Expected appearance of TVRM #630

CarNutandTrainNut · **Joined:** Wed Jun 30, 2010 6:01 pm **Posts:** 43

Anyone know?

SPpacificfan · **Joined:** Tue Apr 06, 2010 2:19 pm **Posts:** 58

Probably black with gold lettering. But could pull something Southern green on us though. I guess we have to wait and see..

CarNutandTrainNut · **Joined:** Wed Jun 30, 2010 6:01 pm **Posts:** 43

I meant when will we see her on the Missionary Ridge Local.....

SPpacificfan · **Joined:** Tue Apr 06, 2010 2:19 pm **Posts:** 58

Oh, sorry. I guess when the snow melts and their season begins.

Bob Lyndall · **Posted:** Sat Mar 12, 2011 5:06 pm

SPpacificfan wrote:

Oh, sorry. I guess when the snow melts and their season begins.

TVRM's season is already well under way and snow is history in the Chattanooga area. 630 is out in the yard today with paint being appplied & should be under steam very soon. She is scheduled to pull the Missionary Ridge Local beginning on Saturday, April 2nd. Whether a pre-announcement of the actual first firing & first move date is made in advance I cannot say as I am not in a position to answer that.

You can bet that her first move will be posted here on the Interchange.

Steven Ashley · **Posted:** Sat Mar 12, 2011 5:46 pm

Some new photos were just posted on the TVRM 630 Facebook page (which you do NOT have to be a member of Facebook to view). The first photo is of 4501's backhead with the cab removed. Other photos show the 630 outside of Soule Shops with primer.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... 8203324855

Steven Ashley

Bob Lyndall · **Posted:** Sat Mar 12, 2011 5:54 pm

630's paint scheme is expected to look very close to the above when completed.

The full-sized original, shot in late 1989 may be viewed at the following: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=356123

gmray · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 9:34 am **Posts:** 382

If all goes well this week, break in should begin next Saturday. She will turn black tomorrow. Primer and the yellow for the numbers and letters were applied today. The new number plate and builders plates arrive Tuesday and should be installed Wednesday. Graphite for the smokebox and firebox will go on before Saturday.

We've gone through lots of research to get her appearance correct. However, just like anything else, no two divisions on the Southern could agree on everything. Handrails were different, striping was different, running boards were modified, sand domes varied, and so on.

The smokebox door supplied by the Ft. Wayne Historical Society looks quite nice (there were two made, one for the 765 and one for the 630). Thank you Glenn, I'm sorry you're not here to see her steam. RIP.

CarNutandTrainNut · **Joined:** Wed Jun 30, 2010 6:01 pm **Posts:** 43

gmray wrote:

If all goes well this week, break in should begin next Saturday. She will turn black tomorrow. Primer and the yellow for the numbers and letters were applied today. The new number plate and builders plates arrive Tuesday and should be installed Wednesday. Graphite for the smokebox and firebox will go on before Saturday.

We've gone through lots of research to get her appearance correct. However, just like anything else, no two divisions on the Southern could agree on everything. Handrails were different, striping was different, running boards were modified, sand domes varied, and so on.

The smokebox door supplied by the Ft. Wayne Historical Society looks quite nice (there were two made, one for the 765 and one for the 630). Thank you Glenn, I'm sorry you're not here to see her steam. RIP.

Thanks for the info. Mark. Im looking forward to see her back in steam.

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Sun Mar 13, 2011 11:09 pm

For Bob--the photo looks great! Glad to see it.

For Mark--Any chance you can post anything on the 4501? She's an old favorite with so many here, and in my case, I couldn't get the Facebook page to open (something about it being unavailable--darn it, steam was at least understandable, if laborious. . .)

Wowak · **Posted:** Mon Mar 14, 2011 4:45 pm

What circumstances led to a new smokebox door being required?

Steven Ashley · **Posted:** Mon Mar 14, 2011 6:06 pm

Wowak wrote:

What circumstances led to a new smokebox door being required?

I am not sure about the circumstances, but I believe I recall reading that an entirely new smokebox was fabricated in addition to the new smokebox door several years ago.

Newriver400 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 15, 2011 12:49 am

Wowak wrote:

What circumstances led to a new smokebox door being required?

Sulphuric acid + steel = rust bucket...

The smokebox front was fabricated several years ago after a brainstorming session over some adult beverages and a good meal at Ankar's Restaurant on Lee Highway. Getting the compound curves to look right was the issue at hand. I suggested that 5288 had a cast smokebox front and perhaps we should look into the cost for something like that. Mark Ray observed that we could just do the center portion and weld a flat plate ring around it for the final fit. Then I commented that we could also then fabricate a new one for 4501, which although relatively new, had a funky filler job to get the concave curve around the outer part of the raised portion. Mark suggested this to Mr. Soule who promptly investigated and made the decision to have it done. It was completed in short order and, if I recall, Al Phillips made quick work of fabricating the outer ring and completing the welding.

Meanwhile, Gary Bensman was doing some work with TVRM's McCabe flanger and noticed the beautiful new smokebox front. After some measuring, he determined that the opening for the door was only 1" different than the one on 765, then undergoing its major overhaul and in need of a new or repaired smokebox front. An arrangement was made to allow FWRHS to use the pattern for the smokebox center in exchange for having two doors made (relatively simple fabrication like the end of a tank car, air reservior, or other cylindrical steel object) and giving one to TVRM. The other, of course, was installed on the new front made for 765.

Hopefully, 4501 will also get a new, better looking front, though her old one will be just fine if that's not in the budget.

Best,
Mike
Look Ahead, Look South

nathansixchime · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2005 4:03 pm **Posts:** 948

IC382 · **Joined:** Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:28 am **Posts:** 135

Almost there...yeah! It is about time. Good job TVRM.