I firmly blame 3028 for my life-long interest in trains (which has evolved into trolley preservation as my main focus).
3028 was at the Altamont Fair (Altamont, NY) when I was little and lived near by. It was the first locomotive I could walk up to and touch and climb into the cab. (There was a NYC electric loco in the barn too, but that didn't hold my interest as much back then.) On our annual visit to the fair, I'd run to the locomotive barn first. If I left the rest of the family behind, they'd know exactly where to find me when they felt like catching up. 3028 left Altamont about the time I went to college and I lost track of it until a few years ago.

Needless to say I've love to see 3028 put back together and to be able to revisit a long lost friend.

PR

Sammy,

Thanks for the info. I didn't know they had exhaust injectors. Other than the one lung compressors (as built) they were fairly "modern" by anyone's standards.

Nice looking locomotives.

You can get a really nice look at the 3040 on Google Street View here at:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=19.37104 ... CC4Q8gEwAA

I'm a big fan of these girls. Thanks for the info Sammy. Also, if I remember these locomotives were called Niagra. Sammy?

Where's the main rod?

First off, the NdeM Niagaras were named after the NYC engines. The proper spelling and pronunciation both include three "A"s. NdeM copied the general operating code and their signal system from NYC as well.

Can't really see the street view of 3040 without trusting another goofy download. Can't say where the main rod is, either, I haven't seen her in person for 20 years.

Hey Les, you got me to thinking that we could fix up an NKP mike with a USRA tender and switch her over to oil, and turn her into a perfect fake NdeM mike.... There's a couple 4-8-4s out there that are near and dear to somebody's heart, that we could turn into mediocre fake NdeM Niagaras, too... a couple FEC pacific types that would make perfect fake Chihuahua al Pacifico engines... several types of small SP engines could be turned into perfect fake Sud Pacifico de Mexico engines... What with Hispanics becoming more and more of a political force in the USA nowadays, maybe this is an idea whose time has come !!!

And to all a good night !!!

Here are a couple of screen shots of the 3040 from Google Street View. She looks like she is receiving decent care.

Sammy -

Hey, NdeM had NKP Mikes and other locomotives from the U.S. that they ran down there, and saved nary a one! No second chances!!!


Les

Swap the 3028 to them for a pair of ALCO PA1's.

Just suggesting!

That is one loooong smokebox. What's up with that?

Hear, hear!

Going all the way back to page one, any more on the "little birdie" situation? WMSR 734 has a TE of 60,000; N de M 3028 has a TE of 55,000, not that much difference. I wonder...? Of course, it that happens, 3028 may have to learn to burn West Virginia coal.

PR

Les, of course I'm razzing you --- I know very well that NdeM had NKP mikes, that's why they made a good target for my wise remarks.

In all seriousness, I understand why an owner would want to letter their pride and joy for their railroad. I have a lot more trouble understanding why an owner would go to such lengths to obliterate any visual evidence of the heritage of their pride and joy 4960 style, leaving only the road number, gauge, and wheel arrangement unchanged. I sure hope this doesn't happen to 3028, and I hope it doesn't happen to any of your personal favorites, either. And I hope that nobody decides to rebuild somebody else's personal favorite into a fake NdeM Niagara, as well --- I actually KNOW that's a dumb idea.

But, hold the phone. While I was wising off, I accidentaly hit on a halfway decent idea. While a lot of second hand US power went to and worked for Mexican railroads, the NdeM mostly chose to save examples of power built to their own requirements. (And while we're whinig, it's TOO BAD that they didn't save a 4-8-0 or else a Mexicano 3 cylinder pacific, these last had Elesco feedwater heaters.) What I'm getting at is that it would be easy to fake the FEC pacifics that worked for Chepe, or any of the SP classes that worked for SPdeM, just by changing the lettering and sticking on a phony number plate. It would likewise be easy to unfake the engines after holding a special event (I suggest a Tequila tasting) for everybody who wants to see, ride, and photograph said hypothetical fake Mexican steam power. There's a lot more of us than you might think, both here and in Mexico. I doubt we are numerous enough to provide a viable customer base long term. Certainly there's no comparison to the drawing power of a Reading T-1, or a Daylight, or the UP engines, etc. but I bet that it might be a money maker for a "rare photo opportunity" type special event.

For instance, after thay paint 3028 black (hey, I'd also like the original passenger scheme of green boiler jacket, cab & tender with orange racing stripe) it sure would be nice if they at least let us pay for the privelege of sticking some magnetic NdeM lettering on her and taking some pictures. After we had our few days of fun (and run out of spending money).... Sammy who ???

Tom, thanks for the fotos of NdeM 3040. I see that the brass bushing banditos have hit her hard, that's probably what happened to the main rod. I notice there are a few homemade replacements for some of the other missing parts, but one thing that hasn't changed since I ran her in 1966 is the whistle. I'll have to say that she looks a lot better now than she did in Huehuetoca 25 years ago....

Besides 3028 there's 11 more of these engines in Mexico (biggest number from a single steam class preserved in North America ??) There are groups of people that admire each and every one, and are trying their best to care for them under hardships that we seldom encounter in the USA.

I gotta respect that.

Sammy -

Yes, I knew you were razzing me. Hope I satisfactorily returned the favor.

As for the points you now raised, first of all, there were 13 Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 Kanawha's saved, although one (2701) was badly vandalized and eventually scrapped. So, the NdeM 4-8-4's, with a dozen examples, only "tie" the most preserved record. Of course, there were 90 Kanawha's built and only 32 NdeM Niagara's. AND, there are also all those SP 0-6-0's and Santa Fe Prairies out there........!

Secondly, if some organization, would eventually restore 3028 to service, there is no doubt that someday, a trip would be run with the engine painted up for her NdeM service. There are a lot of examples of this having happened already. More important that she get restored, whether by WMSR or NH&I or someone else. It's been way too long now.

Finally, I would agree with you about changing an engines looks. One of my "personal favorites" in steam days were the Burlington's O1a class Mikado's, one of which was #4960. Yes, she looks great these days, but she's no longer an O1a. Her improvements could have been accomplished without drastically changing her looks. I have said many times, that a steam locomotive looks better with a headlight mounted in the center of her smokebox door. But in the case of 4960.....it ain't so!

Have a great day!

Les