Hey folks new guy here. Been lurking around a while and been interested in railroad preservation since I was little. I keep up with steam restorations, and help Wes update his database when I see a new restoration. I am curious about the UP C-57 class. This class has 13 survivors. Then why has only 1 been selected for restoration? Being located in the heart of Nebraska most large cities along the UP main has 1 of these sitting in a park in conditions from cosmetically good to deplorable. I don't know much in detail about them, but they seem like a good choice for tourist lines. Average size for a 2-8-0 and plenty of parts engines. Why is there a lack of interest in this class?

Yes, this is a very interesting class. They were built as Compounds, and I've often thought it would be great for somebody to rebuild one for operation in its original Compound form. If a loco is to be rebuilt (or newly built) as a demonstration, this would be a cheaper and more manageable project than a high-speed Duplex.

Tom

Having looked at about four of these over the years I will give you my observations on the C-57 locomotives.

One of the big reasons so many were preserved is they were some of the last steam operating on the UP and as such they were the last engines that were identified with the communities they were given to. Whether or not they were the engines requested by cities I can't saw but they were the last available for display.

As to why none operate I can say they contain some of the most interesting boiler repairs I have seen. patches on the back head sheet knuckle that are patch bolted to the knuckle and seal welded with a gas torch. Continuous patches on the bottom of the barrel the lap over the circumferential seam onto the patch on the preceding course. butt welded repairs to the valve gear and side rods. One still have a main axle that had the key-ways for the Stephenson valve gear showing wear from loose cams and possible welding. Driving boxes with enough slop for the rear drivers to wear into the wrapper sheet.

Some are better than others but it would be a serious restoration rather than a quick hydro and fire from the days of old.

I think they are very well proportioned engines and look good. But there are many 2-8-0's in service and economics of a tourist RR in central Nebraska are not good right now.

Why a high speed duplex?

"Make no small plans for they do not inspire the hearts of men"
Burnham

#618 has operated off and on at Heber, UT since 1970. It's currently undergoing 1472 day inspection and associated repairs, but there's a (very optimistic) target date of September for it being up and running again.

We have 264 (aka 6264 at end of steam) at the Nevada State Railroad Museum at Boulder City... under cover, cosmetically restored as a static display piece. We have no plans for an operational restoration. Locomotives of this class opened the Boulder City branch, so approprate and she is well loved if not used...

There are a couple of reasons...

1) In the case of 264, she has suffered while in preservation... The boiler was separated from the frame at some point, and is only sitting in place at present... the pistons and piston rods are missing, Some valve gear is missing, and she has had many of the hard to locate parts like injectors taken to support other preserved locomotives (before she arrived)... It would not be a cheap restoration. Descriptions of the repairs to other locomotives in the class are not unknown but we have not confirmed such issues... we would not start disassembly until we had a basic plan (including funding) to rehabilitate and reassemble... this is Nevada State Museum policy. We don't like locomotives in pieces on pallets in suspended restoration on site...

2) She is big for a tourist railroad locomotive... we run a typically 5-6 car train over a railroad with 1.5% grades... We are a diesel powered excursion (GP-30, NW-2, and a Fairbanks H 12-44... with a GE 80 ton center cab as back up...) The 264 is much larger than we need... I note we also have a Baldwin 90 ton standard logging 2-8-2... which is also thoroughly worn out mostly from previous tourist/preservation service but more complete... and if we wanted to run steam likely a better choice but still too large for our needs.

3) As for restoration as a compound... the C-57 class came from several orders/origins/builders but part of the story is that they all were rebuilt to a similar design, becoming a single common standard class... as a branch dating to 1930 (for construction of Hoover dam) we are looking for locomotives that might have operated here or are of that family... and the rebuilt common standard meets that criteria... a compound wouldn't and would complicate restoration...

As for steam on site, we have a 22 ton self propelled steam crane which is a candidate for operational restoration... as well as a 1896 Baldwin narrow gauge 2-8-0 in relatively good condition (based on initial inspection) but not (yet) on display or under restoration, as well as seeing annual operation of Markoff's Eureka... (Baldwin 4-4-0 1875)

Randy

#6264 was at Heber, UT with #618 for many years after being displayed at Corinne, Utah near Promontory. Some of the missing parts may have ended up being used on #618.

.

Just a note. UP #440 is no longer at Mid Continent. It was horse traded for Copper Range #29. The #440 is now cosmetically displayed in Antigo, Wi. Yes there were many odd repairs to both boiler and running gear that would of had to be addressed had a modern restoration been attempted. In this locomotives case the boiler, mainly firebox wrapper and a zillion flexible staybolts had rusted to bad that it was deemed to expensive to go after. It wasn't the best fit for the museums plans or then current mission statement where the CRRR #29 was a great fit. She had been stripped for boiler work in the mid 1970's and though most of the parts were and are still in existence she looked very derelict and was an eye sore. Her cab was off and damaged too. Not sure where the tender is or went to?

A local group in Antigo, Wi wanted to commemorate the importance of the CN&W RR on there town. It had been a division point with complete shop complex at one time and huge employer of the town. With no CN&W steam engines available at the time they chose to use the UP #440. They also put an old Milw rd water car behind her for a tender as CN&W never used Vanderbuilt tenders. They built a new cab, put jacketing on it and put her under a roof next to the depot in Antigo. It is not historical to the town or accurate but the locomotive looks great and the grass roots action of the town or the businessmen who took on the project have preserved the locomotive. Not accurate, but a whole lot better than a scrappers torch or to sit outside for another 40 years until the decision was to part it out or scrap it. Some will criticize what happened to her in this inaccurate state but I applaud the guys in Antigo for attempting and doing what they did with a truly eye sore looking locomotive. Didn't say I am in love with it, but having some history with that locomotive it was still a happy ending from my perspective. No one has to agree with me either.

Can't wait to see the #618 up and running. Need to get out there for a visit along with a dozen other places. Smooth sailing Mike on all your endeavors. Regards, John.

624 has rivets on the belly of the boiler that suggest that she too has the patch.

Randy

Note that this broad-ranging conversation includes at least two different classes of U. P. 2-8-0's.

Tom

[quote="Randy Hees"]We have 264 (aka 6264 at end of steam) at the Nevada State Railroad Museum at Boulder City... under cover, cosmetically restored as a static display piece. We have no plans for an operational restoration. Locomotives of this class opened the Boulder City branch, so approprate and she is well loved if not used...

There are a couple of reasons...

1) In the case of 264, she has suffered while in preservation... The boiler was separated from the frame at some point, and is only sitting in place at present... the pistons and piston rods are missing, Some valve gear is missing, and she has had many of the hard to locate parts like injectors taken to support other preserved locomotives (before she arrived)... It would not be a cheap restoration. Descriptions of the repairs to other locomotives in the class are not unknown but we have not confirmed such issues... we would not start disassembly until we had a basic plan (including funding) to rehabilitate and reassemble... this is Nevada State Museum policy. We don't like locomotives in pieces on pallets in suspended restoration on site...


Here we see a picture of the boiler off the Frame of 264 at Corrine in preparation to move to Heber! In April of 1980. This photo came off my FaceBook page "History of the train in Heber City Utah" Forum Member Parker Wilson posted it. (I had to heavily crop it to post it if you want to see the full image here is a link to my page.https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater)

Thanks for the image... it has been added to the locomotive's history file...

While we are not planning a operable restoration it is nice to know that there are so many similar engines out there... we can find parts to copy when (and if) the time ever comes.

Randy