After 59 years in retirement, ATSF 5000 will be returning to service in the near future!
http://www.railroadartifactpreservation.org/Steam-Restoration.html
Volunteers and donations are desperatley needed for the restoration to be a success!
It will be a sight to see the 2-10-4 on the mainline again. [bow]
Ahhh Gzzz…Another pipe dream…
I looked at his “to do” list. No mention of replacing the flues or staybolts in the firebox. So he must think all he needs to do is washout the boiler and he is “good to go”. He needs to get a relaity check. If he wants to see a 2-10-4 run again. Why don’t he put the money into T&P 610. It is prob. in better condition.
There is obviously a reason as to why they are restoring 5000 and not 610. And if you are working on a boiler, you would have to work on the staybolts and crownsheet anyway seeing how they are major pieces of equipment. Same with flues. No offense to you or anyone of the like, but there are a lot of RAILFANS who need a reality check. Steamtown working on 3713 for more than 10 years, there is a reason why it is taking that long. There is a reason why 5000 is getting restored and not 610. There is a reason why 630 is being used for NS’s steam program and not 611 or 1218. There is a reason why a Big Boy isn’t running while 3985 had a chance to become a Clinchfield locomotive for a period of time. There is a reason why 4449 was used for the AFT. There is a reason behind all of the choices made, and with the right crews and money, this could very well become a reality, so I don’t need you to run your mouth with me about how they should put money into 610 and not 5000. Again, there’s a reason 5000 is recieving the work, and not 610…
All right, now that that’s out of my system, time for my [soapbox].
I agree as well. Seriously who gives a hoot what the reason is? Anyone that wants to restore a steam locomotive has my support. It’s their money, time, and effort. The least we can do is support their cause not criticize it.
On a side note they made this announcement some time ago about the restoration. Sounds like a pretty solid organization to me with deep pockets. I am confident they will restore this locomotive to running condition again…
They have already started work on the locomotive by polishing the bell and ultrasounding the boiler and firebox. If bigger repairs are needed, they will perform them.
It sounds well planned to me, but as my dad says, the more you plan, the more that is going to go wrong. [(-D]
Just my two cents worth here: The reason, well two reasons the T&P 610 was dropped from the Southern steam program were firebox problems, severe erosion, cracks, what have you that precluded easy repair. It was going to take a major, major teardown to fix it. Secondly, and probably just as important, 610 couldn’t give the speed Southern wanted for the excursions at the time. Remember in those days they wanted 45mph running or more, preferably more, and 610 couldn’t do it. 610 was a freight hog after all and not a passenger speedster.
Certainly 610 could be brought back but someone’s got to come up with the “dust” and the organization. The low speed can’t be corrected however, the engine is what it is.
I am forgetting my ATSF history. Was 5000 called the Madam Queen? Remember reading that name was give as a place of honor to one ATSF steamer, but can’t recall which one.
Any Texas type up and running in the 21th Century is a bonus in my lifetime!
I thought the 610, although technically a freight wheel arrangement, was a super power example that was capable of fast freight speeds, and not what I would think of as a freight hog such as a 2-8-0, 2-10-0, or other dedicated freight engines.
I rode an excursion on the Rat Hole one time behind #610, and it must have been running 40-55 mph most of the time.
The 5000 has 69" drivers. The later texas class from them had 74" drivers. The 610 had only 63" drivers.
You are correct, the 5000 was also known as the Madam Queen, and it would be really cool to see this engine up and running.
Your supposition of 40-55 mph is correct. I checked the books on 610, specifically Jim Boyds book “The Steam Locomotive” and Jim Wrinns “Steams’s Camelot”, and 52mph is about the best they could get out of 610. Bear in mind this was in the '70s before the Southern steam program became the Norfolk-Southern steam program. The Southern wanted to run the excursions as fast as track conditions permitted. Mind you, all that changed after the Great Dismal Swamp excursion wreck of 1986 when a speed restriction of 40 mph was placed on NS excursion trains. Speed wouldn’t be a problem now for 610 except for one more thing:
610 was a “buggy” engine with chronic running gear problems, such as overheating journals that just wouldn’t stay fixed. Finally
Engines with smaller drivers tend to have the running gear balanced for slower speeds. The rods and related bearings are closer to the wheel centers than the counterweights, and the dynamics of circular motion mean that they can only be in complete balance at one specific speed. Drag freight engines, which presumably the 610 with 63" drivers is, are usually balnced for drag speeds. They can indeed go much faster, but the result is increased pounding of the track structure and also the bearings. That dynamic augment means much heavier maintenance on the engine’s running gear. The track forces will not be happy either. Quite possibly this explains why the 610 had the “chronic running gear problems” referred to by Firelock.
For running on a main line today, you need to have an engine designed for the typical speeds of the fast freights.
John
Well that sure is good they polished the Bell! However, if they have not yet removed the tubes/flues & superheaters, I wonder how the already ultrasound tested/inspected the INSIDE & OUTSIDE of the boiler, according to FRA requirements.
Also, as an aside, where do they plan to run this locomotive, if and when she is completely overhauled? A five coupled axle steam locomotive, WITH PLAIN BEARINGS on the axles, sure isn’t going to be welcomed on either BNSF nor UP.
Jack - Welcome to trains.com! [C):-)]
I think they only started the bell so that if the engine becomes too costly to restore to operating condition, they at least have an engine that has been cosmetically restored. They are also restoring the bell’s ringer motor to operating condition.
Ultrasounding the boiler? That was a mistake on my part. They have done the firebox, but not the boiler, at least not yet. The results from the tests done on the firebox are being processed.
This will never happen. Costs and limited places to run to name a few. The City of Amarilo is currently trying to sell the engine. Which I question the legality of. Some railroads and ATSF was one of them that provided the engines in a permanent loan status so long as those on the receiving end agreed to keep up, at least, the cosmetic maintenance/appearance.
But who is to say they shouldn’t try?
Considering that this thread was started 4 years ago and they are no closer to operating the locomotive today than they were 4 years ago - I have to que$tion how hard they are trying - especially with the city trying to $ell the engine out from under them.
??
?? That’s not much of a responce!
The steam Locomotive made this country. When it is put out to pasture, it should be shown a little respect.
Amarillo Texas doesn’t want it anymore. I doubt they ever wanted it. It was a low cost, high maintence obilgation.
They put a FOR SALE sign on it and a bunch of conditions that the local preservationists can’t and shouldn’t be expected to meet…
Value? The raidroads of yore donated many engines to cities across this land. They also sold many many more to the scrap furnaces. Has anyone considered why which went where?
Johnbill