Plus add a poke to the "Mallard Rules the Waves" folks. :-)

It least many of them have conceded that if 5550 can beat Mallard's recorded record, then 5500 through 5549 could have as well.

Brian Helfrich

Thanks for the link to that very interesting in depth article on the T-1's testing program on the C&O.

Here's a few of my takeaways from that article and from my experiences running the 614.

1. Grate Area....A 98 sq.ft. firebox grate area is more than sufficient to produce more steam than the system can consume if 1. the quality of fuel ( coal or oil ) is good and 2. the fireman and engineer are accomplished professionals who know how to get the maximum performance from the machine.
With the 614's 100 ft. grate area burning good quality Pocahontas 13,000btu/lb. coal she pulled the 24 car long Erie Limited consists from Hoboken to Port Jervis NY up a steady river grade of about 0.35% at a steady 60 mph. That's a train of approx. 1950 trailing tons.
It required running one of the two Nathan 4000 injectors full time and the second injector ocassionally to maintain water in the glass at about the 1/3 level. She was on the feather the whole way.

2. Booster.... Of the 89 trips I've run the 614 on the booster only came into play twice . The first time was in Sep't. 1980 on the trip from Baltimore to Harper's Ferry on the old mainline. We stopped at Ellicot Miles ( IIRC America's very first railroad passenger depot) to pick up passengers and the depot is located on a sweeping righthand curve and about a 1.3% ascending ( westbound) grade. We had a 21 car long train of about 1850 tons and when I got the highball to leave she couldn't get them started. We had the train mgr. make an announcement on the PA system for everyone to sit down as there might be a rough start. I then backed against the consist, bunched the slack by making a 10lb. brake application, warmed up the booster engine with it in idle mode, applied the sanders in all ahead mode, rail washer on, engaged the booster and she walked them right out of town. By the time our rear car was clearing the platform we were already at the boosters upper speed range of 25 mph. Without the booster I doubt we could have gotten out of there without calling for help.

The 2nd. time was in January 1985 pulling one of the ACE 3000 test trains eastbound from Huntington to Hinton W. Va. Our train that day totaled 4300 trailing tons which was right at the 614's tonnage rating for that Division. We got stopped at a malfunctioning distance signal on the hill outside Hurricane W. Va. on about a 1.0% grade.
We barely managed to get them re-started WITH the booster cut in but we did and eventually crested the grade and regained our permitted 50 mph speed.

In passenger service even with 20 plus car long trains the need for a booster is a very rare happening. BUT it's awful nice to know it's there if you need it.

My WAG is that the 5550 should be able to set a new world record of at least 145 mph maybe 150. We'll see soon.

Thanks, Ross Rowland

Mr. Rowland,
Thank you for the above -- great first hand experiences.
Is the booster a steam hog? When using it, do you have to think ahead with preparing for any expected higher demand for steam? Also, when planning to use the booster, are there steps to take in preparation, like draining water in the booster motor, etc.?
Sorry for all the questions. Just never thought about it before.
Thanks again.

For anyone interested . This is everything I could compile on the T1. I sent this all to the T1 group but no point in not sharing. A lot of different stuff related to the T1 such as poppet valves and other engines that used them. Hope you all can use these. A lot of this I got from the Pennsy Museum in Strasberg.

Enjoy

https://1drv.ms/f/s!Av7Ihr-Sze3F-Ve_MZI ... X?e=sNCYxo

For those who Facebook, there are pictures up. Holy cow, the parts look bigger every time I see them. I only see four drivers with the frame.

Wish we could go, but all three of us have had the hideous cold (not COVID, a regular miserable spring cold!) we don’t want to share.

More at:

https://www.facebook.com/t1locomotive/p ... ePr8sYS9ul

Regarding the 5550's frame, with improvements in steel strength and welding, it must be safe to assume a welded frame will be at least as strong as a single unit casting? I know they have magnificent engineers planning this locomotive, but this is a question that's been batting around my head (which is not a single unit casting).

I believe the counter-argument was made that you're not going to find both a place capable of making such a giant one-piece casting today AND a furnace to properly anneal said casting.

In other words, it's this, or no T1 replica.

Part of the descriptions of the computer calculations was that they found the first CAD design was too strong and therefore too ridged.

Definitely a good thing to waste electrons instead of steel.

Plus it's enormously cheaper to build up a welded frame because you can do the tight tolerance machining out in the open, then put the bits together afterwards.

They said there is a place with an oven large enough to anneal the frame and the boiler.

It does sound like Inspiration's land speed record for a steam propelled vehicle is at risk

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspiration_(car)

Brian Helfrich

Little rushed tonight..will give detailed report tomorrow. Bottom line...a very well done event with lots of important info.

More soon..........Ross Rowland

I believe that the team said the exact opposite. It was possible but the foundry couldn't guarantee that they'd get it correct on the first attempt.

This route gets rid of the uncertainty and is significantly cheaper.

The PRR T-1 Trust event was a first class affair in every respect.

The opportunity to stand next to the very impressive locomotive frame and 80 inch drivers was worth it alone. T-1 Trust GM Jason Johnson gave us an excellent 15 minutes briefing next to the frame which explained lots.

The evening fund raiser supper was very well done. Keynote Speaker Paul Nichini gave an interesting presentation which included a number of experiences he has had running steam.

Jason's excellent 56 minute presentation was done using very well done slides to walk us through both the physical and administrative sides of the project. I would hope that he will post it on the T-1 website so all can see it.

Some of my key takeaways from Jason's presentation are:

1. The 2.3 M dollars raised and spent to date have been well used.

2. The frame now goes back into the shop where it will be worked on by a full time gang of 10 men ( mostly state of the art welders ) and will be finished by this July.

3. Next major step is producing the cylinders and wedding them to the frame.

4. Best current completion target is 2030 give or take. In answer to a question Jason said if they had all of the additional $ 7M they estimate will be needed to finish her it would take about 3 years from now to finish her.

5. The Trust has been and will continue to be totally transparent in all areas.

6. The Trust is committed to making that new T-1 as close to the originals as possible but is making a few upgrades ( 26L brake system, PTC, better grade metal for the new Nathan 4000 injectors etc. ) to make use of the advances in materials science, computer technology etc. since the 1940's.


To address some apparent misunderstandings:

1. Frame..........By making the frame in pieces welded together using today's vastly advanced robotic welding technology will produce a frame substantially stronger than a one piece cast version.
In addition this approach allows for all the other pieces that live attached to the main frame ( i.e. cylinders) to be made and machined prior to being attached.
There are numerous shops currently in business that could readily cast a frame at a cost way higher that the above method and end up with an inferior product.
The frame once fully assembled will be put into a huge stress relieving chamber where it will go through a week long heat up to 3,000 F, maintained at that for a while, then ever so slowly brought back down to ambient. This will relieve all the molecular stresses caused by the extensive welding. Time in that chamber has been reserved.

2. $$$$$$$$.... The project will move forward with progress directly linked to fund raising. The more dollars in the door the faster it will move towards completion.

3. Speed Record...where to run it .......Jason rightly said those issues will be addressed when it gets closer to fire up date.

All in all a very positive report. Zero doubt in my mind that this engine will run and also little doubt in my mind that she will set a new world steam speed record by a wide margin over the current 127.5 MPH.

It was a pleasure meeting 5 fellow RyPNers in person.

Thanks, Ross Rowland

Thank you for that "inside" report, Ross.

Thanks for the update.

Is that quote for 7mil accurate on their part? I would imagine having all new roller bearings and housing made for the drivers; not to mention all the other new build appliances will eat up a huge chunk of that amount. I also wonder how much the tender refurb will eat up from that amount.

Thanks for the report Ross. An amazing undertaking.
I believe that is an error you posted on the frames heat treatment temperature.
3000 deg F. would transform a stupendous chassis into a puddle.
Steel typically melts at 2500 deg.