Anyone have any ideas on the history of this engine? 4-4-0 ?

Given the time and money, it looks like it will clean up nicely. Of course, it will need a new smoke box, and some boiler jacket to cover the dents and holes. But what impresses me further is that the berings were in good enough condition where the engine was able to be rolled out of that lake. I would have thought that much time underwater would have caused them to seize up.

A close look at the drivers and cylinders might identify the builder. It looks like the engine may have been stripped of parts before being put into the pond. What I would really like to know is what the museum intends to do with this locomotive. I hope it does not involve paint.

You're doing it wrong! It's supposed to be APRIL 1st, not MAY 1st!

What? It's legit? No joke here? Oh, sorry, I'm still half asleep... ;)



Put it out in the back 40 where it will blend right in with all the other "projects"?

I think they may have trouble passing a 15yr FRA inspection with this locomotive ;)

I don't mean to imply that the locomotive is not worth recovering because it is beyond repair. I am just saying that when you recover such a significant part of a "lost" locomotive with its deep historical fabric, and yet the piece is missing many major elements, how do you proceed as a savior of the relic?

The first urge is to see a locomotive displayed, but a piece like this pond engine will be very far away from its original appearance that one might think of as the goal of display. All that remains here is some very heavy-duty steam era machinery. It almost seems like it should be soaked in oil and allowed to slightly slough off some of its encrustation. It would be so interesting just to see the old iron work archeology reemerge.

Aren't you supposed to keep something like this submerged in a tank of water...?

Stephen

Stephen -

They tried that for the last 100 years. Didn't work.

Les

A lot depends on whether you are raising an artifact from fresh or salt water. Metal objects raised from salt water do have to be soaked in fresh water for a long time to slowly leach accumulated salt and other minerals out of the pores in the metal. Otherwise the salt will continue to destroy the metal. A good example is the raising and restoration of the USS Monitor about a dozen years ago The turret is the most identifiable object from the Monitor, followed by the engine. Here are some restoration pictures.

Mike

Raising the turret:



Restoring the turret following a long "bath":



Restoring the engine:

I don't think they are restoring. More likely conserving after cleaning and stabilizing.

dave

Nice to see the Monitor cleaning up so well.

I'm wondering if any other parts of the locomotive might still be in the pond, such as the front truck and tender.

And I sincerely hope this puts an end to those "quarry locomotive" jokes. This is the real deal, one that this esteemed group of experts somehow missed.

Haha...no, I mean you keep it submerged until a plan for its conservation can be created. Then you dry it off and spray it with some clear coat of something...

Stephen

I've seen electrolysis used to conserve immersed ferrous artifacts ebfore, but only small ones. No idea whether it would be suitable for things that would need immersion in a swimming pool to make use of it, but don't see whay it might not be effective, especially if the artifact can be disassembled, have the components treated, and then reassembled again once stabilized. Perhaps somebody with a real conservators knowledge can contribute some better information on this or other techniques.

dave

Let's not forget the precedent for this loco:

http://www.flsaf.org/heritagesites/luraville.htm