More progress…boiler constructed and moved into the shop. My hats off to the Brits…One can only dream…
http://www.a1steam.com/mainmenu.html
That such a proposition even reached the construction phase, much less operation, is pretty amazing by itself. Respectfully, such a proposal would never get off the drawing board in the United States due to either lack of money or lack of suppliers of lots of parts.
The biggest problem here is , where do you operate it ? Insurance rates have made it almost impossible to operate a machine like this .
It is not just that, but boiler safety requirements mean that one must run the wheels off a locomotive in order to try to cover the cost of the work that has to be done when its boiler needs to be inspected and re-certified. Most steamers cannot make enough money out on the road before they have boiler work due again. And boiler specialists do not work cheap. IF one can be found at all. Granted, it is a necessary evil, in this day and age. For now we’d best run vintage diesels before the algores kill them like steam has been killed by costly safety requirements!
They oughta find some rails over here where they can run it. Then make a strong appeal for donations from steam fans in this country who’d like to be part of the excursions.
I’ll bet the Illinois Rail Museum would store it there permanently for them. [:D]
One other thing that’s overlooked , the supply of usable passenger cars is about gone. The focus has always been on the motive power therefore the passenger cars got practically zero maintenence and repair .
And Poppa zit … GOOD ONE !!!
Yeah, good one, PZ!
Maybe they could do a goodwill run across the United States, hitting all of the large and or historic rail centers. Just like they did with the steam train with exhibit cars during the U.S. Bicentennial. (was that the “Spirit of America”?)
Regarding the usable passenger car situation. I’ve seen many pasengers cars in storage near Bradenton, Fla. and in the main EJE Yard in Joliet. I’m sure there are others.
Retrofitting and restoring these would be cheaper than buying new, yes?
Close. It was the “Freedom Train”.
Don’t you believe it. Passenger car restoration is extremely costly, though on the upside they don’t require a specialist tradesmen that by and large doesn’t exist anymore (ie. boilermakers and valvesetters).
This falls under the category of “Wow! Is that ever cool.” It’s kind of a shame that something like this could never fly across the pond. There’s definately some classics that should have been preserved but weren’t that would be nice to see again (an NYC Hudson almost has to be at the top of that list). If only…
At any rate, best of luck to the folks that are putting this one together, and congratulations to all the Brits who’ll get to see her!
Over on the Railway Preservation News forum, Ross Rowland stated, which I absolutely agree with, it’s time for another Freedom Train…The rather ironic part of this development, is that his thread was deleted. The reason was one would suppose was a reference to current events.
Or maybe he was drunk when he said that…