Report from Len:

Hello all,
On Saturday, March 20Th. we had our second full crew workday of 2010, although only five of us showed, we got quite a bit done.

I got there at 8:00Am. and Bruce was already working on the Center casting working on getting out the two pins. He first tried to push them out with the press, that didn't work so he used the Air Ark to cut the pins off and then push out the stubs, that worked. The pins are now out and the casting is all ready for new pins to be made for it.

The volunteer crew members were working hard on taking off the Johnson Bar lever and working on the throttle rod, although we broke a stay bolt, the bolt was hanging on by only threads and we were not aware of it until it snapped off.

The crew worked on taking off the Johnson bar hanger in the cab and after it was out Jim took them over to the big sand blasting booth. They came out very nice. And they are all primer painted now.

JT. worked on cleaning the Bell fastener bolts on top of the boiler and wire brushed them free of rust, while he was doing that I hunted up three more nuts and then he threaded them on. We also now have a Bell for 565 , Steamtown gave us the Spare DL&W Bell that was over in the loco shop down near Willard office. It will need to be clean up of the green tarnish and made to shine again.

Here's the video form the workday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NshHAWHSUls

Steve,

I believe that the 565 is the only D&LW locomotive in the Steamtown collection.

Can that "spare" bell in fact belong to the 565?

You might take a look at Gordon Chapelles book on the steamtown collection and see if the bell matches the pictures of the locomotive in there.

There may be other phots in the historical files of the locomotive?

Glad to hear that the "Home Town" locomotive is getting work done on her!

Ted Miles
SF Maritime NHP

"I believe that the 565 is the only D&LW locomotive in the Steamtown collection."

Ted,its not that surprising when you realize there are only 2 left. Unlike out west where the ATSF, SP & UP made a habit of donating their old war horses.

For that matter, the railroads that served served Scranton and its greater area (primarily anthracite roads ) have no remaining locomotives or have a couple that survived by accident.

Here's my count:

West Pittston & Exeter (0)
Lehigh Valley (0)
CNJ (2) 0-6-0 #113 (being restored) and 4-4-2 #592 (static display-B&O Museum)
Erie (0)
DL&W (2) 2-6-0 #565, 4-4-0 #952

Expanding the area to really greater

LNE (1) 0-6-0 #207
L&HR (0)

Only the PRR and Reading Company had any organized preservation efforts.

Rdg 4-8-4 #2124 is at Steamtown.

So many locomotives that would be perfect-are gone.

Of course Steamtown was unimaginable in the early 50's when cash starved railroads were losing carloads of anthracite to heating oil, and everything else to trucks, while operating with the ICC's boot on their neck-so its hard to be mad at them for dealing the imminent concern of sending checks to EMD and ALCO.

I saw an aerial pic of LVRR Wyomings (At Sayre I think) in the early 50's. Some were like a decade old... sigh..

Ted, we think this bell is 565's bell but we can't be for sure. Len, has been very busy with his crew getting things in order. The hardest part has been figuring out the pieces. With most of the engine tore down from the aborted restoration we are going thru the parts trying to figure what is what. This has been a huge challenge. But things are moving along. The steel has been ordered for the new pilot journals, center pin and other pieces we will need. Len is wanting to start work on the tender and we need to remove the oil tank. With the shop restoration going on and asbestos removal too it a full house. So we may need to push the tender out and cut the tank up and remove it piece by piece. The tender is in very good shape. Except for the wood decking we really can't gauge if we will need to fix anything there. The coal door need to be made and a few other pieces too.

Steve: Your management of this project from, let's say, a distance, is quite wonderful. Thank you for keeping on top of what is happening with your designated crew. What I find infuriating is the amount of locomotive substance - parts that should never have been separated from the locomotive to begin with, have been lost or simply thrown away! I realize this is a lesson re-told all over the country, where steam locomotives have been partially disassembled for transport or "restoration", but sheesh! Incredible.

Rich, Thanks. But Len has really taken a big part since last year. He has kept all of us who want to see this olde gal back to her glory going! The parts well that has been a huge hurdle to get over. I'm more fustrated that we never found the center pin or the pilot journals. Those have really kept us from getting the pilot under her. Plus the front driver springs and wishbone from the front springs to the equalizer bar. So we still have a lot of fabricating to do just for that. We heard a rumor that the firebox grates may have not been scrapped. The rumor is that New Hope may have them. But when I talked to Paul at New Hope he told me he was certain he didn't have any of 565's parts. So I really don't think Paul would hold on to them. But Steamtown is going to finally give her a place to reside nice and warm once we get her done.
Someone on Facebook asked us if we plan to do any photo shoots with her out in the yard. I will have to talk to Steamtown management about that. And she will be like a Corvette, only come out when it's sunny and warmer than 70 degrees. LOL.

Rich, Thanks. But Len has really taken a big part since last year. He has kept all of us who want to see this olde gal back to her glory going! The parts well that has been a huge hurdle to get over. I'm more fustrated that we never found the center pin or the pilot journals. Those have really kept us from getting the pilot under her. Plus the front driver springs and wishbone from the front springs to the equalizer bar. So we still have a lot of fabricating to do just for that. We heard a rumor that the firebox grates may have not been scrapped. The rumor is that New Hope may have them. But when I talked to Paul at New Hope he told me he was certain he didn't have any of 565's parts. So I really don't think Paul would hold on to them. But Steamtown is going to finally give her a place to reside nice and warm once we get her done.
Someone on Facebook asked us if we plan to do any photo shoots with her out in the yard. I will have to talk to Steamtown management about that. And she will be like a Corvette, only come out when it's sunny and warmer than 70 degrees. LOL.

Steve,
i am scratching my head here; but I think that the locomotive did not go from the railroad to Nelson Blount; if I recall it was used in front of a restuarant or other toiurist set up.

i think I have a post card of it during those years. I would be glad to photo copy the picture for you if you want a pre-Steamtown photo of her.

Send me your mailing address off line if you prefer.

Ted Miles

Ted: She was operated at the Black River and Western, for awhile, then went static when her boiler was shown to be sub-par. I do believe she was a restaurant display for awhile, then went to upstate New York for a "rebuild" that left her in scattered pieces. Along these various travails, parts kept disappearing. In reality, I think the best of intentions went off the main path, and the parts got forgotten or tossed, or worse - scrapped as unknown steel. Nelson Blount never owned her that I recollect. She joined Steamtown after the migration from Vermont.

The contractor finished removal of the asbestos from the cylinders! One more hundle completed!

Len and guys started to remove the oil tank from the tender this weekend. He put the video on You tube. They actually used the turntable to move the tender to another bay for work. How long has it been since a Lackawanna tender was on that table?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOwUI-3d8-w

Actually it wasn't all that long ago. The 565 and NKP 759 were moved out of the roundhouse for a few days about five or so years ago. Anybody remember why?

From what I remember, and this was a while ago, there was some utility work going on in the roundhouse, so the 759 was moved to make way. There was also some historical research project that took place with the 565 and it was moved out for pictures or detailed drawings, something like that. They were out at different times the 759 in 2002 and the 565 in 2003 if I recall correctly.

Also of note, the 565 is the only DL&W engine ever turned on that table, as the span was built new circa 1993.

Dave Crosby

Just a minor correction: 565 went to New Hope, not New York State, for the rebuild, which was not completed. The rebuilt locomotive was to have been used on the first iteration of the Adirondack (Scenic?), along with the 148. Didn't happen- Thats the second NY "connection", the first of course being 565's time spent on the Danville and Mount Morris, prior to going to the Black River at Chester.

Some time ago, I read a well done, and I believe pretty accurate, history of the 565, perhaps on this forum? It answered a lot of questions that I had-

Len and guys test fitted the smokebox cover on the front last weekend. They have to replace several of the studs that are bent. But she looks much better with her smokebox cover on! Enjoy!