Hello all,
I found out that we all have heard 565's bell rung at Steamtown for years.
You say to your self how??
Well this is how, 565's bell is the bell that's on No. 26 .
When 26 came to Steamtown from Ohio, she came with out a bell, so the guy's in the shop put 565's bell on her because the holes match up.
So all these years we have been hearing a DL&W bell being rung on No. 26. which is a Baldwin locomotive.
So now that's that. Now the interesting thing is another surplus bell was donated a few years back and that bell will be used on 565 in display, so the next time you hear 26 ring her bell, you'll known your hearing lackawanna history be rung.

Len.

Can I ask the stupid question? Why not put the donated bell on #26? Is the donated bell damaged and suitable for display only?

Mike Stillwell
Buena Vista, VA.

Well don't know. I have rung the bell it sits on the floor of the locomotive shop. it has a nice tone to it too. But I'm not sure if the bell will bolt to 26 or even 565 . So we'll wait and see. I'll check it out when I'm up at steamtown on Sunday July 19th. which is the workday planed.

Len.

if you have a bell with a DL&W connection I would be sure to put it in the right place,

Find another bell that fits on the Baldwin plant switch locomotive.

Speaking of bells we have the Sacramento northern #654 steeple cab locomotive at the Western Railway Museum. It came to us without a bell and has been displayed for many years without one.

But now it has a bell for the first time in many years. it appears to be a bell from another General Electric built locomotive. It shined up nicely and sounds good also.

Ted Miles

Motion seconded. Steam loco bells are, right now, albatrosses in the railroadiana market. Put out an appeal for a bell of the proper dimensions, and many will probably be offered in trade for tax write-off.

Actually it's SN 652 which did not have a bell (it was the parts locomotive which kept 653 and 654 running in the last years of SN electrification).

It has been suggested that polished brass bells are much more attractive to thieves than black or tarnished bells, and that we might consider painting 652's shiny bell black to reduce its appeal to such miscreants. Any thoughts on this idea?

Of course now that both locomotives are locked in our new car house this step might not be necessary.

Jimmy McHugh ordered that the bells on NHIR 100 and 101 be painted black after he noticed that they looked like brass or copper when cleaned. They were formerly Copper Range RR locomotives from the upper mid West.

I'm a firm believer in stamping bells "STOLEN FROM (group name here)". I do the stamping with the largest stamp set I can get my hands on, on the top of the bell adjacent to the mounting lug, so the thief can't help but see it. I take care to stay clear of any existing historical markings. My argument for this is the public can't see it; it doesn't obscure any historical markings; future researchers will have little trouble understanding when it was done and why; but it ruins the value of the bell on the collector's market.

It may even alert the junkman and cause him to refuse to buy it without documantation, and he even may call the police (fat chance).

How did we get talking about painting brass bells from DL&W 565's bell found?

Len.

Classic bbs drift. Oh well. Couple things I would recommend trying to do.......

1. Document, through interviews, paperwork, or whatever, that the bell from 565 is actually on the other engine.

2. Find a replacement bell so that the DLW bell can be kept with the engine (a common collection of objects, as it were).

3. Relocate the bell.

The first item must be done, or the NPS will just give you a funny look (well, they might not, but if they swapped objects and are looking any bit at the historical record/provenence of their objects, they will).

Great to find the bell. Good luck with this interesting project.

Question? Did you partially repaint the tender, or was that done by the Steamtown staff?.

Michael Seitz
Missoula MT

That was done by The late Don Ball of Chester , VT. when he own the locomotive shorty before she became part of the Steamtown collection. When the 565 came to Scranton she sat behind the Lackawanna station on a siding. I know this is a huge project, but with help from others it can be restored to a thing of beauty once more.
here's photo of 565 sitting behind the Lackawanna station in the mid 1980's.

Len.

Just got an e-mail from Len. Steamtown is going to put 565 bell back on her. This great news. Len is also getting the carpenter gentlemen to start work on the doors and windows. He talked to some folks and they suggested mahogany. That might be pricey so I told him red oak or maple would be a good hardwood for that. Just need to get a welder.
Lots of good news coming out of Steamtown right now.:) Hey what was Alexander talking about a SR 2-8-8-0 over here in Iraq? I'm by some railroad tracks and today we found some old railroad cars. I have to get them posted.

Neither is particularly good from as far as rot resistance is concerned. White Oak weathers considerably better than Red Oak, and would be my choice if mahogany isn't available.

Anyone know what the builder originally used?

This is the report on the windows for DL&W 565. I'll share this out to you 'll, but other reports that come up will be kept for Steamtown and the people working on her in directly with the Project.
Len.

Project 565
Cab Window and Doors Report
Sunday July 19, 2009

We have review the existing windows and door frames and have noted no consistent condition features.
For ex sample the doors are two deferent sizes and two different lamination of 3/4" plywood, the various molding styles and thickness.
We also have reviewed the Steamtown 2004 report on 565 and found that the photos are inconsistent as well.
We also inspected the other Alco Steam locomotives on the property, the challenge we have at this point is what panders to follow.
The existing wood spiciest of 565's window are of White Pine which is probably not the wood used originally.
Additional research needs to be done to determinant what molding patterns and mutinies. We also need to know what type of wood to uses.
We need to sit down and go over to what we have to do in a historical measures, because the windows and doors have been alter many times through the years.
Also the two smaller window at top of cab we do not have so they will have to be made new, we did find that the small windows on IC. No. 790 are as close as to what we need , we could use them as a pattern.
We also will have to replace the window channels in the cab, for the engineer and fireman side. So the windows will stay in place. The wood in the cab is in very good shape a few boards needs to be changed out and the existing wood will need to be steam clean and replaced back in.
End;
Leonard F. Shaner, Jr.
Co-Project 565 Volunteer Lead

Great news about the bell. I think this action helps maintain the historical fabric of the locomotive, and at least shows that some people up there are thinking about making things right. Best of Luck with the project.

Mike Stillwell
Buena Vista, VA.