The next few pics are all from Bogota Colombia South America. You can see all my steam pics from there at: Colombia Steam
In Kansas City today, a Katrina refugee. http://oddballsdecals.rrpicturearchives.net/pictures/10582/SP%20745.JPG
Russell, I went by this train a few times now. It's been there I think just about a week now. I thought maybe it had something to do with Katrina. It says "Louisiana Steam Train Association" on the puke green cars.
This was really a planned tour to commemorate the Bicentennial of the Louisiana Purchase visiting the lands that Thomas Jefferson bought from France. The locomotive was restored and the train put together for this before the storm hit.
They had driver bearing heat problems on the trip from NO to KC. Pulled the rods off. From that photo it doesn't look like the rods are back on. I guess she isn't going anywhere soon. Nice looking restoration.
NKP 765 on a test run on the CFW&E this past weekend after her latest rebuilding. Test were very promising.
From the Ft.Wayne Historical Society email.... NKP 765 ran live mainline test trips Saturday and Sunday on the Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railway. This is a Rail America property which operates the former PRR mainline through Fort Wayne. The test runs were eastbound from Fort Wayne (Adams Tower) and Van Wert, Ohio and return. Two round trips were operated each day. The test train consisted of the 765, our #701 tool car, and a dynamic brake equipped diesel unit to supply a simulated load for our locomotive. We were picked up by the NS at the east gate of Casad Depot which is the spur that serves our shop facility and delivered the 765 to the CF&E at Piqua junction on the old PRR. The CF&E added their diesel unit to our consist and we headed at once for Van Wert. Speeds were limited to 25 MPH for the first day. We wanted to give our expensive running gear bearings the opportunity to properly wear in. As the day progressed, the load was increased by adding dynamic braking from the diesel. Stops were programmed about every ten miles to take temperature readings of all the journal and rod bearings. These were entered into a spread sheet format in order to look for any trends developing in a particular bearing. We were very happy with the results. The bearings stayed around 30 degrees above the ambient temperature of around 40 degrees. The second day. speeds were increased to 40 MPH, which is the maximum speed allowed for this part of the CF&E. We totaled nearly 60 miles of running at 40 with the diesel generally in full dynamic and bearings remained cool. We totaled slightly over 300 miles during the two day period. The locomotive is very square. The exhaust timing is virtually perfect. A sharp, cracking, Lima exhaust. Grand! The ride is much smoother than the old days. With no pounds, knocks or other objectionable noises.
My money says that engine hasn't looked or ran better than the day it left Lima's erecting bay.... I am generally a western steam fan, but any steamer reborn is good news. Who owns NKP 765?
The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society owns her. This has been more of a complete rebuild than an overhaul. It has been in work for over 10 years. Another site quoted 13,000 volunteer manhours, I think. Rich Melvin, who has been running her for years, said she never ran better. Now let's hope she can get out on a mainline for an excursion this year.
Still stuck in St. Louis and not going anywhere soon. Would take some work to get the rods back on as the wheels seem to be a little out of step with each other. http://oddballsdecals.rrpicturearchives.net/pictures/11352/SP%20745A.JPG
Here's an oldie-but goody, straight from the Maine State Museum in Augusta: 0-6-0 "Lion", built in 1846 for use on the Machiasport & Haileyville in Maine. Originally ran on strap-iron rails (straps of iron on wooden beams anchored to stone blocks). It had a sister loco, the "Tiger", but alas this was the only one to be saved. One of the oldest steamers in the USofA.
