I haven't heard much anything new on the K-4 and the website that has been monitoring the restoration hasn't been updated in over a year so does anybody have any concrete information on where this project is at and and project completion date.Thanks,Brian

There were some posts over the summer stating that a September meeting with the FRA was to take place to figure out the steam dome repair issue. I also remember that it was posted they planned to bring her back for fall 2005 under steam in Altoona. After all of these years maybe it's time for a happy ending.

Hello All. Not intended as a flame or anything of that nature, but I can give a brief description of what I saw as I just happened to have walked through the shop at Steamtown last week on business. Work continues, as of right now the engine is still in pieces, the largest of which is the boiler/firebox on the frame. The back head has yet to be reinstalled, wheels are not under the locomotive as of yet. The tender seems to have made visible progress in its reconstruction, where as progress on the locomotive seems to be more internal than external.I would say the ad space the Railroader's Memorial Museum purchased proclaiming the return of the locomotive to Altoona in 2005 was, shall we say, optimistic.Dave Crosby

Not to make Dave's information sound too disappointing, since he is correct, it is amazing how much work has progressed this year, and on the hottest days of the summer. Hearing protection has been a must on all shop tours since July, since the K4 gang has been riveting most days. Every tender rivet is being replaced, because most of the steel is entirely new. Most of the boiler rivets are replaced also. The sad news is that rivets, no matter how many are put in, get lost on the eyes of those who don't know how it looked before. Most steam repairs are repetitive, and are not the great leaps forward we want them to be. I will not hazard a guess as to when or where it will operate. I just appreciate the work that is being done, plus the craftsmanship and diligence of the crew. You should see the new eccentric rods sculpted this year.

Unfortunatly the expensive ads placed earlier this year by the ARRMM "announcing" the live return of this loco. to Altoona this Autumn were just the latest example in the 10 year long sad saga of this project. The amount of money that has been "invested" in this endeavour is hard to fathom and could only have happened with "public" funding. The saddest part of all is the total lack of credibility that the ARRMM has now achieved for itself with its numerous unfullfilled promises/deadlines etc. One can only hope at this point that the projects "Sugar Daddy" doesn't bail out before it's put back together as that would be the final irony-spend all this time and taxpayers money and end up with a basket case! I said several years ago it wouldn't run under its own steam 'till 2006 at the earliest and at this point that appears to be optomistic. I guess if there's a silver lining here it's that this project will make an excellent case study of how not to go about restoring an historic piece of equipment-and thus perhaps save others from its fate?? One can only hope! Ross Rowland

Gentlemen,This is a very controversial topic with lots of strong opinions. Let's keep it civil folks.

Does anyone know why the 1361 needed new eccentric rods? This seems like a rather unusual repair and I am interested in knowing what the defect was.Thanks in advance.John Bohon

Sorry folks - anyone who would like to be updated on the project can contact me offline at director@railroadcity.comI will not get into this again with Mr. Rowland and replying here will only cause rebuttal after rebuttal. I am disappointed his post was allowed to appear as it certainly is not within the terms of service outlined for this board.

Thanks guys, it's nice to know that there is still activity on this ongoing project. Wish I could do more to help.Brian

I would beg to differ with Mr. Cessna that my post is outside the Terms Of Service of this forum. Seems to me that the 1361 project has been one of the major railroad related restoration attempts in recent times and particularly as its been funded with taxpayers dollars it is in everyones interest to learn as much as possible about the project. I'm confident that someone will write a comprehensive case study of the project(once it's concluded-for those still alive) so that all can benefit from its many lessons! Ross Rowland

This topic is becoming argumentative. Unless someone wants to talk about the eccentrics consider the topic closed.Randy HeesModerator

Randy - please notice I am not taking advantage of the obvious opening you provided for a really bad pun, by suggesting that that is exactly what they were doing.As for the eccentric RODS, I would guess that after valves had been reset many times over in decades of service, they had been lengthened, shortened, and rekinked over and over to the point of fatigue? Rods are easy to fabricate using today's water cutting technology, and replacement likely more cost effective than repairing. Maybe a mechanic working on the project can confirm or not. dave

Dave is essentially correct in that after the many years of service this loco. saw there's little doubt that the eccentrics needed to be replaced in order to match the reworking of the rest of the component parts in the system.

As I am directly involved with the restoration with 1361, I would like to say that I have met some of the finest, dedicated people in my years, here a Steamtown, the people working on the 1361 are dedicated and quite a few drive over an hour to get there, I myself travel over two. I cannot agree with any critisisms pertaining to the FULL restoration of the wonderous machine. I have spent hours with the contractor hot riveting her back together and watch tours of wide eyed frothers stand and glare at me in my fish bowl. I have yet to hear pertanent questions directed to the tour operators. FACT is the rods were made buy the contractor using the machines owned by him no water jets. The reason that the Rods were replaced was because, of all the parts that were thrown into gondola cars, and not inventoried BEFORE being shipped, the rods were not among them.That is why new ones were made.I will do my best to answer some questions as long as I am a part of this operation. I will not respond to unprovoked critisism. I would like to thank all of you who have been generous in your kind words and I hope to see you soon. As for a completion date,Your kiddin' right? This contractor comes from a long line of railroaders and steam engine builders. He'll be glad to set a date when he sees fit. Until then Stop, Look,and Listen.-J