NOT trying to start any trouble here - but - Baldwin 0-6-0 #26 was moved late this morning from the shop complex in Steamtown NHS to stall #20 in the roundhouse - and was fired up today! She may be moving around tomorrow on site if all continues to go well.

Hoping you can see pictures and videos here - if not, I'm sure there are forum members here who are willing to share their own photos/videos from the day:

https://www.facebook.com/Steamtown-Nati ... 2/?fref=nf

Great news, Jim. Glad to hear about it.

Awesome, great job guys.

Where there's smoke, there is fire :)
Baldwin 26 is getting her first fire since last December. The boiler tests from that time showed everything is in order. The timing of the valves is now set, and all parts are now attached. While it is not best to trust your memory, I was at the turntable on the last night she ran a Polar Express train in December, 1999. She was not in good shape. Today, upon seeing her on the turntable, she seemed to glide. Even when being pushed by the trackmobile. Her bent frame and all of the uneven-ness of her old body are now in a state of good repair.
Here are just a few of the shots I took today.

I don't know if it's just the paint or that all the mechanical work done is visibly obvious (even to someone who isn't well versed in how rough she was originally), but for a yard goat, she is absolutely stunning. Well done to all involved.

Congratulations to all involved in getting her back under steam.

Let's also hope that this leads to the establishment of a visiting "guest locomotive" program for qualified mainline locomotives so that visitors can experience that facet of the steam legacy.

Hope springs eternal.

Ross Rowland

Congrats and thank you for the pictures. So exciting regardless of the time it took to see something hot and coming along. I am jealous not to be there! Best of break ins to you and all involved. Regards, John.

What a wonderful sight to see 26 in the daylight (and in the roundhouse) again. Congratulations to all who persevered over the years and stuck with it to get it done. It is a shame some like Kip, Bernie, and Bob did not live to see this.

tim o'm - thanks for the photos and for all the updates the past few years. They have been a great way to watch the rebirth of this beauty. To put this project in perspective, would it be possible for you to post a summary of what material/parts were replaced with new, what material/parts were refurbished/repaired, and what was added/changed to update the systems?

Keep in mind that this was the first ever operational steam locomotive restoration by Park Service personnel in Scranton. They can now apply what they learned in the process, both individually and as an organization, to the next restoration such that they get a result that is equal in quality in maybe a shorter period of time. I am looking forward to the result.

Nice, and beautiful. Nearly done there. Few weeks to a month until it runs again. After that, you know what that means... (Restoration can be focused to B&M 3713). The shops can finally start to empty, at least from where the 26 was.

First movements today

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

Just beautiful!

In service in 2016..... This years season only has 4 days left.

And here's my video from the amazing day yesterday:

https://youtu.be/rZL3ExxtVSc

Enjoy!!

Ok, if I can ask a dumb question. Is that the air compressor making the loud mostly-regular chuffing noise and exhaust from the stack? If it is the compressor, shouldn't it build pressure and stop after a bit, especially considering it isn't having to charge up a train line?

Thanks in advance.

Bob

Yes, it is the air compressor.

Perhaps having the Bell ringing constantly (it has a pneumatic ringer), the power reverse and occasional brake applications draw just enough air to keep the air pump's governor open.