Nevada State RR Museum's McKeen car outside. Body is coming along nicely, but can anyone explain how they will replicate the complicated engine and power truck?

http://www.railroadnews.net/news/7-27.html
ryarger@rypn.org

> Nevada State RR Museum's McKeen car outside.
> Body is coming along nicely, but can anyone
> explain how they will replicate the
> complicated engine and power truck?

They have Chris DeWitt as CMO. He has never permitted any difficulty to prevent his undertaking the most ardous tasks on in the least convenient, most historically appropriate way. It wouldn't surprise me to see him make patterns and dies and build a new power train from scratch.

I don't know how much of the McKeen hardware was left on the blodged McKeen switcher they got from Kettle Moraine several years ago. Hopefully there is some decent stuff to start with there.

Dave


irondave@bellsouth.net

I got a chance to visit the shop in January. At that time they were assembling the trailing truck, (from parts donated by the Kettle Morane car) Unfortunately the Kettle Morane switcher did not include any original power truck parts.

There were several new patterns on hand for the power truck including the large spooked driving wheel. They have a relatively complete set of drawings for the original engine and drive system, but as of last January, Chris had not decided whether to build (from scratch) a new "original" engine, or to use a more modern power plant. I suspect that while Chris would like to build an replica engine, resources (including his time) may dictate a modern diesel with a hydraulic drive.

The restored body is truly amazing. They have repaired or replaced the entire skin, including re-repairing work the V&T did on the nose after an accident. The interior trim including the headliner and Cuban Mahogany interior. Lots of trim parts including the porthole windows and various interior lamp parts were in evidence.

Randy Hees


http://www.spcrr.org
hees@ix.netcom.com

Bob,

I have read the quite thorough Historic Structure Report on the project. I calls for the car to be restored to a period just a few years after it left the factory and was in service on the V&T RR.

The engine was a water cooled marine type, which is long gone. It is proposed to build it from scratch; such as many of the antique car restoration people do. With an alternate idea of using another type of engine on the power truck.
The report is available in the museum store; lots of historical information on the McKeen Company.

There is a definate time frame for restoration of the McKeen car in the donation agreement between the museum and the family that gave the two car bodies to the Nevada State Museum.


ted_miles@nps.gov

What is happening with the Chicago Great Western 1100 (i.e. the doodlebug switcher from the K&MV)?
What parts have been removed or will be?

What are the plans for this car? Will it be scrapped in the near future?

For anyone who does not the CGW 1100 was the first EMC gas/electric locomotive. It was equipped with a Winton Gas prime mover and was instrumental to the development of the M1000, Pioneer Zephyr, and all the EMD locomotives that followed it. Preserving this doodlebug is just as important as conserving the CNJ 1000 (the first mass produced diesel electric locomotive), the Pioneer Zephyr or FT 103. It is important in telling the story EMC early locomotive development and is the missing link between EMC doodlebugs's of the 1920's to the M1000 of 1934.


acornillie@yahoo.com