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 Post subject: Re: Chicago Steam Script
PostPosted: Sun Jun 13, 2004 9:21 pm 

> About fifteen years ago there was going to be a Harrison Ford film about the Pullman Porter strike. It was to use a couple of big steam engines (765 and 1225?) and a lot of Pullman cars. TVRM put roller bearings under two privately owned Pullman cars so they could make the trip but the plug was pulled on the project. We were paid for our work and used the funds to pay for the overhead crane in our shop. I think Railfan mentioned the story of the film in their news section at the time and an independent film production was done later (minus all of the locomotives and cars).

It might have been the stuff of legend but the crane is real.

Tim Andrews
TVRM



tandrews@tvrail.com


  
 
 Post subject: Re: Chicago Steam Script
PostPosted: Sun Jun 13, 2004 9:46 pm 

The decapod is captive to IRM property due to
> its wide drivers (it was narrowed from 6'
> gauge with fat tires sweated on).
> Self-guarding frogs are used on the
> Belvidere Branch of the UPtm.

If the drving wheels were indeed built as 6'gauge it would be extremely difficult to move off the property. But since it was built for the Russian 5'gauge, the flanges were shaved 1 3/4" in each side to get them down to Standard Gauge of 4' 8 1/2 inches. Since she worked for the Frisco and Eagle Picher (sp?) Mining, she obviously fits on standard gauge track.


kevin.r.gillespie@verizon.net


  
 
 Post subject: Re: Chicago Steam Script
PostPosted: Sun Jun 13, 2004 9:53 pm 

You caught my typo. But still, the tires are too wide for the funky frogs that are designed for standard AAR wheels.


  
 
 Post subject: Re: Chicago Steam Script
PostPosted: Sun Jun 13, 2004 11:34 pm 

> You caught my typo. But still, the tires are
> too wide for the funky frogs that are
> designed for standard AAR wheels.

The Russian decapods were altered to standard guage, not by shaving the flanges, but by installing tires on the drivers that were wide enough to set the flanges back to the proper guage. I was a switchman on the Frisco when they were scrapping steam engines and we used to take 15 or so at a time to the Terminal to go to the scrapper in East St. Louis. The Terminal used a lot of self guarding frogs and those Russian engines gave them many headaches. The TRRA yardmasters hated us for handing them the problem.
We have one at the MOT and we were using a couple of self guarding frogs. We found that they will pass over a self guarding frog if you take it eeeasy. It's bumpy as h**l though.
To clarify, we took 15 or so steam engines, not 15 Russians.

john_nansen@yahoo.com


  
 
 Post subject: Re: Chicago Steam Script
PostPosted: Mon Jun 14, 2004 6:31 am 

> It would be cool to hear about the project
> you mentioned. Kostner in charge sounds
> familiar (for the IRM project), but the mid
> 90s time frame and use of other steam
> locomotives as you mention also do. The
> Decapod is captive to IRM property due to
> its wide drivers (it was narrowed from 6'
> gauge with fat tires sweated on).

Come on Olin, the Decapod for Russia was built for FIVE foot gauge and new driver tires were simply applied to narrow the gauge less than 2 inches per side. They are heated and shrunk on but really are not 'sweated' on with solder or any such process.

The IRM movie project in question was for a film titled "Night Rider Down" and was a Harrison Ford project. The topic included elements of Pullman porters and I believe dealt with the social and labor issues. Harrison Ford was to star, but was also involved in producing (financing) the project. As they say "creative" issues ensued and were never resolved.

Work on the IRM site was well underway on perhaps 8 cars which were to be used off site during the filming, and the plug was pulled so suddenly that they were left in various states of completion. As the story goes, several operating steamers were to be marshalled and gathered for the project in the Chicago area, steam coal had been ordered and in some cases already delivered and stockpiled.

Of course, as with any such tale, the story only gets better with each telling.

Bob Kutella


68trolley@comcast.net


  
 
 Post subject: Re: Steamtown's Locos
PostPosted: Mon Jun 14, 2004 1:49 pm 

Joshua,

Never say never, UP/SP 737 engine was removed from the Steamtown NHS collection and sent out to the Portola Railroad Museum at Portola, CA.

They are the center of Western Pacific RR preservation and have long wanted to get a WP steam engine. So they have just done a double trade involving both the Pacific Locomotive Association and the Triple T Agricultural Museum
at Turloc, CA to get the WP 165 (Alco, 1919) which has been for many years at the Alameda County fairgrounds at Pleasenton, Ca.
I have commented here in the past about the bright blue wheels and trim on the loco, I trust that the Portola folks will do a proper cosmetic paint job on the old girl!

Ted Miles


ted_miles@nps.gov


  
 
 Post subject: Re: Two Big Boys? Urban Legend??
PostPosted: Mon Jun 14, 2004 3:06 pm 

> And why do people believe any rumor

> So there was never any substantive action by
> an elected official to relocate UPRR 4012?
> Is this then an urban legend?

Art,

In the mid 1990's the Utah State Railroad Museum approached the National Park Service about the possibility of acquiring the 4012 on long term lease and bring it back home to Ogden. While I was not directly involved with the project I was in weekly contact with the people who were. My understanding is that the proposal went before Congress and was approved. I remember talking to the director of the museum shortly after this initial approval and having him say that the approval was just the first step and it could take several years before a lease would be signed. I remember hearing that the State of Utah also appropriated a small some of money to help for moving the locomotive. If I understand correctly the State money was then applied to moving UP 833 out of the park in Salt Lake City and to the museum in Ogden.

The real issue with the 4012 was moving the locomotive. No railroad was willing to touch it and the trucking costs were astronomical. The museum stopped pursuing the project when it received budget numbers for the moving costs and learned that there would be no additional Federal or State help.

I could get you in touch with the director of the museum if you would like more specifics.


Shays@aquaeng.com


  
 
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