Concerning the thread below on how long it should take to restore a steam locomotive: The following article may have been mentioned, as I didn't read every comment, but I presume many have seen the December 1974 issue of Trains Magazine, which documented the overhaul of a D&H 2-8-0 in 11 hours and 55 minutes.

This was done at the Colonie Shops near Albany, NY on November 20, 1923, with times for all work performed recorded and photographed. While it seems hard to believe, the documentation seems credible. They had only planned on 20 hours, but worked hard to beat the record.

These shops (but not the roundhouse) still stand today in dereliction, owned by Guilford and bereft of tracks. No one wants to deal with the pollution there, so they sit in silence. Entering their interiors is a moving experience. D&H President L.F. Loree, under whose reign they were built, would roll over in his grave if he could see them today.



ryarger@rypn.org

While this is only partly related, I have heard that power company linemen participate in competitions where crews from different companies compete in various transmission line repairs. Its a big deal in the business. In our work with the local boiler union, they also participate in competitions.

Maybe the RR preservation industry should hold a similar event, perhaps as part of TRAIN or ARM events. How long might it take a NJMT crew to roll ten tubes vs Strassburg? How about tires? Spiking in a tie? Having a locomotive to use for the competition might be a problem. Why not choose a location in which a locomotive is under repair and could use an influx of skilled manpower. One that requires many staybolts to be replaced, 200 tubes to be installed, etc. I can bet NJMT would be interested in hosting such an event when we start working on Quincy #6. Those 300 tubes are going to take our volunteer crew weeks to do. And we could always use help with the tires.

Just a thought. But it might be a an interesting way of assiting various smaller groups who have big projects before them and need skilled help.

Anyone up to a little wager??

J.R.

> Concerning the thread below on how long it
> should take to restore a steam locomotive:
> The following article may have been
> mentioned, as I didn't read every comment,
> but I presume many have seen the December
> 1974 issue of Trains Magazine, which
> documented the overhaul of a D&H 2-8-0
> in 11 hours and 55 minutes.

> This was done at the Colonie Shops near
> Albany, NY on November 20, 1923, with times
> for all work performed recorded and
> photographed. While it seems hard to
> believe, the documentation seems credible.
> They had only planned on 20 hours, but
> worked hard to beat the record.

> These shops (but not the roundhouse) still
> stand today in dereliction, owned by
> Guilford and bereft of tracks. No one wants
> to deal with the pollution there, so they
> sit in silence. Entering their interiors is
> a moving experience. D&H President L.F.
> Loree, under whose reign they were built,
> would roll over in his grave if he could see
> them today.


http://www.njmt.org
jrmay@njmt.org

The idea of competitive restoration teams is interesting, but I don't think that many participants have the required skills for running steam restorations (I know I don't). Cosmetic restoration of equipment might be more feasible, and potentially less damaging. Some sort of competition might bring a little media interest, and possibly some funding with it.

It might work out like this: Two steam experts would each choose a small team to work with, made up of skilled and novice participants. Each would restore a locomotive, following strict guidelines of what had to be done, and then compete to see who could complete it the fastest and best. A major problem would be to find two locomotives of the same type (C&O 2-8-4s being an example) that were equally deteriorated to begin with (some sort of "spotting" for variations might equalize things). In most cases, the "experts" in the team would have to include people qualified in asbestos removal, unless that were done first.

Then again, as a union guy who despises the competitive workplace and hates TV shows like "Survivor", maybe it is not such a good idea after all...

> While this is only partly related, I have
> heard that power company linemen participate
> in competitions where crews from different
> companies compete in various transmission
> line repairs. Its a big deal in the
> business. In our work with the local boiler
> union, they also participate in
> competitions.

> Maybe the RR preservation industry should
> hold a similar event, perhaps as part of
> TRAIN or ARM events. How long might it take
> a NJMT crew to roll ten tubes vs Strassburg?
> How about tires? Spiking in a tie? Having a
> locomotive to use for the competition might
> be a problem. Why not choose a location in
> which a locomotive is under repair and could
> use an influx of skilled manpower. One that
> requires many staybolts to be replaced, 200
> tubes to be installed, etc. I can bet NJMT
> would be interested in hosting such an event
> when we start working on Quincy #6. Those
> 300 tubes are going to take our volunteer
> crew weeks to do. And we could always use
> help with the tires.

> Just a thought. But it might be a an
> interesting way of assiting various smaller
> groups who have big projects before them and
> need skilled help.

> Anyone up to a little wager??

> J.R.


ryarger@rypn.org

> It might work out like this: Two steam
> experts would each choose a small team to
> work with, made up of skilled and novice
> participants.

Combine this idea with the Roanoke scrapyard thread - Junkyard Wars in Roanoke!

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

The teams could warm up on GE13031, each team gets one side and one end.

Your choice of weapons ...needle scaler, wire wheel, chipping hammer. Plasma arc cutter and MIG work for extra points. Extra points given if you can get the paint to shine like the the Levins do!


lamontdc@adelphia.net

>Yes, and get a cable network to make it into a series, with suppliers as sponsors, dorky hosts who know little or nothing, and a collection of oddments for the team members who all have a secret life waiting to be revealed.

Bob Kutella


68trolley@comcast.net

Well Bob, if that's what it takes to get sponsors to cover costs for the project then let's get started........at least then something would be under way. Besides, our secrets are boring. We'd have to invent something more interesting and stage mock conflicts within each team.

OTOH, if we go with traditional "club" organization structures, ample conflicts will arise automatically.

Dave


irondave@bellsouth.net