over the years, the piston rods in the main cylinders have had seveeral coats of paint put on them. Should this be stripped off and the bare rods greased or left painted?

When we reassembled N&W 1218 for display in 2003, we polished the rods and then clearcoated them. They're starting to show a little rust under the clear paint now. Since your loco is out in the weather, a rust resistant paint might be a better choice. Might I suggest using a shade similar to what is used on wire wheels on old sports cars. It looks much closer in shade to polished and oiled steel than bright silver colors.

A lot of park locos had the rodes painted white. I would try to stay close to the color of the polished metal. Use Rustoleum silver. It will be easier to maintain that clear and has rust preventative qualities to it. Same for the piston and valve rods.

Those involved could clarify more, but when Big Boy #4023 was cosmetically restored a few years ago, a rod was polished and then paint was color-matched to the polished rod. The rods were then painted to prevent rusting.

Thanks for the information. I was told that they should never have been painted so something to look at regarding stripping bare then polishing and then painting to match the correct metal finish.

You can't paint them if the engine is operational. The paint could hide cracks which could prove disastrous if the rod breaks. It doesn't matter if it is just a display engine.

Our company Wasatch Railroad Contractors faced this issue when cosmetically restoring Union Pacific 4023 Big Boy in Omaha. Our master painter opted to paint the metal pieces including the piston rods and side rods the natural color as they would appear in normal condition. In short, we polished the rods and then had a paint shop match the color and sheen.

Wow, what a great out come. Unlike the 1218 which was clear-coated, the painted rods of the 4023 will remain in good shape until the paint is chipped or damaged. We used high quality Dupont Imron products. They hold up well to UV rays and hold up well in harsh weather conditions.

See the Big Boy at our page.....

www.wasatch-rr-contractors.com

Go to our projects page and look for 4023 Big Boy

Good luck!

John E. Rimmasch

What an excellent site and a hugerestoration project! She looks fantastic now. I really like the finish on the running gear!

project 6969,

You have been asking a lot of good thoughtful questions.

These is a good place to look in answering your restoration needs.

I think it was J.David Conrad who wrote a Guide to Preserving Park Locomotives. If Google can't find it, then you might contact him directly at the Essex Railroad in Essex Connecticut.

If I do not have that right, then perhaps another contributor can give a correct citation for the document.

I have read it and it is full of low cost common sense advice on what a static display needs to keep it looking good.

Ted Miles

John,

I have had a question about the 4023 that has bugged me since you guys moved it. I know this has probably been asked and I am not trying to stir the pot.

What was the reason to cut the draw bars on this great engine before moving it?

You guys did a great job painting it.

JD Johnson, Morehead and North Fork Railroad Historian

Thanks Ted. I have that saved on the pc but questions keep popping up which are not really answered on the guide.
Peter

Our company, Wasatch Railroad Contractors did not do the pre-move work. This was done by the UP Steam crew in Cheyenne. Before the move, there was this rush effort to get the engine ready to move. The steam crew went over one very cold February morning to remove the draw bar pin. It was frozen solid and they did not have the equipment to free it properly. Due to the rush nature of the job, they only option they had was that of cutting the bars.

Now in the big picture, is this that big of a deal? No not really. In fact, it would be wise with a machine that large to re-new the bars anyway even it did run. Further, making new draw bars is not that big of a task and is easily completed by today’s technology. True, better if the pins could have been removed, but, not a big deal in the long run.

We should be happy that we have a UP Steam Crew and that they do the work they do……for better or worse!

www.wasatch-rr-contractors.com

John E. Rimmasch
Wasatch Railroad Contractors

I think the issue that bothers most steam fans is the fact that U.P. kept 4023 indoors, in running condition for so long - then chose to stuff and mount her outdoors. Once she was placed outdoors, steam fans harbored the hope eternal that U.P. would shop her and run her again. Moving her once again was an amazing feat of engineering, and this takes nothing away from your group. I think people were disturbed that the Big Boy was moved to a more distant location, on an overlook, from where it's most unlikely she will ever be moved again.
Your point about the relevance of the drawbar is well taken, but steam fans bristle at the integrity of the locomotive being disturbed.

As much as I'd love to see a Big Boy run, I like to remember that UP did restore #4023's Cheyenne roundhouse-mate #3985 (which happens to be out running today! http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/r ... 10,1615529) and that while #4023 is displayed outside, John Rimmasch & co. did give her a first-class cosmetic restoration with the idea of preserving anything that might be required for operational restoration later, and that there are eight Big Boys preserved, with at least two displayed inside, while there were only two Challengers saved. I think UP made the right choice.