All-

The PRR T1 Trust is leading an effort to manufacture brand new Nathan 4000C injectors. We originally were just going to cast/machine one for ourselves, but as other groups heard about our efforts they reached out and wanted one.

These were the Cadillac injectors for the big engines and what majority of the running big locomotives today still use. Parts are nearly impossible to get. Ours will be C92200 bronze bodies with 17-4 Stainless Steel guts. All external connections will be standard pipe thread and dimensions.

We have obtained the original drawings of the injectors plus all the nozzle/cone options from 9,000 GPH to 16,000 GPH. We plan on starting the process in February and expect completion in 12-14 months. (mostly due to lead times at pattern shop and foundries)

We currently have 12 committed to after contacting everyone with big locomotives running or under restoration. If interested contact me at jasonjohnson1551@gmail.com

We expect pricing to be around $40,000/each and will require a 50% deposit with balance due at delivery. We do not expect to make another run after this.

Thanks
Jason

https://www.facebook.com/t1locomotive/v ... 663108031/
"Pennsylvania Railroad T1 Steam Locomotive Trust is at Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society.
2h
New Haven, IN ·
Just over a year ago, the T1 Trust set out on a bold mission: to find large injectors capable of feeding water into the boiler of the new PRR T1 #5550. The search came up empty—no new units existed, and those salvaged from museum locomotives were damaged, incomplete, or simply worn out.
Rather than settle, the team made a bold and controversial choice: build brand-new injectors from scratch. Not just any injectors—the legendary Nathan 4000c, known as the Cadillac of steam injectors putting up to 14,000 gallons of water in a boiler per hour. Led by General Manager Jason Johnson, the Trust sourced original drawings, consulted with mainline steam operators across the country, and launched an ambitious collaboration.
Operators of locomotives 765, 1225, 3985, 5511, 614, 611, 2716, and others joined forces to support the effort and share the cost. With the backing of this passionate group, the project officially kicked off.
Manufacturing was entrusted to Valv-Trol in Stow, Ohio, with key support from Huffman Machining and Eccentric Engineer. After months of intense engineering, casting, and precision machining, the first Nathan 4000c was installed on NKP 765—and on April 11, 2025, it fired up flawlessly under 245 psi of steam. It will now remain on the 765 permanently.
With one down and ten more on the way—including two for T1 #5550—the future of mainline steam just got a powerful upgrade.
Watch the video below to see the new injector in action on Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society 2-8-4 #765."
https://www.facebook.com/t1locomotive/v ... 2663108031

Congratulations to Jason Johnson and all those who subscribed to ordering new injectors.

This is an important piece of the puzzle towards keeping these mainline machines operating long into the 21st. century.

Ross Rowland

I am super happy and excited for this project. This is the kind of collaboration and big win that the preservation community needs. And its exceptionally exciting to see growing businesses led by a younger generation (i.e. Huffman Machining) carrying the torch and furthering what the community is capable of accomplishing.

I love to see it, great work to all involved.

Jason, you should consider sending a press release about an Akron-area company being involved in this project to the Akron Beacon Journal. They might do a story about it, and maybe an overall one about the T-1 project. I would start with local history reporter Mark Price. Just a thought.

So glad to see the T1 Trust contributing to preservation like this!

Any idea when Nathan made the last production 4000C? Maybe 1952 or 3? I imagine it’d be fairly rare that one had to be replaced, so once N&W stopped building steam, the demand disappeared.

I can testify that the 2 Nathan 4000's on the 614 gave us excellent service and zero problems. They were also more than capable of keeping up no matter how hard we worked her in 1985 puling the full tonnage ACE 3000 test trains.

The new ones will last more than a lifetime. Ross Rowland

https://www.facebook.com/cwhuffman01/po ... eiCgETAxul

"Chris Huffman
April 12
I think it was a little over a year ago when Jason Johnson asked if I would be interested in helping with a project. Little did I know that 14 months later, we would be where we are today. Bringing the first Nathan 4000Cs into existence since the end of steam. A massive undertaking to say the least.
When I started my machine shop, I really didn't know what I would end up doing. While I enjoy doing job shop work, these are the types of projects I really enjoy doing. It helps fulfill my commitment to helping keep steam preservation viable for the future, while helping so many different organizations at the same time.
So. Many. Parts.....and this is just the first one!
Pictures are roughly in chronological order, so you can flip through and see the progression from raw material to finished product!
Of course, this project would not have been possible without the vision of Jason and the T1 Trust, the injector expertise of Anthony Duarte, and the help of other good friends in the steam preservation industry as well as my material vendors and local friends who assisted.
I think I'm going to go to bed now."

58 photos and videos (at the link above) of the machining process for parts of the injector (too many to post here).

One thing to mention about Chris and his shop that I don't think is well known and I know he's too humble to publicize is that he's based in Avery Co, NC up in the mountains that were hard hit by Helene. I know at one point he had a washout of land on his property and was concerned he could lose his house and shop, then was concerned he'd be without power for months. He ended up being fortunate compared to many, getting power back earlier than expected and the ground stablilized. But it goes without saying he's faced some adversity in this project along with a whole hell of a lot of other folks in his area, and he's managed to overcome them.

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