It seems to me that there was a thread on RyPN some time ago about a national engineers organization recommending National Landmark status or addition to the National Register, for a railroad structure. Does anyone recall this? It may have been ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) or it may have been some other organization.) Need some help on this one guys and gals!

Thanks!

Les Beckman (Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum/North Judson, Indiana)

midlandblb@cs.com

It is ASME. The designation is American society of Mechanical Engineers engineering landmark. You can contact the ASME for a complete list of engineering landmarks. A few that I can remember are the Battleship Texas engine rooms (reciprocating steam), the Cab forward in Sacramento, the N&W J number 611 and Lombard steam powered log haulers. Sorry but that is all I can remember without referring to a list.

Also USRA steam locomotives Atlantic Coast Line 1504 and Baltimore and Ohio 4500, and the Carrolton Car Shops of New Orleans' St. Charles Streetcar Line. THere are many other RR listings in addition to these. See
http://www.asme.org/history/roster_a.html

ASME National Engineering Landmarks Roster
eledbetter@rypn.org

I nominated the Tod Engine for ASME Historic Landmark status a few years ago. To be safe I also nominated the engine for ASM International Materials Engineering Landmark designation. To our suprise both organizations chose to designate the engine, so we have the ONLY joint ASME/ASM Historic Mechanical and Materials Engineering Landmark.

The way to nominate something is to get your local chapter on board. They do the actual nominating, but you will have to work behind the scenes and prepare the nomination. ASME wil give you a plaque to display next to the item, will hold a nominating ceremony, and will help make up a landmark booklet. Contact their corporate HQ for more info.

http://www.todengine.org
jrowlands@neo.rr.com

Mid-Continent Railway Museum's Great Northern-Montana Western gas electric Motorcar #31 was recently accepted for "Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark" status by the Chicago, Fox Valley and Rock River Valley Rail Transportation Division of the Chicago Division, Region VI of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
Click on the link and scroll down for more info.

Allan


Mid-Continent News

ddg14@attbi.com

The ASME engineering landmarks list is an interesting one. Because it's driven by what still exists and by voluntary nominations, there are inevitable gaps. I note that it contains, along with Mid-Continent's gas-electric, T&P 610 as the sole survivor of the first series of Super Power Locomotives, the St. Louis FT, and the oldest surviving heavyweight passenger car. Some conspicuous gaps are lightweight carbon-steel passenger cars (the Pioneer Zephyr is on the list) and the earliest Ingersoll-Rand Diesel switchers. And I suspect the Electroliner and a Metroliner belong on the list, as does an A-C transmission Diesel locomotive.

I note that the first welded boiler test drum is on the list, and I suspect that the welded Kanawha boiler at North Judson might be found eligible, even though these engines were a landmark on a trail that didn't lead much further. The riveted aluminum parlor car at North Judson, or the tail car at St. Louis, might be landmarks, too. Are these the oldest surviving aluminum rail vehicles?

I note that the Huletts and the NS Savannah are on the list, although so far as I know these are scrapped or close to it. Listing is no guarantee of survival.

The Lake Michigan carferry Badger is listed, but not the arguably more significant City of Milwaukee.

Aarne Frobom
The Steam Railroading Institute
P. O. Box 665
Owosso, MI 48867-0665

> I note that the Huletts and the NS Savannah
> are on the list, although so far as I know
> these are scrapped or close to it. Listing
> is no guarantee of survival.

I have a photograph of the N.S. Savannah that was taken in 2001 in my forthcoming "Surviving World Steamship" CD-ROM. It is indeed stored in the James River Merchant Marine Reserve Fleet at Newport News, but MARAD has it listed as "held indefinitely". (That is also as of 2001.)

It's reactor has been removed, but that occurred prior to it's initial placement in a museum. It is a little rusty and faded looking, as one would expect, but otherwise appears intact. I wonder how it ended up back in the reserve; I can only assume the museum organization that had it went under.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a


Surviving World Steamships
james1@pernet.net

James,

The Patroits Point Naval and Maritime Museum in
Mt.Pleasent,SC is still alive, but they decided that the only necular powered steam ship was too much for them to take care of and sent it back to the Reserve Fleet. The museum has not been doing well in recent years.

Sorry for the non-rail post but it is a significant in fact one of a kind ship.

Ted Miles

ted_miles@nps.gov

> The ASME engineering landmarks list is an
> interesting one. Because it's driven by what
> still exists and by voluntary nominations,
> there are inevitable gaps. I note that it
> contains, along with Mid-Continent's
> gas-electric, T&P 610 as the sole
> survivor of the first series of Super Power
> Locomotives, the St. Louis FT, and the
> oldest surviving heavyweight passenger car.
> Some conspicuous gaps are lightweight
> carbon-steel passenger cars (the Pioneer
> Zephyr is on the list) and the earliest
> Ingersoll-Rand Diesel switchers. And I
> suspect the Electroliner and a Metroliner
> belong on the list, as does an A-C
> transmission Diesel locomotive.

> I note that the first welded boiler test
> drum is on the list, and I suspect that the
> welded Kanawha boiler at North Judson might
> be found eligible, even though these engines
> were a landmark on a trail that didn't lead
> much further. The riveted aluminum parlor
> car at North Judson, or the tail car at St.
> Louis, might be landmarks, too. Are these
> the oldest surviving aluminum rail vehicles?

Aarne: Although C&O Kanawha #2789 still exists at the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum in North Judson, Indiana, the GM&O riveted aluminum parlor car was sold by the museum a few years ago and is currently located on a bike/walking trail in Swisher, Indiana (painted for the Pennsylvania Railroad no less). To set the record straight.

Les Beckman (HVRM)

> I note that the Huletts and the NS Savannah
> are on the list, although so far as I know
> these are scrapped or close to it. Listing
> is no guarantee of survival.

> The Lake Michigan carferry Badger is listed,
> but not the arguably more significant City
> of Milwaukee.

> Aarne Frobom
> The Steam Railroading Institute
> P. O. Box 665
> Owosso, MI 48867-0665


midlandblb@cs.com

Another national organization that addresses landmark rail structures (not machines or vehicles) is the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). National Civil Engineering Landmark status has been conferred on a number of rail subjects, including the Boston subway and Tehachapi Loop. I believe there is an ASCE Landmark monument placed at the Tehachapi overlook, for example. ASCE Landmark candidates tend to be especially massive, significant or milestone structures, so the local freight house or the bridge across Tiny Creek probably wouldn't qualify.

Hope this helps.