NS steam excursions out of Chattanooga, a local Road Foreman would get the call to duty. That blue jacket belongs to Mr. Bowen.