Can someone update us all on the status of the 750 & 290?

Thanks,

Alan Levy

alanl759@aol.com

> Can someone update us all on the status of
> the 750 & 290?

> Thanks,

> Alan Levy

Alan,

Both 750 and 290 are safe at the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, GA northeast of Atlanta. However, neither are likely to run again in the near future. 750 would need a new boiler in order to operate. 290 is in much better overall condition, having had running gear work performed after being taken out of service. However, there is no place for her to run, and hence no reason to spend the money to get her boiler re-certified etc. Like you, I would like to see her run again.



kevin.r.gillespie@verizon.net

Just curious, but what, exactly is wrong enough with the 750 to warrent a new boiler? American practice has always been to design boilers that could have sections renewed when problems developed. Has their been some massive, catastophic shell deterioration rendering the boiler irreparable? I have seen several engines that only needed tubes, staybolt repair, and shell buildup around the turret to make operable, and their "knowledgeable expert" railfan curators were convinced that they needed brand new boilers.

My understanding (having only given her a glance over) is that there is a severe problem with star cracking around the rivet holes all over the boiler. I anxiously await the asbestos abatement of sister GN 107 to see if the problem is specific to 750 or to the class.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

750's boiler does have problems with stress cracks around the stay bolts. She needs a new firebox inside and out, between very thin sheets(in most places anyway) and the stresses from an almost constant career up until 1988 it just needs to be replaced. So far as the barrel of the boiler, from what several of my former fellow volunteers had told me, there are issues with crystalized steel. As 750 sits now one might think you could throw a match in and go, Randy Minter did a beautiful cosmetic restoration on the loco a couple of years ago.
290 is under very good care, she is undergoing a cosmetic restoration/mothballing under the direction Bill Purdie.
Both locomotives sit inside of completely enclosed buildings.

jasonsobczynski@yahoo.com