I find this thread very interesting. As I have only seen the General once and didn't study it at all when I was there, I can't comment on its orginality.

However, experience shows that most all old (pre-1900) locomotives in existance that operated into recent times have very few of thier original parts.

In the case of a D&RGW narrow gauge 2-8-0 like 268, 278, 223, 346, etc. The frames have been changed, boilers renewed, new tender tanks built, etc. About the only thing that is original is some minor details such as dome rings, in some cases smokebox door (278), etc. I would be amazed if the General has its original frame and cylinder saddle. Would not the frame have been wrought iron too? The fact the boiler was stated to be an original wrought iron boiler is amazing too. What pressure was the General allowed to run at?

Another example of what I call the "farmer's axe" methodology (it has had 3 new heads and 4 new handles but it's still his old axe...) is DRGW K27 #463. It has its original 1903 boiler, but has had 3 different cylinder saddles, at least 3 new front frame extensions, at least 2 main frames, 3 or 4 cabs, 3 tenders, 2 tender frames, new domes, etc. Other than the boiler, the driver centers and counterwieghts are about all that's original.

I would be suprised if something as old as the General, especially if it had been through fairly major destruction in the Civil War, survived with any significant original parts.

earlk489@hotmail.com

I would be amazed if the
> General has its original frame and cylinder
> saddle. Would not the frame have been
> wrought iron too? The fact the boiler was
> stated to be an original wrought iron boiler
> is amazing too. What pressure was the
> General allowed to run at?

If memory serves 145 PSI? My file is in the Savannah office. The Form 4 is a very sketchy document which basically calls out wrot iron, 45000 PSI tensile, and figures the efficiency of the longitudinal seam - that's all.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

> However, experience shows that most all old
> (pre-1900) locomotives in existance that
> operated into recent times have very few of
> thier original parts.

I can't resist putting in a plug here for my personal vote for "most underappreciated artifact at the B&O Museum"-- to wit, the 0-8-0 coal drag engine Memnon of 1848. This is probably the most original, least altered antebellum locomotive surviving anywhere in the United States--truly a remarkable survivor, and well worth patient study the next time you're in Baltimore.

eledbetter@rypn.org

The cylinder saddle was possibly damaged when Atlanta was evacuated by the confederates. There is some sketchy information that indicates that the assigned engineer was instructed to knock the cylinder heads in to disable the locomotive but refused to do so. Supposedly another crew then took the locomotive and ran it into another locomotive. However, the photograph of the General after the federals took the city shows that most of the damage was to the superstructure of the locomotive and the lower portion of the locomotive (pilot, etc.) do not appear to be significantly damaged. The accounts, as far as I know, do not indicate whether the locomotive was run forward or backed into the other locomotive. Most of the damage was the result of the explosion from the burning ammunition train (remember that scene in "Gone With the Wind?"), something not likely to damage the frame of a locomotive.

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum
envlink@voyageronline.net

Now that Kennesaw
> has George as curator maybe some real
> research will take place.

> Dave

Don't hold your breath. You might be disappointed.