C&O 1309

[Falcus]

So, I hadn't heard anything about this locomotive till tonight. I apologize if this is old news.

I was looking at some of Deadpool's awesome screenshots, and he had the NYC berk from Co71, so figured Id check it out, found Co71 also had a hand in making some C&O 2-6-6-2s, watched the promo, and at the end of it, one of the youtube links pointed me at a Move done by the Western Maryland Scenic Railway to obtain and return to operation C&O 2-6-6-2 1309.....

Interesting as that is.... I then found this:

Awesome Video, I highly recommend watching to the End. Not everyday you get to see a Lowboy Railcar sag to just a few inches clearance off the Rails!

Also turns out this was one of the LAST Steamers built by Baldwin, ever....

Falcus

 

[bendorsey]

Gotta agree - it was awesome. Mucho thanks.

Make an interesting consist if the loco was available for Trainz and could be converted to a non-loco mesh. Special handling routing, slow speed orders, clearances, etc. Guaranteed to mess up a RR's schedule, lol.

Ben

 

[MeowRailroad]

I read about this in my Railpace magazine! it was really cool! At 1:01, those guys should have walked with slow motion or explosions behind them to increase drama.:hehe:

 

[jordon412]

C&O 1309 - Part 2

Well, I figured I post the sequel to your video. Note the dog at 2:24. I'd rather see 1309 let everybody know she's there instead of the dog.

 

[jordon412]

A little 'oopsie' on 1309's trip

Looks like they had a little 'oopsie' in Brunswick, Maryland:

 

[Falcus]

I like to see that WMSR is treating it alot more gently then the first museum was.... I worry about the Piston's after watching a different video of the museum that had it quite seemingly yanking it out of its berth with an SW going full tilt at times and still slipping wheels.... I think they were on a grade, but still....

I also wonder if WMSR is going to convert it to oil or if they have some kind of contract with someone to feed their other Beastie Coal.

Falcus

 

[bendorsey]

Another beautiful video. Thanks.

Just out of curiosity:
1. How far was the transport?
2. If short couldn't they have just towed it as it was (without disassembly) after a bit of oiling and greasing to the running gear?
2. Looks to be in pretty good shape (externally at least) so has it been stored inside?

Ben

 

[Falcus]

It was at the B&O Museum, I forget where that is exactly.... It spent most of its time outside, and if you really look at it you can tell. The B&O Museum seems predisposed to letting the larger artifacts (Bar the 2-6-6-6 Allegheny they have) sit out in the rain and weather so the dinky litting GrassHoppers and the Replica 1800's engines can have whole big service tracks themselves (They're in a giant old roundhouse. Only one I've ever seen with an Indoor turntable, except maybe the Truckee Turntable, but that was only "Inside" a snow shed...).

The problem with towing Steam locos is in 2 parts, and both have to do with their running gear.

The first is that alot of people either don't know how, or are ill-equipped, to pull Drive rods off between the Piston and Main Rods. If you don't do this, the cylinder's cycle with every rotation of the drivers, and the problem there is that, old rusty *maybe* oiled metal parts can cease and break and bend itself into all kinds of knots..... This has happened even after lots of prep oiling. The only way to ensure this doesn't happen is to restore the Cylinders before even moving the loco, and thats a much bigger pain then just pulling a couple rods (Or 4 in the case of an Articulated).

This brings us to the second issue. Bearings.... Alot of the more modern Steamers have fared quite well when being moved in this regard, benefiting from more modern Oiling gear, and in many cases from being left fewer years without fresh slatherings of Grease or topping off of Oil resevoirs. Not to mention the usage of Modern Roller Bearings (Questionable whether C&O Paid for those on such an outdated design or not). But again, it can still happen where a bearing has just gone too long without getting that grease in the correct spot and can heat up and damage itself. Theres a really nifty documentary done by the BBC where the city of Glasgow (England) asked for and received a Locomotive from South Africa that they had built nearer the turn of the 20th century (And in the process they moved it on its own wheels some 400+ Miles across the desert). In the case of 1309, you've 8 Axles, x2 for each side, xX# of bearings per axle.... Thats alot of chances for things to go wrong..... And that doesn't even count the tender.....

Falcus

 

[rlucas]

Glasgow is actually Scotland's largest city, about a hundred miles north of the border with England. I'll forgive you, but the citizenry of Glasgow wouldn't take very kindly to being described as English!

Richard

 

[bendorsey]

I'm familiar with removing the rods before transporting a loco. Did that here about a year ago to move an 0-8-0 from Homestead (south of Miami) to Ft Pierce. A trip of about 150 miles even though the loco was supposedly capable of running under its own power. I have my doubts about that even considering it looked in good condition when it went by locally. Going to use it in some sort of RR theme park I've heard.

Your correct of course. No matter how careful they might be prepping the "hasn't been moved in years" loco all it takes is one questionable part or missed location for oil and/or grease and you have a world of problems on your hands.

Wonder how long the prep job was on the 4-8-8-4 move?

On the lighter side what if they left the rods connected but opened the drain cocks? Can you imagine the whistling sound of all that air rushing in and out of the cylinders through those small drains, lol? Some would go in and out of the smoke box and stack of course.

Ben

 

[Falcus]

lol, I'm sorry rlucas & Every Scottish citizen thats ever been to a Pub! I should know better, my wifes from England. Alas, she doesn't screen my posts XD.

@Ben
4014 was prepped for a good 5+ Months in its resting place at Pomona before they even attempted to put force enough it to move it. They Knew they were gonna roll it on its own wheels, but they had the 844 Maintence crew out there pretty much daily for that whole time. They actually uploaded monthly progress videos on Youtube, and they should still be up if you go looking. They actually talk about some of the things they were doing to get it ready. Keep in mind though, 4014 was looked after at Pomona by two old Retirees that routinely oiled & Greased it, and polished it to boot (Or so its been said), so it was in very good condition too. And UP STILL spent all those months prepping it.

Theres another video of 611 being moved from one side of its parent museum to the other (I think they'd just gotten done building a cover for it or something), and because it was such a short move and 611 was known to be moderately well looked after when it was given to the museum (It had just gotten done with a major Overhaul IIRC when the NS Steam Program threw in the towel. Story of that Locomotives life. It gets fixed then people dump it), they didn't take the rods off. You could hear it chuff, even at 5 MPH, backwards, as it rolled pass the video, it was clear and audible. IIRC I've seen similar videos of 4449 and SP&S700, but Not sure.

Falcus

 

[bendorsey]

Very interesting - thanks a heap.

Ben