I wouldn't put too much stock in Railpace editorials. I had the same editor rail against my employer for running trains when "the lighting wasn't right" during an NRHS slideshow.

In addition to his editorial quirks, the editor and publisher of Railpace is a lousy driver. he doesn't think at all about endangering the lives of other drivers on rural two lane roads if they are in HIS way when he wants to chase a train. Between the two, I have no reason whatever to take or read Railpace.

I never put much stock into any mass media, small or large. I just find it irritating that anyone would stoop to that level, regarding a well documented rebuild where questions have been asked and answered very clearly, and do so freely as if they were the one funding it.

Better appreciation needs to be focused on the scope of the work, not the time withing which it's completed.

Wayne, personal attacks of that nature, no matter how well deserved, are undignified and unprofessional, and lower your stock several points on a forum like this.

You should know better.

Looking REALLY good, Tim, thanks for sharing your pics!!

Stephen

Happy New Year, everyone. These photos were taken on January 4, 2014. As you compare these with the previous photos, some pieces added have been taken off, while others are added to the engine. I was trying to find some big leaps forward to show, but much of the work is slow and steady.




The grate-shaker levers and the cab floor are installed.


The air brake pump and the reservoir tank are rather new additions. Many pieces are getting re-worked or refined for re installation.

If it hasn't been mentioned before, the "striping" on the sides of the boiler are from styrofoam spacers used in measuring the boiler jacketing sheets to make sure they will fit when the actual lagging is installed.

IMHO not only is #26 going to be a solid machine when done, her green coat is going to make her a favorite of many. It isn't often that a restored steam locomotive can be painted anything but black and be historically accurate. I think Steamtown hit it out of the park with going back and making her green. #113, #26, #31, #15, #58 and soon #9 and #4039 could make the 0-6-0 the most popular gals of mid-Atlantic steam.

Good on ya', guys!

Rob

I just read all thru this thread and am curious if there been a discussion on how they straightened the frame- maybe in another thread somewhere? I didn't read anything about it on here. Must have been a previous thread, I'm guess.

I'd like to know how they did it, and how they think it got bent, too. If someone knows what thread to go read... put me a link on here to get me headed in the right direction.

Two months after I last posted photos, here we are again. There actually is progress. It just takes a keen eye.

The first thing I noticed when I walked in the shop today was the addition of the dynamo.

This adds a bit to the skyline of the locomotive. Sometimes parts are just placed on the engine to get them off the floor, and then they come back off when it is time to make adjustments. Many of the parts were repaired years ago. They may have been recently cleaned, painted or placed on the boiler.

Front view.

The tender trucks were repaired. Leaf springs were modified due to the stiffness in the leaves that weren't giving in the way the older leaves had. Being accurate in size and number of leaves kept the tender riding higher than the engine.

The trucks will be going in the paint shop soon, too.

Speaking of the tender. Dazzling in her Baldwin green.

From this side, you can see additional piping that wasn't here in January. Some work done to the turret valve, too.

That's all I have for now. Discuss.

Once restored what jobs will she have?

26 is a switcher, so the mainlines won't see her very often. Moscow, 13 miles away, is too far for this locomotive to run.
Steamtown runs a short distance (3 mile round trip) shuttle through the former DL&W City Yard in Scranton. Back and forth through switches beginning at the turntable and running eventually to the University of Scranton and return. This takes about 30 minutes.
For 2014, this trip will be extended on Sundays for now to go to the Nay Aug tunnel. This trip will be about 5 miles round trip and take about 45 minutes. Both of these yard trains, using the term 'yard' loosely, would be ideal for 26 and 2 coaches.
Here she is in July 1999 with the yard shuttle.


26 may also be assigned yard switching duties and moving pieces around the locomotive shop area.
We are looking into where she might go on the Delaware-Lackawanna's Carbondale line (former Delaware & Hudson mainline). In the late 1990s she hauled the Santa Train for Christmas in a Small Town where Santa visited at Carbondale, Jessup and Olyphant. Three other towns have joined this event, so it has to be determined if this is a good trip for 26. Water and coal only go so far, so planning those logistics may affect that train schedule.

I hope to see you on board, southern 154

I figure she will have a multitude of jobs in addition to pulling the trips Tim mentioned.

She will be the parks's only in-steam ambassador until #3713 is done. I have to guess that her pretty green dress will only enhance her ability to charm the average tourist.

She will also put the rest the complaints that Steamtown only runs Canadian engines, hasn't competed a full restoration, isn't running steam, etc... and charm the average buff.

If I can reveal my steam geek side, I have to say that *finally* having Baldwins in the preservation era running in green (yes, I am looking at you DL&N #7) is a major victory for the correct interpretation of these artifacts (no disrespect to Reader #108 running in green at North Conway, but it was a few shades closer to Kelly than Baldwin green. She was a great cab ride, but that's another story...)

I would love to see more repaints of other locomotives with past histories of wearing colors other than black. There has to be at least two dozen surviving Baldwins if not more appropriate for green. And that's not to mention those old enough to have worn lake or red. Thank heaven for Jim Wilkie's extensive research on the topic.

Rob

We were fortunate to be up in Scranton in late July at the time when the tender was fresh out of the paint shop. It was on its way back to the shop so the shop staff could remove the tank and address the over springing issue Tim O'M mentioned. The lighting was not great and there are a lot of reflections in the freshly painted surface, but this pic gives an idea how nice this loco is going to look.

Unfortunately, we did not get a close up image of the lettering detail, which is done in a fantastic faux silver leaf.

There is no reason to believe this locomotive will be unable to make the full mainline run. It will unlikely be able to handle the same tonnage as 2317 but the low speed these trains normally operate at should be well within the capability of a large 0-6-0 especially a Baldwin. Certainly a trial trip is warranted.

No. Keyhole firebox, saturated steam, lack of pilot or trailing truck, limited timetable speed.

NOT going to Moscow.