If we're going to build a brand-new locomotive specifically to break the existing record, maybe a three-foot gauge 4-6-4 would do the trick! Would that count? (Puts on flameproof suit and retreats into fallout shelter.)

[quote="daylight4449While i'll admit that the accident that Blue Peter suffered is tragic for steam preservation everywhere, it would make more sense to put someone at the throttle that knows what they're doing.[/quote]

Granted, the incident involving Blue Peter was later attributed to the footplate crew being unfamiliar with the locomotive and its characteristcs, your quip does bring up an interesting point.

Besides all of the other numerous issues presented here, where does one find an engineer and fireman who run steam regularly at speeds in excess of 100mph and as such, are familiar with the operating characteristics of said locomotive at those speeds.

The one thing the British and Germans had going for them is that they regularly operated their fast locomotives at speeds near the records.

As for the incident involving Blue Peter being "tragic" I think that is being a bit melodramatic. Luckily, nobody was seriously hurt, and the locomotive was repaired and ran out its boiler ticket. Still, it does serve as a warning of the awesome power of a steam locomotive and how it can be destructive in inexpierenced hands.

daylight4449 I notice you are a new member to this board. Care to share your name with us?

Seems to me the obvious answer would be to install hi-rail wheels on the record-breaking steam car...

Should be fairly easy to get it to Pueblo, also..........

Granted, the incident involving Blue Peter was later attributed to the footplate crew being unfamiliar with the locomotive and its characteristcs, your quip does bring up an interesting point.

Besides all of the other numerous issues presented here, where does one find an engineer and fireman who run steam regularly at speeds in excess of 100mph and as such, are familiar with the operating characteristics of said locomotive at those speeds.

The one thing the British and Germans had going for them is that they regularly operated their fast locomotives at speeds near the records.

As for the incident involving Blue Peter being "tragic" I think that is being a bit melodramatic. Luckily, nobody was seriously hurt, and the locomotive was repaired and ran out its boiler ticket. Still, it does serve as a warning of the awesome power of a steam locomotive and how it can be destructive in inexpierenced hands.

daylight4449 I notice you are a new member to this board. Care to share your name with us?[/quote]
My friends call me Lambe. So, I'm not Doyle McCormack, although i wish i was like him...

Surprisingly, this has been a pretty polite & interesting thread.

I agree that if you're gonna do it, a new locomotive would be best. The first candidate under that category that occurrs to me is the 5AT Project:

http://www.5at.co.uk/

The 5AT will be a modern 4-6-0 built to the general outlines and dimensions of a British Railways Class 5 4-6-0, but incorporating modern engineering design and construction practices as well as all the thermodynamic and mechanical design improvements developed by Porta and others since the end of steam. It is intended to have a maximum continuous operating speed of 112.5 MPH, and to be designed for 125 MPH. Quite a bit of design work remains to be done, and it would be reasonable to raise the maximum design speed to say, 135 MPH (less than a 10% increase) and see how huge of an effort it would be to accommodate the design changes required for this speed increase. It's a relatively small locomotive by U.S. standards, so transporting and operating it wouldn't be a problem.

Ideally I think it'd be great if we could come up with our own "clean sheet" design, but this locomotive at least gives you an idea of what could be done.

I had the chance to visit the Bonneville Salt Flats last year for the World Nationals event (similar to "Speed Week" but not quite as big). I will guarantee you there are people that participate there that would be all over a project like this if we got the word out.

The following is a paraphrase, slightly edited, between myself and a railfan-ish Amtrak official responsible for track geometry in the Northeast Corridor, over a couple cask ales tonight:

"So where could we try to break 126 with a steam locomotive on the NEC?"
[after a minute or two of laughter] "What, you're serious? There ONE stretch of 150-rated track between Waverly and Providence, Rhode Island. Nowhere else."
"So IF they get the engine running...."
"They're not gonna let it on without a proven track record, and the only place you can prove it with high speed is on the Corridor, so no way."
"Now, supposing they get a nice waiver written by someone on high...."
"I don't care if it's an executive order signed by Barack Obama and co-signed by God, Allah, and the Flying Spaghetti Monster, the FRA is STILL gonna tell you to go [bleep] yourself, they're not going to let you do it!"
"The AAR test track in Pueblo..........."
"Okay, that's a different matter. MAYBE. Show up there with the steam loco ready to go, and then MAYBE they'll talk to you."

I've heard of this project. Seems interesting, seeing it's based off of proven technology.

Hello,

In reality, the record has already been broken multiple times but never officially. I would be willing to wager this record has been exceeded by American power on the level......likely the dead of night making up a bit on the timetable.

Many of us folks that are getting older may have heard verbal stories of record breakers handed down. In my case, I believe the late Bob Hepler had conveyed such a story of a Niagara on the Water Level Route.

A 100% roller bearing locomotive makes sense, not only for absolute minimum rolling friction but screaming a plain bearing rod to that velocity is bound to heat things up. If it goes catistrophic, you will fry the bearing and yield the crank pin resulting in projectiles and possibly putting you on the ground as Wayne stated in his narrative.

Albeit it would be impressive but what is the up side?

The French smashed the steel wheel - rail record in 2007 with the TGV at 357 mph on the Paris - Strausbourg line. It was a heavily modified electric trainset which allegedly cost 40 million dollars. OK it was an R&D experiment but this line has a daily service speed of 200 MPH.....such an extreme test at least identifies an equipment limit and possibly gives the public some sense of system durability. The train was likely downgraded and put into daily service after the record run.

In the heyday of steam, the Santa Fe 2900's and NYC 6000's were worked very hard in heavy duty long distance high speed service on a daily basis and likely had the proven track record to make this easy. Of the two, the 2900's survive. Without streamlining, I assume the 2900's still have the horsepower to get there.

Before you go, X-ray your pins and rods, even small cracks make wonderful stress concentrations!!

Regards,

Randy

Another log on the fire, (scoop on the bank??) from my vacation in Europe last year:




Steve

Boy that locomotive looks good in Ford blue! I'm surprised Henry didn't have to have it for his collection...

Seriously, the LNER garter blue is a very handsome paint scheme, but not as good as green and gold...

I had forgotten about the 2929 - she might be a candidate for the record, though she is a Canuk by birth, not American. However, the Canadian roads were/are essentially American in most practice and certainly in line with the sheer massiveness of American-style railroading.

Look Ahead, Look South (hey, there's a Ks 2-8-0 alive again in Dixie)

OK, NewRiver, you asked for it!

No slow-poke in its own right; however, for some reason we never were able to get its sister 926 to go that fast eastbound out of Scranton!





(Apologies for bad lighting and angles)

Steve

correction edit: I think this green is called Malachite green, not Maunsell green.

I knew that there was a British loco at steamtown years ago, but a southern railway steamer from England?

The first thing i post on RPYN and this topic has hit more than 1000 views. Impressive.

The one at Steamtown was identical - 30926 "Repton" which is now on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, 925 has escaped the NRM and is under restoration for the Mid Hants Railway and the third remaining Schools class is on the Bluebell Railway.

G