OK, I am reading Railroad and Railfan magazine or what ever it is called last night and I come accross this news release.
It is something to the effect that the Iowa Interstate Railway is buying two chinese steam locomotives and will be testing them in freight service?
Is this someone’s idea of a joke?
Gabe
More Chineese exports? Was that the April issue by chance?
Preservationism sometimes borders on nutso.
It’s amazing how people will try to justify living in the past. This seems to me to be just the latest example
I don’t know if it was the April issue. It was in the news section though.
I don’t know if preserving steam is nuts–even from a financial perspective.
Gabe
Gabe: Sometime in the last few months there was a thread that dealt with this topic, although I have not found as of this time, but it dealt with the story of some investors
( and I think partial owners, of the IIR, who did purchase some of the latest (and last to be built) Chinese Steam Locomotives, Class was “Q” something,or other, they are 10 wheel series, poss 2-10-4’s but I am not completely sure of the Whyte wheel arrangement.
When I find it I will post it, but maybe someone with a better memory can help me out.
Thanks,
Sam
And where were these people when every last New Haven steamer of a vast fleet, was scrapped? Not to mention most first generation diesels, and all but 2 VGN EL-C’s the NH had - not one original NH elec survives…
Now we have to import our history? 
HEy any excuse to get 2 new steam lokies INTO this country is a GOOD excuss!
Sam-
Jim Wrinn started that thread.
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=63780
As an adendum to this topic and information for some steam fans here is a web site from the UK that proposes a new Steam engine design, if you have not seen it previously:
http://www.5at.co.uk/
Proposed Advanced Technology Class 5AT 4-6-0 Steam Locomotive
Outline drawing of the 5AT locomotive as prepared by David Wardale in January 2005 after completion of the FDCs, incorporating visual changes resulting from the outputs of those calculations. [See “The Locomotive” page for a before-and-after comparison.]
Looks like the drawingf will not copy over.
Sam
What really caught my attention was the allusion to freight service.
Gabe
Thanks, Dale:
You are right on target[8D][8D][8D]
Sam
I’ve seen pictures of other popular steamers on what was captioned as a “revenue run”, depicting 10-15 assorted freight cars on a trip. My gut suspicion was that the operators were using the opportunity as an excuse to gain access to the rails.
Evidently the liability is a sour note with the major lines, so to butter up some of the smaller roards with useful work might be a point of entry for the excursion operators.
Freight service? Doubleheaded steam on doublestacks! Containers full of more traditional Chinese merchandise, no doubt. Maybe by the time they arrive, Walmart will have taken over one of those BNSF or UP intermodal facilities in the Midwest. Too late; they already have. Hope the crew waves as they steam past Portland or San Bernardino with a string of revenue on the drawbar, while the likes of 700, 4449, and 3751 watch and wonder when their next little dog and pony trip to the local art festival will be.
Take a look at this link.
http://english.people.com.cn/200201/15/eng20020115_88682.shtml
Maybe this is what they are referring to.
I am waiting for the ship to come in, and going to try and grab a few shots of them.
They should hit the Port of Houston soon.
Keep in mind these are not rebuilt “historical” locomotives that will need a lot of TLC, but daily drivers that were part of the mainstay of the Chinise fleet.
From a public relations point of view, it should be a fantastic deal.
Ed
Looking at it from a purely economic standpoint, it’s theoretically not crazy to put steam back on the rails. Coal is cheap, Oil isn’t, it’s as easy as that. However, there are many many practical cost concerns to deal with: watering, upkeep and a host of other problems. IF we are going to get steam back in mainline service, there will need to be a great many changes made to old designs to keep them up to par with modern diesels. Remember why steam was nixed in the first place.
Large-scale electrification will happen before steam returns as king.
Cheers!
~METRO
We have a few steam being restored that will do the job well.
I do agree with the “Import History” sentiment. I feel the same way sadly. Maybe Im old school but there has to be lots of steam sitting around the nation that can run with a good rebuild.
Too bad no one wants to restore them they way the Chinese built new ones.
I recall when 844 comae thru last week, people were asking us why were all around that crossing, I said “Steam train coming” they say “What’s steam?” mind you this is like several generations away from the days when steam was king.
When that 844 showed up some of the folks can only stand there gaping at the beast as she walked thru in a fine style.
How about you keep us alert to them, Ed, thanks in advance!
According to a post on an Iowa Interstate e-mail list, the ship is expected to dock June 4. They will be placed on flat cars and taken to the Quad Cities. There they will be fired up and tested on freight runs from there to Bureau and back.
The engines were said to have been shopped in China and made FRA compliant. The steam up and test is to show the FRA, and any potential buyers that they are OK for operation. After the testing they will be put into storage, If I remember right, in Newton, Iowa.
Rail Developement Corporation that owns the IAIS are the owners of the two, with option to buy 3 more. It sounds like if RDC can find buyers for them they will sell them, if not possibly they will be used in excursion service on the IAIS. What I’ve read, RDC is kind of vague on what long term usage will be if no one else wants them.
Jeff
Good deal,
I work Sunday morning.
If they get off the ship and intot he yard that day, I should be able to get some photos.
I will hassle the trainmaster on duty to see if he can get some shots also.
Ed