How not to move a Steam Locomotive

bpetit · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2014 1:21 am

So our parish though it would be a good idea to move our historic train like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWMd_67pE00

The frame is now slightly bent and the bell cradle has been broken.

car57 · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2014 4:35 am

Dont quite understand why the frames would be bent ? or the bell cradle is broken ?
If its that Historic why is it in this condition ?

Mike Pannell

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2014 9:37 am

I'm going to bet that balancing it in the middle on the back of the trailer bent the frames... And considering that thing wasn't even rigged up right, I doubt the excavators had the weight of the engine at that point. As for the bell, chances are they hit it when they were trying to either hook everything up, or take everything apart. Now, while I can understand using available equipment to move other pieces of equipment around (residential boilers tend to move a bit easier when you use a bucket loader as an impromptu crane instead of dragging them), this whole thing just screams half-assed...

boilerwash · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2014 9:54 am

Meanwhile in Romania:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YY4LUZubyE

Frisco1522 · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2014 11:36 am

Well that's just awful,considering the pristine condition it was in.
It was sorta half assed, but it was slung somewhat like it would have been in a shop, except the back sling could have been done a little better.
Had they waited a few more years, they could have moved it with shovels.
I was surprised at how well the Romanian thing worked. You might be a Romanian Redneck if...............
I think the guy who jumped up on the truck between the steam engine and the front of the trailer could be a future Darwin candidate.

Lincoln Penn · **Joined:** Wed Feb 02, 2011 9:40 pm **Posts:** 841

I get the impression that this isn't the first time for those Romanians to do that.

Minimum of wasted motion, hand waving, shucking and jiving, etc.

EDM · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2014 12:14 pm

That's not the first time the Romanian clip has been around. You can't help but wonder about the crown sheet and frame. And I agree, the guy that jumps up between the rear of the chooch and the end of trailer is an idiot.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2014 12:31 pm

Okay, since I've just been throwing fits about another "historic" steam locomotive that was just scrapped in spite of being a very short distance by rail from a rail museum, I have to chime in:

The alternative is ""Hurry! Hurry!! We need $55,000 to move this locomotive to our museum or it'll be scrapped!!!! We only have until the end of THIS MONTH to raise the money!!!!"

Look, at least the damned thing was saved. And it probably leaves the museum a lot more money for paint and the like, if they pursue that, as opposed to turning off their membership by appealing for thousands of dollars to move a "hunk of rusty junk." Frame bent a little? Well, who was planning to run it? If someone ever DOES harbor fantasies of restoring it to operation, at least there exists a locomotive for them to work with as opposed to photos and nostalgia, and a bent frame on something this small isn't that big a problem. Bell cradle? Yeah, go smack someone for their carelessness and make them pay for a repair.

bpetit · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2014 12:51 pm

At least the whistle made it there, I thought for sure it would disappear on that day. They could have it done better and will not run again.

Ron Travis · **Joined:** Sun May 15, 2005 2:22 pm **Posts:** 1543

I would be rather surprised if what is shown of the loading would have bent the frame. So, I assume that if the frame is bent, it is not by much. I would think a small bend would be hard to establish, and even harder to conclude that it occurred in the loading.

car57 · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2014 5:29 pm

I think it would be hard to even discern a bend in the frames perhaps you mean bent rods or a dent where the chains were wrapped around....and good for them that its at least moved and not cut up.....ala Pemberton or some other extremist towns.

Mike Pannell

rjenkins · **Posted:** Sat Nov 29, 2014 7:17 pm

Not sure if the impact would have bent the frame, but I'm guessing backing the truck into the rear set of drivers probably didn't help.

CREEPING DEATH · **Joined:** Sun Oct 24, 2010 6:22 pm **Posts:** 275

Wasn't a former SP/T&NO engine badly damaged during a move here in Texas several years ago?

CD

bpetit · **Posted:** Mon Dec 01, 2014 6:46 pm

Hey guys, I just wanted to mention this particular locomotive has been sitting out in the elements for many years. I was wondering what could be done about bell cradle it is in pieces.

Dave · **Posted:** Mon Dec 01, 2014 7:07 pm

Cast iron can be welded with nickel or eutectic rod or several wire feed alloys. Frames can be straightened. I think far more damage has been done by sitting outside for decades than by a bit of careless loading.

The most common problem I've had in moving equipment has been with riggers who thought they knew everything until they discovered they actually knew nothing, didn't work on schedule and avoided qualified advice. I treasure the few I can count on.

dave