Let’s hope that the next BIG lottery win goes to a railfan. [:D] I know that I would put some serious money into building some missing steamers, believe you me. The question is though, who could do it and is the blueprints still with us to be used?
Milwaukee Road class A and F-7 would the first that I’d bring back from the dead. How much would a locomotive like this cost to build new today you think??
Nice avatar…Anyways, around 150,000$ roughly is to buy a working F-unit if you look on the web. But if we rebuilt one, I would have to say 75,000$.
From idea to a useable and operating engine I would say no less than $3 million. Even with all the necessary blueprints I would say this would need a considerable amount of research work.
And the question is if it is AT ALL possible to build a 100% identical engine like those from decades ago. And if it is, next question is if it is AT ALL sensible to do so. A knowledgeable person (regularly having to do with steamers) told me that we don’t have a plant being able to cast engine frames. Here for example it would probably be cost effective to use a welded contruction instead.
I think if one day somebody will decide to do such a risky experiment, that he should build an engine as modern as possible - looking as close as possible like its original prototype. BTW, the PRR S1 would get my vote at first.
But I don’t think this will ever happen. One or perhaps two more generations - and the interest in steam engines (perhaps aside from models) will be lost…
having a plant big enough to cast an engine bed isnt the problem you think it might be…with enough money any forge or casting company would be willing to cast whatever you wanted…given the blueprints and plan drawings machining would be the same…money does almost anything…and i agree with modernizing the steam locomotive…propane fired condensing multi-cylindered highhorse powered streamlined whatchacallit…or a pennsy T-1
Aren’t the two steamers at Prometory replicas? Doesn’t that show it CAN be done?
Modernization need not change character. Look at what Grand Canyon is doing!
When I last looked, 3001 was an L3a.
M636C
Would it be possible to have the frame casted in eastern europe, or China since they built steamers long after the US had completely deiselized? Which was the biggest frame ever casted in the US, and is welding that advanced and strong today that it could work for large steamlocomotive as NYC Niagara for example? Could you use the ship building industry?
Probably not because no foundry outside the US ever casted steam locomotive frames, or even loco frames in general. The ship building industry MAY be able to fill that gap. Other than that there are steam locomotive shops in Europe being able to build what you want.
The largest locomotive frame ever was that of the incredible PRR S1 6-4-4-6 duplex. Welding has experienced great improvements since decades, but concerning strenght of a construction a complex casting will never be equalled I think. But keep in mind that a steamer today is used only ocasionally and not 1000 miles a day - for the case of the Niagara. So a welded frame may provide sufficent strenght.
Thanks for the info…
One more thing comes to mind regarding the frame: even David Wardale would prefer the monobloc type (=casting) for his new 5AT. Only if this is not possible to get he would go with a very strong welded box contruction.
Let’s hope that this project will come to reality one day.
Yup, the 2 steamers at Promontory in northern Utah are both replicas. They sell a book there showing the building of one of those replicas. I don’t recall the company that constructed them. I wasn’t able to see the steamers [:(] when I was there this past Feb. on a weekday. The folks there were shorthanded and weren’t able to escort me to the enginehouse to get up close and personal [:D] They bring them out on the weekends and recreate the Golden Spike ceremony.
Mike