Picture from the WW&F Ry shop taken yesterday of #10's grates being re-installed. Gordon (standing in the inspection pit) wins the prize for "most-photographed" volunteer!


SJHussar@aol.com

Stephen,

Looks great, I can't wait to see her back in steam. Just out of curiosity, what is the driver diameter, can't be more that 24 or 26 inches.

Thanks, Taylor

thrush@smt-net.com

Hi Taylor,

They're small, but not quite THAT small.

I understand #10's driver diameter is 28".

Best Regards,
Glenn

> Stephen,

> Looks great, I can't wait to see her back in
> steam. Just out of curiosity, what is the
> driver diameter, can't be more that 24 or 26
> inches.

> Thanks, Taylor


christensenge@yahoo.com

Glen,

Hmmmm, so they're a little larger than freight car wheels on three foot gauge equipment, cool. I remember hearing a story awhile back that some of the Forneys on the Sandy River & Rangely Lakes were reported at running close to 60 miles an hour. But I don't see how that could be possible. I thought the ratio is around ten or fifteen percent over the driver diameter is a steam locomotives top speed. So is the story bogus or was there something special about those engines?

Thanks, Taylor

thrush@smt-net.com

Hi Taylor,

It should be noted that WW&F #10 is equivalent in size with the smallest of the Maine Two Foot Forneys, but her drivers are a little smaller than even those locos. The driver diameter of the "regular service" Maine Two Foot locomotives varied between 30" and 36".

I haven't done the math, but naturally the larger locos are the ones most often spoken of as hitting the mile-a-minute clip.

SR&RL #10 was to my knowledge the only MTF locomotive with 36" drivers. There are a number of accounts of her popping the spikes right out of the ties while hauling the Rangeley Express. She rode so smoothly the crew often couldn't tell how fast they were running. The conductor and passengers on the other hand had a pretty good idea of the speed. It is recorded that many times the conductor had to pick his way up to the front coach platform and scream, "Slow it down" to the crew.

Several other locos had 35" drivers and not unexpectedly they were considered pretty fast locos too. WW&F #7, with 33" drivers, was perhaps the smallest-drivered loco of the "speedy ones." Even she was said to have clocked over a mile a minute on numerous occasions, as she screamed across China Bog.

Again, I haven't done the math. But the stories are so good, it doesn't seem worth the effort.

Best Regards,
Glenn


christensenge@yahoo.com

...
> O.K., reality check -- remember how
>It was documentary on the
> regular process, not a hurried schedule
> thing like they push now.
...
> they just elapse the time into two shows,
> usually and hour long; we don't see a lot of
> the more mundane things. Hate to say it
> gentleman, but the schedule OC (Ohio
> Central) is on right now with the #33 would
> be perfect for this.

Sounds fine to me, if you can get it on cable, so much the better. Like I said, I think PBS would be a good market for the documentary. The history channel probably would be more interested if it fired some kind of weapon or was invented by the Nazis. On these other channels, I think that trains, while interesting, are just not as mainstream/pop culture as motorcycles and hot rods are.

You guys are thinking about the wrong type of format. Railroad equipment restoration can't be done in a short time and be as creative or dramatic as Monster Garage or American Chopper. A more approparate format would be like This Old House. Instead of fixing up an old house it would be showing a piece of equipment going from a rust bucket to operating condition. Not just steam locomotive restoration should be featured either - after a while it would all look the same (different engine, different day, same techniques). Diesel locomotives, passenger and freight cars could be featured too.

Our Mechanical Department just replaced the wheels on our NW2. They dismantled the brake system, removed the trucks, dismantled them, sent the wheelsets and tracion motors out for rebuilding with new wheels pressed on the friction axles. Then they put it all back together and tested it. The whole process could easily fill a half hour show.

Restoration of passenger and freight cars could easily fill as short as one show - like restoring and repainting a freight car to multi episodes - like all the work required to restore a passenger car. The restoration of passenger cars could show lots of crafts - woodworking, metalworking, interior design (to copy Pullmans designs). It could be an interesting show that the general public should find interesting.

So, is there any producers out there who want to give it a try?

Niles Canyon Railway
jmann@asyst.com