Are some of you craving for a real significant long-lasting lasting project to work on that benefits many aspects of rail preservation? Have a Computer? Interested in steam locomotive parts? Do you have time to make phone calls, write a few letters and make personal relationships? If all yes, think about applying yourself to this.

There are still a few companies that produced steam locomotive appliance/appurtenances that have yet to donate their engineering and information archives to a proper public archive/library. One fire at one of those locations and we loose the information forever. Enough time has passed, its up to us (the preservationists still here on this forum) to complete this.

If you would like to undertake a project like I am describing, just let me know and I will endeavour to get you started and help you on the way to completing your project.

Every archive that you successful at getting donated/relocated will forever have your name listed in the notes telling the story about how that collection came into the receiving archive and everyone that uses that; cataloged, protected and accessible collection will read your name when using it, even long after you are dead and gone. After getting one of these done, and while you are still here on the planet, you can always feel really proud about "doing" something great for rail preservation and the countries historic record of the great era of steam power.

[quote="Loco112"][/quote]
Interesting. What all did you have in mind?

Just wondering what exactly you have in mind on this one? When I worked for Alstom descendant of Combustion Engineering (who also owned the Locomotive Superheater Company) I was told the old sales literature, drawings and records of steam locomotive parts were long gone. I wonder what companies would still have records. I would think non locomotive only records would be a little more common? For example I could see boiler appliances like pressure gauge, water glass literature surviving as parts of existing product lines, but I would tend to unless you know of info I don't know think the real neat stuff has since gone away?

The other question is how many steam era companies still survive in some form or another? Does anyone own the old Baldwin, ALCO, or Lima product lines? It sure would be neat to get a hold of this stuff. Let us know what you have in mind. Time is a little scarce here but it sounds pretty neat to at least warrant hearing more.

Baldwin is in the Public Domain ( mostly), and is at the PN State Archive and Degolyer on the SMU campus, but the 1920-1940 info is gone, destroyed. LIMA is at Allen County Museum and the CSRRM. ALCO was all, 100%, burned in 1969 in a pit dug for that purpose behind the Schenectady plant. It is mentioned in a previous post here.

The companies that still need to be placed into accessible collections are;

Pyle-National: headlights,
Okadee: valves and various loco parts
Worthington: feed water

and many others, all part of present day working companies.

The Hagley Museum and Library in Wilmington, DE has an amazing collection of railroad related items. This includes manufactures and railroads. Browse the collection and then plan a trip to Wilmington.

http://69.63.217.11/H92010/OPAC/Search/ ... earch.aspx

If you want to plug the Hagley, maybe it would be good to mention some of the archives that are in the Hagley.

They have Vulcan Iron Works (the US locomotive builder) builder's photos for one thing. I was able to get a builder's photo ofr McRae Lumber #1 (better known as Cliffside RR #110) from them a few weeks ago.