Steamtown's UP #4012 Big Boy is looking a lot better then it has in years thanks to some loving care and paint. Last Fall the lettering was finished on the tender and cab. Wondering when they will get to redoing those horrid looking numberboards...

Question: Though she obviously could use a roof over her head, are there any steps that can be taken (aside from daily washes?) to prevent her from traveling quickly back down the road she did before the most recent application of paint?

It's only been a short time and the signs are beginning to reappear.

I would guess the runoff and stains are due to residue /oil? that was not properly removed since day one? Perhaps a lack of funds? Seems a painted piece of equipment
with a good quality coat of paint would not streak so quickly, if at all. If that is not the case, perhaps there is a spray wax on the market that could be applied easily on a recurring basis? Maybe just the problematic locations.





/Mitch

I've been told that those streaks may be caused by residual coal dust on the locomotive. Both of the locomotives I work on have that problem, and if my memory serves me correctly, VIM, removes those stains...

If you catch the stains early before they penetrate the paint, "Greased Lightning" cleaner will remove them. Be careful though, it is an alkali based cleaner and will damage new paint if left on too long. Water is an enemy. A good WD40 bath helps.

Paint is nothing but a barrier, and only works well when that barrier covers the entire surface without holes or voids. Its function is to keep moisture and oxygen away from the steel. Let there be a crack in the paint or an area that did not get sprayed and that is where rust can occur. By a locomotive's very nature there will be thousands of places where the barrier will either have voids or cracks. It is physically impossible to paint a steam locomotive without having such imperfections. A locomotive also has numerous pockets of ideal corrosion conditions, behind piping and appliances where there is little to no paint and the areas stays wet for longer periods of time. This is where the corrosion starts, and the products of corrosion actually hold in more moisture accelerating the problem.

The only long term fix is to be under cover. Let the replaceable roofing materials take the abuse and corrosion, not the locomotive. Otherwise it will be a constant cycle of paint and repaint.

Just wondering if they reinstalled the pistons on the fireman's side. I have seen photos showing the piston rods missing in the past. The paint does look really good. Nice jacket too. Good job!

JD Johnson, Morehead and North Fork Railroad Histoian

Does Steamtown have an organization or a mechanism for a "Friends of 4012" or "Adopt a Locomotive"? For a nominal fee, say $10 a year you get to join a group that is interested in helping maintain a particular locomotive. With that, the group would come once or twice a year to wash, wax, or generally clean and maintain the locomotive. In return there would be certain "perks" such as closed night photo sessions, cab time in the display, and perhaps a yard excursion.

Just wondering if such a mechanism is permissible or even realistic. There may be a bunch of people in the NE interested in "Adopt a Reading T1" but not enough in the area interested in "Adopt a Big Boy" or some less notable engine. Sure not everyone would attend the "Clean up days" but hopefully a small handful would attend and the funds would be enough to cover cleaning supplies, and touch up paint.

Now the discussion of letting a bunch of foamers touch that artifact.

Tom

As it appears, the Big Boy is likely going to be in that location permanently. Perhaps Steamtown would consider a locomotive shed to protect whichever big engines get parked out front? Oh, just my opinion, but there are now enough first generation Diesels on the property to represent the "hangman on the gallows". Enough already.

I tried to find an old thread about the number boards, but no luck. I remember the story from Railfan & Railroad Magazine many moons ago (Steve B. can probably verify.) Jim Boyd (R&R) worked with Steve Lee (UP) to get patterns for new boards using templates in Wyoming. Much effort went into fabricating new numbers and then the fateful day came to install the brand spanking new shiny "plates" into the holders on #4012. (Imagine the king's trumpets blowing with mighty fanfare, or picture Geraldo Rivera prying open Al Capone's vault on live TV.) Result? They didn't fit. I'm afraid the "boiler ran out of steam" and everyone went home to forget it ever happened. Seems that there must have been some variation in Big Boy number holders rather than an expected uniform standard for all the locomotives.

Tom, do like we did. Get a few people to volunteer up there, easy to do. And talk with management. We are making great progress with 565 but if management needs us to help with another project we jump on it. I hope to keep going up there once 565 is done. I have a few ideas in mind. WE, the volunteers, just need to come in with a plan and work it out with management.

JD, if you look closely at the last photo showing the rear engine cylinder on the fireman's side, looks like the rods are still missing...

Hope they are still on the property and properly identified, along with pins, nuts & etc.

Stephen,

Thanks for pointing that out. I only hope that they do "put it back together" so parts do not get lost especially if they intend to leave it in one spot for awhile.

It does look very nice though.

JD Johnson, Morehead and North Fork Railroad Historian

Don't believe the pistons were ever reinstalled. What you're seeing (unless the situation has changed since I saw it last summer) are PVC pipes on the engineer's side installed for a photo shoot.

Joshua

All four pistons are still in the tender..... Joshua is right, you you may see in photographs is large diameter PVC that I purchased out of my own pocket for a photo shoot back in 1999 (?)

Thanks,

Now I feel old.

Dave

Dave,

I can sympathize with your "old" comment in that I started cleaning up the Morehead and North Fork yard with a chainsaw and weed eater in 1991. I can't belive it has been that long ago. I was on the property from 1991-1996, had 2 display weekends in 1993, and 1994, made a ton of friends and have gathered great amount of history.

Maybe they will put the pistons back in some day on the 4012.

Thanks for the responses.

JD Johnson, Morehead and North Fork Railroad Historian

Tom - sounds like a great idea. I can't speak for Steamtown management but they do encourage volunteers and the current management is pretty receptive to ideas, so if approached with a written plan you probably could do what you are proposing. There are some rules you need to abide by such as certain safety equipment, notification in advance of being there, and wearing an accptable form of ID but nothing really insurmountable. 565 and others such as the scouts coming in to help clean the debris from the turntable pit are a couple examples. Now is a good time with several of the display pieces having relatively new paint jobs to maintain.
I have found that nothing happens just on verbal discussions - you need to write a proposal the equivalent of a business plan.

Rich