No, We didn't do a stealth restoration on 611 while no one was looking (yet). But steam is returning to Roanoke on the 12th & 13th.

Scroll down to "Roanoke Rail Fest"

http://vmt.org/visit/calendar.html

http://www.facebook.com/VA.Museum.Trans ... 203304498/

We will be kicking off the event with a whistle blow from 6-8 pm on the 11th. A manifold and steam will be provided, BYOW

Word here in NC has it that some particularly loud and distinctive whistles will be coming north. Ditto some of the crew.

dave

You guys should strike up a deal with Strasburg and get 475 down there.

If 475 came down we wouldn't want to give it back.....

Gary, there is a good sized contingent here who have spent enough time in her cab to look at that as the best possible outcome....

You know the famous "yellow line" that is usually about 54" above ground level at some theme park rides that has the sign "You must be at least this tall to ride this ride"?? Well, In the enginehouse at SRC, there needs to be a piece of plywood with an appropriate size hole, and the sign "You must be able to crawl through this hole to operate this locomotive".

Brendan, You start working on your boss and I'll start the fundraising (& dieting) down here. Do you think you can talk Linn into a "rent to own"?........:)

The obvious solution is for the Roanoke folks to come up with a steam locomotive to restore and trade to Strasburg for the 475.

If only someone knew of a good, sturdy 4-8-0 or 2-8-0 in a junk yard somewhere....

If you got 475 there, Virginia would be the 4-8-0 capital of the world. In reality, there's several other N&W 4-8-0 restoration opportunities lying around the state.

It has been rumored that Mr. Moedinger likes Canadian Pacific G5's.....just sayin'... As for other 4-8-0's in Virginia, again that would probably involve the right trading material. At the moment, we're working on the more track & shop space issues (and nothing further will be said so don't ask)

"You know the famous 'yellow line' that is usually about 54" above ground level at some theme park rides that has the sign 'You must be at least this tall to ride this ride'?? Well, in the enginehouse at SRC, there needs to be a piece of plywood with an appropriate size hole, and the sign 'You must be able to crawl through this hole to operate this locomotive'."--Mark Jordan

Hmm, that seems to confirm the story I've heard about the 475, that it's cab is cramped enough that Strasburg crews have taken to calling the locomotive the "telephone booth."

Hmm, let's see, what would be a good trade--how about that Baldwin Decapod at, where was it, Mid-Continent? Reportedly the engine doesn't quite fit at MC, perhaps because so much other work goes on with the rest of what they have (which is quite a bit). It would join a sister at Strasburg, and SRR would have two identical engines, with the ease of maintenance that comes from standardization.

Now, how to get that engine out of Mid-Continent, specifically what to give to Mid-Continent. . .I'm going to have to get a printing press and some green ink. . .or figure out a winning lottery system. . .

The 475 is a full backhead locomotive with a wide firebox. It makes for cramped quarters. I believe the brake stand is mounted way up on the side of the firebox.

I rode in the "jump seat" on the fireman's side of the 475 in 1995, and recall it was a rather cramped ride.

I think 475 has what is known as a "deckless cab." The Baldwin 2-8-2's at the East Broad Top are similar, as are a number of older Rio Grande narrow gauge engines.

I saw a show on PCN Tours (those of you from PA should know that show) on Strasburg awhile back. Apparently, the reasoning behind the design of 475's cab was due to the fact that the M class 4-8-0's wouldn't be able to fit on some of the N&W's turntables if it had been designed with the cab in a more traditional position, so the cab was built to completely straddle the firebox, thus keeping the length of the engine down.

It's been awhile since I saw that show, so if I have some info wrong, I apologize.

Another possible reason for the design might would be that the M's were basically an enlarged version (with higher speed capability) of the N&W's standard W class 2-8-0's. They were also "deckless", something quite common at the turn of the 20th Century