Chicago Northwestern #1385 to Receive a New Boiler

hamster · **Posted:** Tue Sep 20, 2016 7:58 pm

Bobharbison wrote:

That said I think most folks would assume the boiler is original, as are the drivers and frame etc. It's like old cars, when you replace the engine, even with the same type engine, it's now a "restoration" rather than "original".

Whether that's good or bad is up to the party doing the work and the intended use. If you can find a 57 Chevy parked in a barn with 200 miles on it, you're presumably not going to drive it down the freeway on the original tires. But you might park it in a glass case like that.

If it was the LAST '57 Chevy it probably would be appropriate to park it in a glass case.

However, we are talking about a locomotive that is going to be used. Just like the C&NW used it. When the Cheap and Nothing Wasted superheated this locomotive, the "original fabric" of the of the original boiler was irretrievably lost. I am certain that the 1385 has had at least 4 fireboxes and probably as many smoke boxes in its long life. RIP "original fabric".

Let's simply allow the frame and running gear to provide the "original fabric" and move on.

The big · **Posted:** Wed Sep 21, 2016 6:35 pm

Why some museum (illinois railway museum or National railroad in Green Bay) can't take a option for save the CNW 175

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6469

Ten-Wheeler 175 is a rather historic locomotive. I believe she ran the last passenger train on the Chicago & Northwestern, prior to the later operations of sister R-1 #1385. The occasion was a fund raiser for the fledgling railroad museum in Green Bay and I believe it was a "by invitation only" trip at rather expensive fares (donations), in order to help with the start up costs for the museum. I'm not sure if 1385, or any other C&NW steamer, ran in regular service after the 175's trip. Perhaps someone could comment on that. Anyway, she deserves some TLC. Her present condition is very disappointing, to say the least.

Les

rjenkins · **Posted:** Wed Sep 21, 2016 7:50 pm

Tom Davidson wrote:

This prompted me to recall that one of the preserved NP 4-6-0's is displayed with a non-NP tender. I think it's number 1382 in Helena, and I think the tender came from a GN engine. If 173's current tender is appropriate, it might be nice to put it with the NP 4-6-0. I have no certain knowledge of this, nor the condition of any of this equipment. Maybe somebody else can chime in.

The tender displayed with Northern Pacific 1382 in Helena is not the engine's original tender, but it is the one she ended up with in service. I believe it originally belonged to one of the Northern Pacific Z class 2-6-6-2s, which were clones of the Great Northern L-2 class. Of course, if we're talking about a tender swap involving CNW 175, it would have been nice if 175 could have been paired up with 1385's old tender. Looking at the photos of 175 in her current condition though, it looks like the mismatched tender is the least of her worries.

HudsonL · **Joined:** Mon May 24, 2010 10:22 am **Posts:** 548

Quote:

The tender displayed with Northern Pacific 1382 in Helena is not the engine's original tender, but it is the one she ended up with in service. I believe it originally belonged to one of the Northern Pacific Z class 2-6-6-2s,

From NP Company records it looks like NP 1382 got a new tender in 1931.

I don't know without some digging if that is the same tender that it has now.

-Hudson

Tom Davidson · **Joined:** Sun Dec 29, 2013 6:07 pm **Posts:** 203

Does anybody know what NP engine was the source of C&NW 175's current tender?

Tom

rjenkins · **Posted:** Wed Sep 21, 2016 11:27 pm

Tom Davidson wrote:

Does anybody know what NP engine was the source of C&NW 175's current tender?

Tom

It was apparently last used with a rotary plow, but I'm not sure if that was always the case as tenders had a tendency to move around on the NP.

HudsonL · **Joined:** Mon May 24, 2010 10:22 am **Posts:** 548

The Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association has NP Tender Records.

If someone can supply the tender number I can look up it's history.

- Hudson

Tom Davidson · **Joined:** Sun Dec 29, 2013 6:07 pm **Posts:** 203

Even though that NP tender isn't quite right, and seems a bit too big for the R-1, it really wouldn't look too bad for a restoration companion to the engine. Certainly we've seen much more offensive compromises.

Tom

Dave · **Posted:** Thu Sep 22, 2016 11:57 am

It's the one you've got. Make it work.

mldeets · **Joined:** Thu Aug 05, 2010 2:06 am **Posts:** 381

To muddy the waters of "Original Fabric" even further - during the rebuild of the 1385 we have found driving boxes with numbers of at least 2 other R-1's stamped in them and the side rods on the fireman's side have at least 3 engine numbers stamped in them. Please define "original". mld

PS: To The big, I'm just glad we can trade thoughts & information. Don't worry about not writing English well, there are many who have more trouble than you and English is their native language....mld

The big · **Posted:** Fri Sep 23, 2016 10:48 pm

mldeets wrote:

PS: To The big, I'm just glad we can trade thoughts & information. Don't worry about not writing English well, there are many who have more trouble than you and English is their native language....mld

Is okay for me thanks i try to not use google too but is hard loll

For the question on the 1385
I not like the fact, the original boiler was get out for a new boiler 2015/2016 made

Get some pieces on the others R-1 just look the big boy 4014 in restoration on Cheyenne
the railway get trade some piece on others big boy for repair or rebuild in the 40s

found driving boxes with numbers of at least 2 other R-1's stamped on the 1385 is normal

steamfan765 · **Joined:** Thu Oct 24, 2013 8:30 am **Posts:** 181

For the question on the 1385
I not like the fact, the original boiler was get out for a new boiler 2015/2016 made

Get some pieces on the others R-1 just look the big boy 4014 in restoration on Cheyenne
the railway get trade some piece on others big boy for repair or rebuild in the 40s

found driving boxes with numbers of at least 2 other R-1's stamped on the 1385 is normal[/quote]

The answer for the new boiler would economics let ask you this if you a steam locomotive that saw many miles and it's over hundred years old would continue patching up that old boiler and have no idea how long that patch up would last or just replace with a brand new one that can give you another hundred years?

when you look at the big boy restoration the boiler is over seventy and I believe 4014 had a million miles on it and stored in a warm dry climate 4014 saw about 18 years so the boiler is in much better shape than 1385. 1385 had a much longer career and probably had a lot more miles on it than 4014. If I was in a situation like that I would make a decision that makes sense both mechanically and economically

The big · **Posted:** Sun Sep 25, 2016 11:12 pm

true i can't say you are not right the economic fact win vs the historic fact

But she can stay a U.S. National Register of Historic Places with a new boiler??

rock island lines · **Joined:** Mon Feb 17, 2014 4:20 pm **Posts:** 487

For folks who don't follow the steam team updates on the MCRM blog.

C&NW #1385 Status Update (Feb. 2017).

Quote:

C&NW 1385’s Boiler Design Review Meeting Held

Posted on February 9, 2017

A design review meeting was held at Continental Fabricators in St Louis, Missouri on Tuesday January 24, 2017. Members of Mid Continent’s 1385 Task Force were in attendance as were Gary Bensman of Diversified Rail Services, Steve Roudebush from SPEC Machine, and Brett Morley of Performance Engineering. The meeting covered all of the details necessary to build the new boiler as well as provided a platform for everyone involved in the design process to review the fabrication plan with the team at Continental.
...

More here: http://www.midcontinent.org/category/cnw-1385/

Chicago Northwestern #1385 to Receive a New Boiler

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