PRR 1361

NS6770fan · **Joined:** Sat May 19, 2018 10:03 am **Posts:** 192

According to FMW’s facebook, announcement is at 5PM EST.

Charlie High · **Posted:** Thu Jun 24, 2021 4:42 pm

The press conference at the Altoona Railroad Museum just ended. 1361 will be restored and has the backing of local and state politicians. You can watch the video on WJAC-TV facebook page.

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2305

CA1 wrote:

If money is not a concern, who wouldn't you want an all new boiler?

It will give the locomotive a very long service life with future operators etc having little to worry about in regards to major boiler projects. Seems like a very desirable outcome.

Well, mostly I would prefer to preserve the historical artifact, but also I'm just a bit wary of new builds, it seems like they either end up working well or not at all, in that if something goes wrong in constructing a new build boiler they tend to be unusable and unable to be remedied. Tornado turned out well after some teething problems, but the same company, Dampflokwerk Meiningen, supposedly the best in the world, botched 3801's new build boiler in Australia and so they had to go back and rebuild the original boiler. There is another example that comes to mind here in the US, a smaller park engine with a replacement built by an industrial boiler builder, as I recall the sheet thickness was too thick and so that boiler is like 3801's: only useful as an anchor or a rueful story. I just don't think 1361 can handle another disaster like that. Also, if they hadn't done any other work on 1361's boiler and were starting from scratch it would be different, but they already have completed a lot of work on the old boiler and apparently the crown sheet is the only major problem left. But these are just my uneducated opinions so take them as that.

Edit: fixed transposed numbers.

Steamguy73 · **Joined:** Wed Dec 24, 2014 3:15 pm **Posts:** 595

News Article about the restoration.

Key point being that price tag

https://www.wearecentralpa.com/news/loc ... 44OtyHISi0

mcgrath618 · **Joined:** Mon Feb 15, 2021 6:54 pm **Posts:** 199

If the FRA has approved use of the original boiler operating at full PSI (as stated in the press conference), I'm all onboard.

This has the backing of Wick Moorman and Benett Levin, two of the biggest railroad preservation nuts I know of. Not even mentioning their pockets (which are, I can assure you, quite deep).

Dave · **Posted:** Thu Jun 24, 2021 5:41 pm

Not an unusual price for a better than new overhaul. There's a lot of that going around especially where mainline operation is concerned, not without good reason.

New boilers can be well made, but only by those who understand how locomotive boilers differ from industrial boilers. Dixon, a good firm in the day, built a new locomotive boiler for Dixiana at Roaring Camp but stayed it with widely spaced large staybolts - expected complications ensued. No regulations broken, just boiler parts in that one. Meiningen works did some great work and some lousy work - but there were management issues and supervision by committee also involved. Clarity, competence and very detailed specification and qualification (not to mention stages of well performed QC) can work wonders.

Another poster has mentioned the PRR's consideration of consumable boilers - Fireboxes, yes, boilers perhaps...... but everything mechanical is consumable in the long run. Accept, learn and move on.

fmwsolutions · **Joined:** Fri May 14, 2021 10:57 am **Posts:** 27

New site dedicated to the project: https://www.railroadcity.org/1361.html

Official press release: https://www.railroadcity.org/uploads/1/ ... elease.pdf

mcgrath618 · **Joined:** Mon Feb 15, 2021 6:54 pm **Posts:** 199

fmwsolutions wrote:

New site dedicated to the project: https://www.railroadcity.org/1361.html

Official press release: https://www.railroadcity.org/uploads/1/ ... elease.pdf

You guys do amazing work. Best of luck!

CA1 · **Joined:** Fri Nov 11, 2016 10:17 pm **Posts:** 246

Shame the NS 21st century program isn't still active.... can you imagine the 1361 with PRR heritage unit and the NS OCS on horseshoe curve?

fmwsolutions · **Joined:** Fri May 14, 2021 10:57 am **Posts:** 27

The press conference is also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GRTpfp1WENw

And on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/K41361/posts/4126727564032712

co614 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 24, 2021 8:17 pm

I strongly recommend that you take the 30 minutes to view the attached YouTube link as I think it will tell you all you need to know about this important project at this stage.

I would hope that those of you who have been anxious for updates will now be convinced that the project is firmly in very competent hands ( finally ! ) and destined for eventual success.

Important to also state again that this is all being made possible because industry senior leaders Wick Moorman & Bennett Levin were willing to step in (and tread where angels fear to go) and salvage this multi decade effort and put it on a sound footing. Kudos to them !!

A happy day for Altoona, for Pa. and for all steam lovers.

Ross Rowland

Richard Glueck · **Posted:** Thu Jun 24, 2021 9:03 pm

Agreed. This is one of the most iconic locomotive designs in the US, and a critical artifact of Pennsylvania history. I hope to see and hear a K4s in steam before my insurance policies mature. I have no doubt we'll see this K4s march up Horseshoe Curve once more.

PRR8063 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 24, 2021 9:22 pm

Exciting to say the least!!!

I know beggers can't be choosers, but it would be great to see it in it's pre-war configuration! K-4s looked the best during the 30's in my opinion. Of course, this is low on the priority list

mcgrath618 · **Joined:** Mon Feb 15, 2021 6:54 pm **Posts:** 199

I'm sure that there will be excursions over SEPTA when 1361 is ready. Seeing her run the CHW or even a West Chester run would be a treat.

G. W. Laepple · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 5:10 pm **Posts:** 1182

I hope this third time is the charm.

PRR 1361

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