N&W locos in Roanoke scrapyard

[Anonymous]

I am involved in the making of a new full size mainline sized Atlantic steam locomotive here in the UK. Since my recent redundancy from my job as a design engineer / draughtsman I am able to offer my services to all sorts of heritage type projects including the new build that I am heavily involved with mentioned above. Surely there must be cash available and people in a position similar to mine that could take on the above locos in Roanoke. What is the problem with doing something about getting the above locos back in running order? To my mind there must be a lack of will-power or fear of getting dirty otherwise things would have happened by now, or am I out of touch with the latest developments? The locos appear to be in better condition than many that have been returned to mainline or preserved line usage over here. So please put me right and lets see some progress!

[TomDiehl]

I am involved in the making of a new full size mainline sized Atlantic steam locomotive here in the UK. Since my recent redundancy from my job as a design engineer / draughtsman I am able to offer my services to all sorts of heritage type projects including the new build that I am heavily involved with mentioned above. Surely there must be cash available and people in a position similar to mine that could take on the above locos in Roanoke. What is the problem with doing something about getting the above locos back in running order? To my mind there must be a lack of will-power or fear of getting dirty otherwise things would have happened by now, or am I out of touch with the latest developments? The locos appear to be in better condition than many that have been returned to mainline or preserved line usage over here. So please put me right and lets see some progress!

The biggest problem you'll have to deal with, if you DO manage to get the money and actually restore one to operation is "where will you run it?" Norfolk Southern (Norfolk and Western and Southern mreged some time ago) dropped their steam program a while back because they didn't want the tracks tied up with the excursions.

[daveklepper]

You might consider sending your resume and an example of your professional work with regard to a steam locomotive to the appropriate tourist railroads (those with steam operations) listed in the special recreational railroading suppliment of TRAINS that comes out once a year.  If you don't have a copy, the advertized operations in any TRAINS would be place to begin.

[Anonymous]

I have been looking at the posted replies and it seems to me that folk are put off by the supposed condition. The rods seem to be on the locos as are some of the fittings. A lot of fittings on American locos are more like industrial plant than those found on locos over here in the UK, so I imagine getting replacements may not be too bad. As to injectors etc. if one can find the drawings then all parts can be made. The N&W Historical Society have very good catalogued drawings available. I was a member for some time and have their CD of what is available. On the Bluebell Railway here in Sussex we have 2 amateur patternmakers who are first class and have made wheel patterns and cylinder patterns as well as injector bodies and ejector bodies. All these parts where possible are machined in our own workshops either by the payed staff or volunteers. The chap who is wizzard at making live steam injectors is actually a medical electronics engineer. It strikes me that it is too easy to find the problems rather than to find the answers. Our latest preserved loco rescued (the U class - see the Bluebell Railway website www.bluebell-railway.co.uk ) from the well known seaside scrapyard at Barry had a crankpin gashed through with a gas cutter and a boiler that British Railways started on but gave up on and virtually no motion rods etc.  - but you can see it running as I write. I think the preservation of these locos needs persuing otherwise you all will have absolutely nothing. As to places to run - why not Strasburg they already have an M1 so an M2 would make a good stablemate. Come on you guys get passionate and get moving!