Rare footage of a rotting away GTW 5629, in July 1983

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

I never knew there was footage of 5629 in storage before it got cut up. May that locomotive rest in peace.

Worst of all, I cannot believe that so many people blamed Metra for this when it was not their fault. The whole railfanning community basically fell for one of the biggest hoaxes of all time.

I do hope that one day, someone can find the blueprints of this locomotive and build a replica of this locomotive. Maybe that can be a suggestion to the same people that are running the T-1 Trust.

2

Two problems. 1. The freight railroads don’t like running steam excursions, exception being the UP running their own. 2. Liability insurance is prohibitively expensive.

3
  1. There was an article several years ago stating that the owner was a big part of the problem. There was no “hoax”.
  2. The T1 Trust will have enough on their hands with the T1.
  3. The PRR has a huge following and the T1 has cult status. The GTW and their Pacifics have neither.
  4. The was nothing preserved remotely like the T1. There are several preserved CN/GTW Pacifics.
4

I’m sure the OP knows all the stories about Dick Jensen.

Cb&Q 5632 is worth several GTW 5629s as a ‘replica’ redress. But there are other ‘priority’ test engines in line ahead of either: the original NYC 999 with its unusual firebox and a Milwaukee A 4-4-2 near the top.

I consider a NYC C1a to be an interesting follow-on, “justified” in part by its being a ‘corrected’ version of the T1 being so exhaustively re-created. Looks very similar to the Niagara so many people ‘want to see built’, and uses almost the same boiler to simplify a later Niagara project.

I’m all for seeing somebody subsidize a J1 Hudson built in China. And any ‘clones’ produced from the tooling afterward. It just isn’t a project necessary to disprove issues with the designs.

5

Where do you think these reproductions would actually run, if anywhere?

I saw or ran behind 5632 twice. Great engine. Unfortunate loss.

6

For records, the MxV (formerly TTCI) Fast Loop.

The T1 Trust already has several letters of intent to run. The locomotive is actually comparatively small as a 4-8-4, and the effect of the longer rigid wheelbase is not really that severe. I do not expect insurance would permit any of the engines I mentioned being operated at high speed in ‘excursion’ service, and of course neither the 999 or the Milwaukee A would comfortably handle the length of train that would ‘break even’ with sensible fares.

An important point about any of those prospective projects is that they involve the need to build an actual replica to prove performance, rather than just a multiphysics model, 3D rendering, or digital twin. If the T1 never turns a wheel in high-speed passenger service it will still have fulfilled the stated purposes for which it was financed and undertaken.

7

It seems rather silly if that’s all the engine can do
Steam engines were built to operate, haul passengers or freight, not just to run around on a test track to settle bets. Restored steamers in the UK or Germany get to operate on regular routes.

8

The T1 was replicated to settle whether it was a boondoggle or not. And to recover as many as possible of the ‘lost’ arts involved in building large American steam power. It was not really intended to ‘break Mallard’s record’ or be peddled to Amtrak as a sort of plandampf passenger engine, and while it was expected to help ‘earn its keep’ with photoshoots, there was and is no expectation that excursions are a necessary part of the locomotive’s support.

9

Many of the main people behind the effort probably won’t even be around to see it run.

10

So another boondoggle to settle a boondoggle argument among a small group of arguing doggles.?

11

The Fort Wayne group seems to have no issues running the NKP 765. And they are confident that they will be able to do the same with the refurbished NYC Hudson.

1 Like
12

Good to know. Thanks.

On the Cuyahoga, only 10-15 mph. Not sure on Indiana Michigan line.

The Ft. Wayne group is conducting a restoring of their Mohawk. No NYC Hudson exists, afaik.

1 Like
13

Yep, oops. My bad.

Regardless of speed, they still are operating a main line steam. Metra has been accommodated to them in the past.

14

Good to know!

15

Very valuable to note who has succeeded in working with the carriers (Fort Wayne, Kentucky Steam, Nashville Steam (Dixie 576) and who has trouble. While I doubt we’ll see a return of Ross Rowland’s running 79mph on an active NJT commuter line, there’s plenty of ground for relationship building when reasonable operating guarantees can be offered – and held to.