RyPN.org Guide to Frequently Asked Questions and Interchange

wesp · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:25 pm **Posts:** 1897

Mr. Jensen and GTW 5629.
http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=38240

wesp · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:25 pm **Posts:** 1897

Threads on B&LE 643 can be found here:

June 2015
http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=38245&start=0

Feb 2015
http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37686&hilit=643

June 2014
http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=36870&hilit=643&start=0

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sun Jul 12, 2015 5:55 pm

"Can/Should we restore a PRR GG1 to operation?"

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30631

wesp · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:25 pm **Posts:** 1897

FRISCO 1522 as of October 6, 2015.
Copied from a post by Frisco1522
SLSF-Frisco 1522

Quote:

SLSF 1522 is currently on display at the Museum Of Transport in Kirkwood, MO. SLSF 1522 last ran last in 2002. SLSTA the group which previously ran the steamer unfortunately Disbanded. IF this steamer were to operate again, it would be similar to situation that of N&W 611. The last go around it was NS not VMT operating 611. Likewise for 1522 instead of SLSTA it will be MOT operating 1522. I keep hearing this steamer is in Excellent Shape.

In spite of what you have been told, please go back and read my post RE: 1522 again. When you have to replace a huge piece of the roof wrapper sheet, it is NOT in excellent condition. This would have to be done along with the FRA 1472 day inspection/form 4 to repair the wasted areas up there from over the years.
The whole suspension system needs to be gone through and leveled up and the engine is low in the back. This is mostly labor, but is necessary.
So whoever is putting out the news that she is in excellent condition isn't doing you a favor. I KNOW what kind of condition she is in.

The reason 1522 is out of service has been told many times. For those of you who just came in:

Due for 1472 inspection. Needs work on the roof sheet. Quite expensive.
Some minor mechanical issues, none serious. Biggest problem is when you adjust or fix something, you have to wait for an excursion or trip to see how it worked.
Insurance costs were prohibitive. Last few trips were under Amtrak's umbrella.
No cars. They have to be rented/leased and movement to St. Louis. Expensive.
Except for the farewell trips, ticket sales were slipping. Too much exposure I guess.
Railroad informed us there would be less and less opportunities to operate over them in the future. This is borne out in the few BNSF routes used by steam excursions.
The Museum of Transportation was allotting us resources much needed in other places.
We made a plan to go out on top. I think we pulled it off rather well and the engine is under cover, laid up properly for long term and could be revived.
Having said that, revival will not be a piece of cake. It will take the following as a BARE minimum:
A group with a solid business plan. And endowed with maximum common sense.
A group with the required talent already on board to do the work needed.
A group with cubic dollars and resources to acquire more cubic dollars and a watchdog on where the money is going.
A group with the proven knowledge to get the job done in a minimum of tying up things at the MOT.
A group with an experienced leader who knows what must be done, in what order, what to order and the ability and dedication to organize the operation and complete it.
When it is all finished, you have to convince sponsoring groups and the railroad that you have a good thing.
We of the SLSTA think we came along at just the right time, with the right group, the right connections and a cooperating railroad.(s) It was a "perfect storm" so to speak.
Today's economy sucks. It isn't easy to convince people to bring the family on an excursion when it would take 3 days pay to do it.
Never say never, but never underestimate the likelihood of Murphy signing up on the crew.

wesp · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:25 pm **Posts:** 1897

Quote:

We did an in depth analysis of the damage the 2101 suffered in the roundhouse fire at Stevens Ky. and concluded that it was near impossible to judge how much ( if any) damage had been done to the machine in the intense heat ( which buckled the side sheets on the tender as the coal burned in it) and it was our conclusion that for the money it would take to restore the 2101 to running shape we could apply those funds to the much more modern C&O 614 and end up with a superior engine for the long term.

At that time the CEO of Chessie System ( which became today's CSX) Mr. Hays T. Watkins was a strong supporter of the steam powered PR efforts being out forward by the railroad and readily agreed that restoring the 614 was the way to go. He and I nade a deal wherein Chessie would swap titles to the 614 for the 2101, we ( Iron Horse Enterprises,Inc.) would cosmetically restore the 2101 to how she looked as AFT # 1 and Chessie would contribute $ 100,000.00 towards the 614's restoration and IHE would fund the balance. 15 months later and with an investment of $ 1.1M ( 1980 dollars, about $ 4.0M 2016 dollars) she rolled out of the shop in Hagerstown ready for service.

The transition from a plain bearing engine to an all roller bearing machine was far greater than any of us realized. After years of constantly laboring to keep the T-1's main bearings within operating temperature range it was like going to heaven with the 614 in that we'd service the rollers on the running gear on Friday before a weekends running and not have to touch them again until the following week.

We swapped titles with the B&O museum in 1979 and the 2101 has been their property since. Sadly she has been a very low priority item with them and has been allowed to deteriorate badly in cosmetic condition. Hopefully one day soon she'll get her BADLY OVERDUE paint job?? Hope springs eternal !!!

Thanks, Ross Rowland

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sun Mar 06, 2016 11:09 am

The following has been added to the "Databases" entry on the first page:

Quote:

http://www.rpca.com/webpages/resourcelibrary.htm RPCA Resource Library The Railroad Passenger Car Alliance (not to be confused with the AAPRRCO) has posted an online resource library with downloadable PDF files relating to passenger car and locomotive operation and maintenance old and current, from old steam heating and air brake manuals to current Amtrak regulations and standards, parts catalogues, wiring diagrams, locomotive operating manuals, complete CFR data, AAR and railroad specification standards, Pullman manuals, car diagrams, and more. They offer to host contributions of others as well.

I want to emphasize the last part especially.

If you have already scanned your copy of that elusive Westinghouse or Alco or Timken or PRR manual, or that operator's manual for that Vapor steam generator, or have already created a handy "how-to guide" for how to substitute one available part/engine/etc. for one no longer available, here's a good place to submit it if you wish to share it with others in the field. Further, if you just stumbled upon a Vapor Car Heating Co, Steamheat Instruction Book (as I just did) and think others may be interested, here's your chance to share it.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Tue Jul 26, 2016 2:32 pm

The "Mystery Trolley Graveyard" much loved by trespassing "urban explorers":

www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=36601

First discussed as far back as 2002.

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/transp ... 1508170008

A listing:

http://www.bera.org/cgi-bin/pnaerc-quer ... agelen=200

NKP779 · **Joined:** Mon Mar 14, 2011 4:10 pm **Posts:** 54

Follow up to discussions about NKP 759 and the other remaining Berkshires: 755 at Conneaut and the 759 at Steamtown were both zero miles locomotives, rebuilt at the NKP Conneaut, Ohio, shops and never run. There was one other one, NKP 741 that was overhauled - never ran - and was (cringe) scrapped. NKP 757 and the 763 were both overhauled in mid 1957 so they had slightly less than one year of road service. NKP 779 was retired in March 1958 when 9 years old. Overhaul dates of the 779 are unknown to me. City of Lima requested it early for preservation in its home town. It has been locked up in a cage and under a roof and one wall since it was placed in Lincoln Park in 1966. NKP 765 was last overhauled in 1955 so it operated about three years and 65,000 miles when retired in June 1958. Fired up for stationary steam service in the first week of December 1958 for two service days, it thus became the last 700 under steam by the NKP. Stored indoors in the roundhouse until 1960 or so, it was placed in Fort Wayne's Lawton Park at the "767" in 1963.

One has to consider the amount of deterioration that takes place on ANY steam locomotive sitting outdoors in the rain and snow for 4 or 5 decades, even one that started out as a "zero miles" engine. The amount of deterioration that had taken place to the 765 after just 25 years was considerable: the jacket and all sorts of smaller air and water piping was junk, the flat area on top of the firebox turns into layers and layers of rust, the bottoms of many superheaters and boiler tubes were rusted through. On and on.....

RyPN.org Guide to Frequently Asked Questions and Interchange

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