March 30 Times Leader Article
superheater@rrmail.com

What timing. Yesterday I was asked to find out if the original drawings for Vulcan c/n 2532/33/40/41 have survived - can anyone here help.
We are restoring 2541 (and later 2540) and want to understand some of the studs and brackets we find on the boiler - the loco has been much modified over the years and some return toiward the original is desired.

Any help with drawings for these or similar locos would be appreciated.

> > We are restoring 2541 (and later 2540) and
> want to understand some of the studs and
> brackets we find on the boiler - the loco
> has been much modified over the years and
> some return toiward the original is desired.

Brian, I THINK that many records went to the museum in Easton, PA mentioned in the article, if not there-you might try the Commonwealth of PA archives in Harrisburg PA.

What are the 2540/2541? Where did they earn their keep?



Superheater@rrmail.com

Many drawings and blueprints (largely incomplete) of the Vulcan Iron Works resides at the RR Museum of PA. Please send a formal written request via U.S. mail and we can perform a search for you.

K.R. Bell, Archivist
Railroad Museum of PA (PHMC)
P.O. Box 15
Strasburg, PA 17579

> Brian, I THINK that many records went to the
> museum in Easton, PA mentioned in the
> article, if not there-you might try the
> Commonwealth of PA archives in Harrisburg
> PA.

> What are the 2540/2541? Where did they earn
> their keep?

> Many drawings and blueprints (largely
> incomplete) of the Vulcan Iron Works resides
> at the RR Museum of PA. Please send a formal
> written request via U.S. mail and we can
> perform a search for you.

> K.R. Bell, Archivist
> Railroad Museum of PA (PHMC)
> P.O. Box 15
> Strasburg, PA 17579

Brian

Here at the New Hope Valley Railway we are currently finishing up Vulcan Iron Works U.S.N.X 2025. Sometime in her past she was relettered no. 17. I contacted the Hagley Museum and Library in Wilmington, DE (302) 658-2400, to try to find her original builders photos. They to have a large collection of Vulcan Iron Works paperwork on file. Fortunately they had them, and sent me five photos showing the engine from all sides. The photos became a valuable resource during the engines restoration. When the museum aquired the locomotive, it also came with 80 pages of original drawings. If we can be of some help please let me know.

Dave Dick

popvalve@bellsouth.net

Guys,

Thanks for the points of contact, I will follow them up.

Six locos went from Vulcan to Australia in about 1916, Four of these were 42" gauge 0-6-0s that were used to build a naval base in Western Australia. Two went to the COmmonwealth Railways and two to the Australian Poertland Cement Co at Fyansford near Melbourne. One CR unit was scrapped and the other converted to a diesel mechanical loco that survives at the Pichi Richi Railway, the APCL locos ended up at the Bellarine Peninsula Railway where 2540 is currently being restored using the boiler off 2541. Eventually both will likely be restored. The locos were modified quite a deal, some changes are rather unsatisfactory and we are trying to find out how the bits fitted together originally. There are lots of cut off studs that we don't understand.

2540 will run again by Xmas 2003.
> Brian

> Here at the New Hope Valley Railway we are
> currently finishing up Vulcan Iron Works
> U.S.N.X 2025. Sometime in her past she was
> relettered no. 17. I contacted the Hagley
> Museum and Library in Wilmington, DE (302)
> 658-2400, to try to find her original
> builders photos. They to have a large
> collection of Vulcan Iron Works paperwork on
> file. Fortunately they had them, and sent me
> five photos showing the engine from all
> sides. The photos became a valuable resource
> during the engines restoration. When the
> museum aquired the locomotive, it also came
> with 80 pages of original drawings. If we
> can be of some help please let me know.

> Dave Dick