John and hamster -

Really great news. Appreciate the updates. Also, considering the lettering on the tender, should we now be calling the 2-8-2 "Polson Logging #2" instead of Saginaw Timber #2?


Les

The No. 2 has TWO tender tanks. The current tank, which is near the end of its service life, is lettered for the Polson Logging Company, the locomotive's second owner. The new tank is lettered for the Saginaw Timber Company, for whom the locomotive was constructed in 1912. The tender carried a third name, Rayonier, at the end of its active service.

May I reluctantly inquire as to the results of the FRA inspection on Thursday. Given the thunderous silence on the subject, I assume that things did not go well.

Or maybe they are still sleeping off the celebration?

I checked the Mid-Continent website and the last posting about number 2 was made on August 12th, the day before the scheduled FRA visit. I don't think we should read anything into the lack of news, but just wait until John or someone else from the museum, gives us updated info.

Les

There has been concern about letting to much info out, not sure if I am the culprit or not but I think there is now a hesitation by some of us to say anything as it might be a detriment to the project? If it is wrong to say things went well, then shoot me.

The word on the street that day was things went very well. A few minor things that needed to be addressed, but overall the impression I got was all was good and the owner can proceed with break in.

There is a lot of behind the scene things that need to be addressed at this point that do not necessarily involve the mechanics of the locomotive before going past the break in period. There is no estimate or time line for the locomotive to pull revenue trains at this time. So please do not ask.

Afterwards there was a lot of congratulations to Skip for his incredible journey with the #2. A small army of on lookers armed with cameras came to witness the day. The engine was moved back and forth on the engine house lead by qualified engineers so everybody who wanted a turn got to crack the throttle, If only for a very short distance. Sorry no pictures, but they all look like the ones already posted on the same pc of track. I can't wait myself to hear this old gal pull the hill with a few cars behind her. Been a long time {15 years} since the woods came alive with a fire breathing dragon huffing up that hill. Exception of course to the 0-4-0T #75 that came for a visit a few years back.

Hope this helps. Regards, John.

Here is a "sterile" picture of the #2 from last Thursday. But ain't she pretty? Tank and boiler jacket hasn't even been painted yet!

Regards, John.

Hi John. Many thanks for the report. Given the positive reports leading up to the inspection, I was afraid that something might have gone wrong. I don't understand the reason for keeping this hushed up since it reflects well on the museum and the locomotive's owner. In fact, this is the best news that has come from the museum in a good many years. And no, I won't ask when it'll be ready for service. I learned that lesson last year when I merely suggested that it would be nice to see it pulling Snow Trains. I know there are a lot of legal issues to deal with along with preparing fueling and watering stations. Guess the days of sticking a garden hose in the boiler overnight are long gone.

Congrats to Skip and all for their work in getting to this point. And many thanks to you, Chuck Ham and others for your progress reports. It's a treat to follow the odyssey in getting steam back at Mid-Continent.

Sometimes no news isn't necessarily bad news. Some of the lead time is just allowing project volunteers a day or three to write up a report and submit photos to me. However, much of the "thunderous silence" this time around is simply a result of your friendly Mid-Continent steam status webpage editor being away from my computer for a couple days. I'll be working on updating the MCRM website in the morning :)

Jeffrey Lentz
Publications & Web Presence Volunteer
Mid-Continent Railway Museum

Hi Jeff,

My apologies for the negative remarks I made which were unfounded. Guess I tend to assume the worst when news isn't immediately forthcoming. I appreciate the work you do on the Steam Status section of the website. It's very enjoyable to follow the odyssey of these restorations and gives one a true sense of the tremendous amount of work that goes into getting these beasts back in operation.

Has there been any news on the issues with the future operation of this locomotive at the museum? There has certainly been a great crash of silence over what happened, and find it most unfortunate that accurate information has not been released. You know how human nature is, for lack of the accurate information, people will make up their own. People hate having unresolved questions, so we take the best guess and go with that. This situation really bothers me, I feel this is not in the best interest of the museum. I feel almost ashamed to say this, but it makes me reluctant to visit for snow train when things seem clouded in secret. I hope that I am in the minority, as I have been supporting and donating to this museum for over 25 years.

Steve

Hello SteveC. Thank you for the interest and I think you wrote a very well founded request for info. I regret not to be able to answer much of anything and not sure who can or will answer your well founded questions. I have not been back to MC since the day of the last FRA inspection which had gone very well. What happened after that is as big a mystery to me as is to you. Well not sure if that is totally true, but truth is perception and my perceptions might not be welcome. In all seriousness I cannot say much as I am not involved at this time as the whole thing has been stopped cold for all general purposes. We need to finish the break in and a few minor changes to the engine. That is the mechanical end of things. The crews who helped on the locomotive had made a few things happen with fuel and water but these were not permanent fixes and the fuel/water supply issues have not been addressed to the best of my knowledge. Members have discussed how to do it, but none of us are included in the committee's who are supposedly to be addressing these issues. Maybe an announcement is forthcoming that the issues have been addressed? There are issues of lease, maintenance, crew training that involve the museum and the owners. This area does not involve me and I can not and will not comment to much on that. The only thing I can say is the issues that need to be addressed should not be considered related to the Polson #2 only. MC will need to come up with water/fuel when the #1385 is returned to the property in FRA compliance and operating condition. You cannot afford to have crews operating our very expensive steam locomotives that are not trained to operate and maintain them {oil, grease, boiler treatment and record keeping for starters}. So above and beyond the normal safety and rules the crews are going to have to be retrained. Steam has not truly operated at MC in almost 16 years not. New operating procedures need to be worked out. Regardless of who's locomotive is operating. What is good for the #2 will be good for the #1385. What is good for those locomotives will be good for the owners, be it private or museum owned. All of this is out of my hands and am not involved in any of this. This last bit is just things that come to mind for me and are my view only. This all has to be worked out by those involved. Being that the #2 was first fired up in 2014 for first FRA test and then almost completed and tested again with FRA in 2015 I too wonder why some of these things had not been addressed sooner ?

Sorry SteveC, ain't got much for you at this time. While waiting for the conclusion of "follow the odyssey in getting steam back at Mid-Continent" the Polson #2s 1472 calendar ticks away. If this post seems negative so be it, not trying to bash anybody, but the happenings or lack of kind of speak for themselves. As a very mixed up kid growing up around some of the very people who founded MC I got to see some very neat things happen by people who were not afraid to make things happen and what I see now is disappointing. There are some very good things happening at MC and some very well needed behind the scenes repairs to building and coaches, the car shop/restoration people just keep on pulling rabbits out of their collective hats and are a great example of what can happen and then make it happen. All is not lost and many things to celebrate. But this handling of the Polson #2 and return to steam promotes a lot of questions I agree. Got no answers SteveC, I got the same questions though!

A few mechanical notes. A new steam dome lid was made and is ready to be installed. Not sure but think it was not installed yet could be wrong. It is drilled and tapped from my understanding. We may decide to put the new tank on as we have the time now that it isn't running anyway. The old tank held water but the new tank is ready to go so might as well put it on. That is if Skip decides to go ahead with it this summer or not. A few minor things to tweak and then if the wheels of progress turn we need to continue with break in and training. A whole lot of "ifs" involved here. Thanks for your interest. Regards, John.

Thanks John for your very well thought out reply. I really appreciate it, and it only confirms my feelings that I am not the only one who is waiting for some answers and some indication that the museum is committed to getting steam running, not just the 1385.

Steve

I guess I'm a bit confused by this official Mid-Continent notification. Including the fact that there has been no comments about it. Does this mean that the number 2 itself is persona-non-grata at North Freedom?

Les