Steam engines to help with Katrina relief

[Anonymous]

The logistics of keeping a steam engine fed and watered in such an evironment would be a nightmare..... It's amazing what the UP steam crew goes through just to get across the country with 3985 or 844. They take everything they need for simple repairs and maintainence (lubricants etc..) but still rely heavily on local support for clean water, and I have no idea how they deal with procurring fuel. Obviously clean water of such quality as to run in a boiler is not available most of the flooded areas....

[jchnhtfd]

Big_boy has it, and if you read the news you will see that the majors are getting under way pretty fast. Really kind of amazing...

But I wouldn't run any engine over track that had been flooded; too much chance of making a bad problem worse.

[dknelson]

I believe it is true that the CB&Q used its exhibition steam engine, 4960 (now at the Grand Canyon RR) to move cars during a 1960s Mississippi River flood, perhaps at Savannah IL, that would have shorted out traction motors, but not for an extended period and the water was not as high as in N.O.
Dave Nelson

[Big_Boy_4005]

If the waterlogged track doesn't give way under the weight of a steam engine, it would be a miracle. Nobody who owns a steam engine is going to risk it. Neither are the railroads. Trains will get to the city when the water goes away and the track is inspected. It is just that simple. It may be days.

[Tulyar15]

Nevertheless, they could still be able to help for a certain amount of time. Steam locos are remarkably robust. In Scotland the loco that went down when the Tay bridge collapsed in 1879 was recovered from the Tay Estaury and ran for another 20 years.

[arbfbe]

The steam engine has no traction motors to short out in the water but the roller bearings on the locomotives and freight cars would become contaminated by being submerged in the water and would have to be changed out before moving too far.

[BNSF_GP60M]

There was a post within the last few days that Class 1's should send relief to New Orleans but that water and traction motors don't mix. However, wasn't a CBQ steam engine leased by I think Texas & Pacific (in the 60's of 70's) to haul trains through floodwaters. Couldn't relief come in the size of MILW 261 or some other large engines? Just a thought.