Ok first off I know this is out of left field, but I was looking over Pictures of the 765 on Railpictures and noticed that the tender plainly shows as still having friction bearing boxes. I know with how picky railroads are getting with Insurance and the general issue of not really wanting to run steam powered trains on there line, mainly I guess due to the historical state of most of the equipment. The worry that hot bearings or failed equipment may hold up there revenue trains and the all mighty dollar. I know that historical groups who are fortunate enough to take on large scale projects and to pull them off like a steam locomotive “resurrection” or passenger equipment rebuilds must be thinking about safe and dependable finished products that they intend to run while staying with what is most historically accurate. Example Friction bearings on main lines, don’t thank so. Most private car owners are clamoring to pick up and convert to rollers to stay out and moving around. How about Steam Locomotives, Example lets get back to the 765, does the Tender still have friction bearings under it? Or have they been turned out so that roller bearings can be concealed inside. How about lead and trailing trucks? I know some Locomotive owners even those on a "Budget" for example like Jack Showalter in Stanton VA mostly a one man operation has converted his Steam Locomotives over to having Rollers in the boxes in the trailing trucks and tenders. Is this considered when rebuilding a Locomotive? Is it required when possible? I know most drivers don't have rollers, what is considered an improvement made for operation and what is not done to remain historically correct. I don't know much about this topic; I noticed that the 765 looked great in the photo's, just wondering if there were rollers under there any where? Feel free to fire away any answers or guidance are welcome. Thanks!

The 765 has Timken roller bearings on the pony truck and the driver axles. The trailing truck and the tender axles run in friction bearings.

Friction bearings are no problem at all if they are properly serviced and maintained. Those bearings have never been a source of trouble on the 765. Friction bearings served the railroads of America for over 100 years and did just fine...provided they were properly serviced.

The main reason they are not permitted in normal interchange service today is because the railroads no longer have the infrastructure or the personnel to support servicing and maintaining friction bearings. Most younger car inspectors have never even SEEN a friction bearing! Historical equipment, such as the 765, is exempt from the rule. In addition, we take care of our own servicing and maintenance on these bearings, thus relieving the operating railroad from that responsibility.

You might be surprised at how many steam locomtives currently operating run friction bearings on ALL axles...even the drivers.

Thank you for your answer, and explanation about Friction Bearings and Roller Bearings on operational historic Locomotives. I knew that the infrastructure to service, inspect and maintain Friction bearings has long disappeared on main line carriers like wise it was good to hear what and how the 765 is equipped. Honestly I'm not surprised how many locomotives still have there Friction Bearings I was more interested to hear how the groups work with them through exemptions and thorough servicing. I my self am aware that Friction bearings served our country well for many years. Even in the 1990's I was moving Heavyweight cars around the east coast on triple axle friction bearing trucks and had no problem. Like you say and I agree the older technology works just fine as long as you stay on top of it and your locomotive is an impressive example. The 765 looks outstanding! Thank you again for your reply and answers. Steve

Rich,

Have you ever considered converting the remaining axles to roller bearings? I worked for the N&W in Bellevue in 1983 and was there when the 765 was serviced prior to be leased to the Southern to fill in for the ailing C&O 2716. General Foreman Clarence Williams (a former NKP machinist) gave the engine a thorough once-over. Among the things he wanted fixed before we sent the engine south was to have the journals on the trailer truck axles turned as they were noticeably pitted. We moved 765 to theBellevue roundhouse (which was not in use at the time, having just been replaced by the new diesel shop) and I supervised the two old former NKP machinists who dropped the axles. The axles were shipped to a GE shop in Cleveland for turning. I believe GE also supplied new or re-babbited bearings to go with the axles.

Later, I heard that GE could have converted the axles to roller bearings for significantly less than the cost of machining the journals and providing new journal bearings. Now, this may have been a typical RR shop tale, but it did make me wonder.

Any idea if this was true, and do you plan on keeping these axles on conventional bearings for the forseeable future?

765 looks great.

Question: Any ideas where you guys might run 765 next season?

Regards,
Trevor H.

As per the website under Operations, we are looking into the possibility of operating excursions in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.

Rich'll splurge on the details when the time is right as he is the Operations man.

Thanks for the information- good luck with the negotiations.

Regards,
Trevor H.