"superheatering"

I like it!

Sorry I've been so slow on posting any updates, but things have been pretty hectic around here lately. Work has been proceeding rapidly on 1134, the boiler is sandblasted and primed, work is starting on the running gear. We have primarily been cleaning on the diesels. The locomotives have been flooded a number of times over the years. We've cleaned at least 60 lbs. of Roanoke River mud out of the journals, and where pressure washing has been done, the track underneath looks like Civil War era dirt ballast. Lots of penetrant is now soaking into moving parts. We've managed to do a few things on 1118. Kroil has been applied liberally. The pilot beam is back on, and one of our members who is a "live steamer" is manufacturing new bolts for the coupler pocket. Our big news on 1118 is that the Western Va. Railway Preservation Society has decided to donate the "Lost Engines" funds that they have raised to us, nearly $4000. Thanks much to Richard, Andrew, and all of the other TWVRPS members for your kindness. A frequent topic of discussion here is the "drawing power" of steam on ridership. We're seeing an impact on membership from it. We've gotten 6 new applications since the newspaper announcement of our aquisition of 1118 on August 22nd. Wizzy has posted some more photos on Railroad Picture Archives and the "Lost Engines" Yahoo group.

http://wizzy.rrpicturearchives.net/arch ... x?id=48939

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lostengin ... 7/pic/list

Our "open house" is this Saturday. Anyone who wants to attend, we'd love to have you.

Regards,

Oh, lawd........ is that a Norfolk Southern "Roanoke Car Shops" sign in the background? Will the NS Railroad Police be coming onto your property with a search warrant? Why, as a matter of fact, do you happen to have a title for that N&W diesel locomotive there? HmmmmmmMMMMMM????

Quick guys!!! Get out the "British Rail" stencils so they won't have jurisdiction.....Call Spencer and tell them to hide the passenger cars.....get Bev at VMT to get tarps over 611 & 1218...............

We actually have a very good relationship with the local NS heirarchy. Part of that is because our membership seems to have a higher percentage of active and retired railroaders than most preservation groups. I don't think that there is anything at 9th St. that someone at NS is not aware of. Most of our "stuff" was aquired through donation or purchase as scrap, although there have been a few "private" trades (1118 the largest and most recent). Over 80 % of our collection is of N&W, VGN, and SR heritage. I think we ended up with that "Roanoke Car Shops" sign when FreightCar America leased the old carshops.

We have a fairly large amount of "accessories" on site, including signals and obsolete crossing protection devices. Between what some of our members have aquired and what we own, if we are ever lucky enough to own some track, signalling it is no problem. We have a number of the old style pre-1960 N&W crossbucks, and the capability, thanks to a good relationship with a couple of local foundries, of reproducing N&W style wig-wag signals and possibly station platform lights.

If the CSX cops come lurking, we'll need to hide that crossing sign in the photo. It's a 120+ year old C&O style that came from a branch line that was abandoned 50+ years ago. Just out of sight to the left of it is an N&W phone box. As a running joke during the N&WHS Convention one of our guys left his cell phone in it. It got a lot of laughs.

I hope that the Open House went well today. I wish that I could've been there to see the CW Diesels, 1118, 1134, and the other equipment that is there. Hope that it was a big success.

Was just wondering if anything new has gone on with the Scrapyard equipment on 9th Street? Thanks.

Martin

The 9th street equipment isn't in the danger that the steam engines were. But they are in the same to be claimed or unclaimed state. There is a steam crane there, the TWVRPS has expressed interest in it, but we have heard someone may have made claim for it already but it hasn't moved at all since we heard those news. I don't know what other equipment is there.

You're thinking of the Virginia Scrap Iron & Metal Co's Norwich yard. That property has been sold, and the steam crane along with it, although I'm not sure who the buyer was.

9th Street is where the Roanoke Chapter, NRHS keeps their equipment, including the recently relocated N&W 1118 and Chesapeake Western 663, and temporarily N&W 1134 and Chesapeake Western 662. When I was down there for the open house on the 26th, 1134's boiler wore a fresh coat of primer, and the diesels had been power washed in preparation for restoration work to begin. I'll be updating the Lost Engines site soon with pics from my trip. Wizzy Strom has also posted photos of the engine moves and restoration work on rrpicturearchives.net.

Hey everyone,

I went to the VMT today to see 1151 and the 15,000 gallon tender. I made a short video of the equipment if anyone would like to see it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NygQpfwq88

Martin

Hello everyone,

I was just wondering, how much has been done in the cosmetic restoration of 1134? It has been awhile since the last time I heard anything about it.

Another question I have is what parts are 1134 still missing?

Thanks.

Martin

I will have to relook at the pics I have of the engine, but various obvious appliances are missing like headlight, steam gauges and associated, I believe its missing the air pump, but I believe the air tank is there. I tend to believe that 1134 and 1118 still have the superheaters in place. An antique dealer was allowed on the property to pick up metal and they got one or a set of siderods from the engine(s). I don't know if the dealer has been contacted about bringing it back for the engines but I hope he keeps it safe. But note you can remake new siderods if the needs to be is needed. A full restoration will have to go over the engine and document everything there and missing and see whats needed.

The jacket has been removed to remove the abestos lagging which is outlawed for use. If you are going to only have a static display I reccomend NOT putting a jacket on as it attracts water and rain and its acids for rusting, just leave the boiler bare and rustproof it. If at whenever time an engine might be brought to steam then a jacket is practical, the heat will evaporate off water.

I doubt any of the original jacket metal exists, but its simply large sheet metal cut and formed. Your not going to use the old jacket anyways.

My apologies for not have posted any updates recently. The short answer on 1134 is that the boiler is completely sandblasted and primed. About 25% of the running gear is blasted and primed also. The weather here has been a factor, we have had a much wetter and chillier fall than in recent years. This has led to some recalcitrance on the part of our rather small sandblaster, it seems to be very sensitive to humidity and temperature. I understand that work is proceeding well on the cab and tender at North Fork Lumber in Goshen. Will is planning on sending his much larger sandblaster down when the tender is done.
On other matters, our Amtrak excursions on Nov. 7th & 8th were very successful, we hauled over 1300 passengers and got a lot of great PR. Last weekend's "Candy Cane Shifter" runs at 9th St also went well, we hauled around 200 passengers in spite of the cold weather. NS delivered Will's new "baby", ex E.J. Lavino 0-6-0t #34 from it's storage by VMT about 2:00 pm on Saturday. After our last trip, we pulled her the 2/3 mile to our yard to join 1118 and 1134.
Work on 1118 is proceeding slowly but surely. The "steam team" has been focusing on the running gear. 4 of the 6 axles have been inspected and cleaned, and copious amounts of penetrant have been soaking into the running gear. Amazingly, only one axle so far, the rear one on the lead truck, has any pitting. The smokebox door, pilot beam, and front coupler have been reinstalled, and some work has started on cab components. Stabilization work on the CW diesels has continued, getting all the rusty doors on the cabs and hoods to open and close, spreading lot's of penetrant, and removing the junk batteries. Once 1134 is done, 662 will become the "target" of the sandblasting team.

Regards,

Steam locomotives without jacketing just look awful. Blast, prime and paint the boiler, then install spacers and put the jacketing back on. The airspace where the lagging would go will help keep the boiler dry, and the loco won't be so $&%@(*$!($ hideous!

Thanks Gary and dinwitty for answering my question. How many steam engines does Will have now? Other than the porter and a Shay, does he have anything else? Gary, you told me the porter is worn out, so I wonder if he'll make a display out of it. Whatever Will does, I'm sure glad for what he helped rescue the once lost engines of Roanoke.

Martin