Hi everyone!
This is my first post on here. Great to see so many folks looking to keep the steam alive. I was able to go see SR 385 a few weeks ago and get some photos. Her current condition doesn't see so bad, but I'm not an expert. I talked with the current owner and was told she made steam in the early 90's at the Bergen VO-Tech. She is close to a NS siding but not connected to it. My connection to this steamer is she was running in Newfoundland, NJ when I was kid and my two boys asked if we could see some pictures of her. Well there not much out there, internet, with current photos so we made contact with the owner and went up to see her ( long story on how we found her). Hope you folks enjoy the pics. I do have one question about the boiler, I took a photo of a door like opening in the bottom of the boiler, is that suppose to be there? Thanks again.

http://news.webshots.com/album/561500937JKSpHc

Where in NJ is she stored? Is it for sale?

That is the one that I heard of on steamlocomotives.com right? Isn't it some where machinery values in Kearney?

By the way what ever happened to the whole collection at Bergen Voc Tech? I have seen that ASME still has it listed as a landmark is it still intact shy of the larger locomotives?

If anyone in the NJ area buys this locomotive, you have a more then eager voulenteer!

Adam

For right now the locomotive is not for sale only the fireless locomotive is. The steam collection is stored in a trailer with the drive rods for 385. The owner of the locomotive doesn't want everyone coming by to see her. So he has asked me not to give the location out. He did agree to the photos after some wheeling and dealing. He promised to keep me in the loop if he decides to sell her.

Monticello Ry museum in Monticello, is finishing up a 12 year long rebuilding and restoration of SR 401, which is a twin to the 385 in New Jersey. I think that they are hoping to see her run in 2008.

Forgot to put in that it is Monticello, Illinois

I think the NC transportation museum has two of her sisters also. I'm interested in the piston assy. They don't have the typical pipes coming down from the boiler.

This engine has been commented on earlier by SO and some other members; I am surprised no one has commented on this post.

When this engine moved to the Vo-Tech about 15 years ago it was with considerable fanfare, and when it suddenly got moved a few years ago with no notice it isn't clear how it happened. I don't think it was clear who owned the engine before - if it was the VoTech school, or the shop teacher, and who exactly sold it or how.

Can anyone update us on this situation?

Chris.

Spencer has the 542, which is, I believe, a Southern J-class 2-8-0. Very similar to the H-4's (like 385), but slightly different. The only other surviving H-4 is the 401 at Monticello. The 630 at TVRM and 722 at GSMR are of the much larger Ks variety. The 107 (outside the gate at Dollywood) and 154 (Chilhowie Park in Knoxville) are the older and smaller G class.

Thanks for posting the link to the photos.

Anyone know what this box in the tender is??

IF I recall the engine was converted to burn oil at some point. So it should be just a small fuel bunker, that was just sat in the tender.

The box in the tender might be an oil tank. Earle Gil converted both 385 and 4039 to burn waste oil, but that tank looks quite small to be used in road service.

Perhaps the original tank rotted out and was replaced by a smaller tank for stationary service at the Vo-Tech? I did ride and do a little "guest firing" on those two engines, and remember the burner arrangements, but I don't recall anything different about the tanks. It was 35 years ago-

So if the present owner doesn't really want to sell it, did he give you a hint to any of his plans for the engine, or does he just plan on seeing if it is biodegradable or something? By the way, wasn't that fireless engine on ebay a few years ago?

Here's a link to ASME's site describing the Bergen Vo-Tech collection;
http://www.asme.org/Communities/History ... _Steam.cfm

So what happened to it, is part of it still there or not? Come to think about it I have a funny suspicion I have seen that Frick tractor on display in a particular company's parking lot with out giving it away, do the two locomotives lie close by?

Adam

Yes, as mentioned above the 385 ended up at Bergen Vo-Tech because of a lot of political heat from Senator Torecelli (before he started getting expensive gifts from Korean businessmen). Up until then it looked like it might end up going to Spencer (where it once actually was serviced). Since Walter Rich is dead we can't ask him but at the time the good Senator said it was donated by the NYS&W to the Vo-Tech.

So no one can explain how (or why) it got un-donated or the actual David Copperfield maneuver to get it from Hackensack, NJ to Harrison, NJ literally in the midnight hours (and without all the permits needed when it was trucked in).

Yes the tank in the tender is the oil tank. I talked to the owner about the midnight recovery of the engine from the Vo-Tech and he just kind of smiled and laughed. He told me that was true but won't go into details. The owner has the locomotive on his property and the Vo-Tech and teacher do not own it. What his attachment to this engine he will not tell me but he does have a variety of old vehicles and odds and ends. He did say it may be used in a movie or something. That's why the wait. Let's keep our fingers crossed and I personnel would like to see old girl run again but if not a museum close by would be nice. I will keep you guys up to date on information what the owner has decided. He has asked me not to give out his contact info due to he does run a business and can't be answering questions all the time. I had to make a ton of phone calls just to get the photos. (Yes I used my kids as a reason too) I told him about this web site and he gave me permission to post the pics. He told me once he decides to sell it he will let me know and let me post it.

Does anyone know about the hole in the bottom of the firebox?

The "hole" in the bottom of the firebox is the burner arangment. If you zoom in on it you will see that rather than the burner coming in through the firepan under the throat/rear fluesheet it is actually mounted entirely in the firebox with a metal shell around it. It can be assumed that all of the loose brick once formed a shell around the burner resting on the formed plate shell.
That is if you are speaking of the shot through the door. If it is the shot from beneath then that is simply a damper arrangment for a rather small air inlet.
Seems to be a standard burner though it is not a standard installation. It would seem this locomotive would have been hard to fire(much harder than it would need to be that is)as it has no visible provisions for proper air ducts.