Well now, how did the B&LE manage to run these engines and not have their track squashed...

I recall the douobleheader 1218 and 587, I was over around near chicago trackside waiting for this to come and when they passed me the ground was like an earthquake, actually quite an experience,,, thump!! thump!!

Its rather sad to have this engine restored up like it is only to find its just going to sit, I betcha you throw a fire in it'll run. oh make sure water in the boiler... 8-P

(and dry out them laggings)

there is always money issues, but if you don't start doing something about it, nothing happens.

The Bessemer strengthened their bridges and track structure to accomodate these engines according to the expected loadings.

I don't think that the East Broad Top standard gauge 0-6-0 touted earlier as better for a 2 mile loop is marooned by big trees these days. The Mt. Union Connecting RR uses the other track in that old engine house for their slightly active Diesel.

To begin to appreciate the problem here, this is just an incredible effort done by Don Leach to try to describe the problem with dynamic augment specifically on 2-10-4's, and quanitify and calculate the differences of lightweight rods vs. original rods as on the 643. Why some are OK, and others are very much not:
http://www.rlhs.org/rlhsnews/pdfs/nl24-3.pdf

Randy,

Thanks for posting the link to that article. I meant to ask for it Saturday. Very enlightening and sobering for those who are hoping to get 643 moved to a more secure home. Within the confines of greater Pittsburgh may not be too tough, but outside of that may be a bit trickier if the RR doing the moving investigates the weight and axle loadings of "The King".

Rob

Things are not what they used to be either, as freight car axle loading have doubled and some since the 1950's. Still vertical augment would keep bridge speed limits on this engine. Not unmovable over the general rail network, just very slow moving.

Michael Seitz
Missoula MT

I have been a fan of the 643 for a long time. I think the best thing would be for the loco to go to Steamtown. She is meant to run 30-35 mph at best, which is perfect for the Steamtown (Delaware Lackawanna) line. They could run a few "large" excursions (20 or so coaches) behind her each year in conjunction with other organizations, covering the entire route. The only problem I can foresee would be turning the locomotive. I can tell you one thing: She wouldn't stall on Devil's Hole Curve like a couple of other engines did!!!

Dave and Rob,

The 610's ride as built by Lima was reportedly near to a pogo stick at speeds above 40 mph, or so I have read. In the late thirties or early forties T&P put out requests for plans to speed up their 2-10-4s. From what I remember reading in one of the magazines at the time, Lima sent back a nice drawing of running gear but Baldwin sent back specifications and calculations showing what needed to be done and how to do it. That is how 610 came to sport a Baldwin Disc main driver and was rebalanced with light weight rods turning her into a fine locomotive at 55 mph and even above if needed. At least one of the 600's was equipped with a cast engine bed and roller bearings. What a freight locomotive that must have been.

My first ride behind 610 was out of Alexandria to Monroe with the dyanmometer car in 1977. I expected 40 MPH to be about the top speed for the trip. The 610 made Fairfax Hill seem flat leaving Alexandria after years of dragging along behind the little engines but I was amazed when we went sailing down the other side at 55 mph. The 610 is my favorite Southern excursion engine and very close to my favorite engine I have seen run. First place seems to change rather frequently.

John Bohon

To help pay for a reconstruction of the recently demolished enginehouse, a photo charter has been announced featuring 643 and an "iron ore" train on the former B&LE, thanks to the joint co-operation of Glenn Campbell (loco's owner) and Canadian National, current owner of the former B&LE. The photo freight, featuring a long string of empty ore jennies, will operate at low speeds (to spare track from abuse) over the railroad north of Greenville during the planned Easter "embargo" or vacation shutdown this upcoming Sunday. The return will feature better lighting and plastic "loads" atop the car simulating loaded ore. Tickets are $7,500 and include a share in the fines to be paid by the railroad and owner for the operation. For info and specific details, a deposit towards the charter fee is required; see the website http://www.lerroproductions.com/upcomingcharters.htm and click on "April 1."

fantastic idea and

its

april

1

Fantastic! Best one I saw so far today. :)

You only left out the part about meeting at midnight to reinstall the turnout into the facility in order to extract the 643 back onto the mainline....

They're going to rent some Huey's and chopper her out, avoiding that whole "friction bearing" problem.

Be sure and get some photos as she flies by, but just in case, I'd advise against getting directly under the load...

Be sure to wear a hard hat.

So, been a while and no new news... is she still in the same spot or has someone finally started work on her?

What he said... Any updates? Is the engine now stored outdoors?

I doubt the "Let's build a giant circle of full scale O-27 track with a 2-10-4 on it in Ohio" idea got much further than the "Wow, that would be fun!" stage, but are there any other prospects for this engine? Hate to see the old girl just rusting away.