Check This Website Out if You Are Into Steam: Why Can't We Do This?

[Anonymous]

Good to see that Tornado is nearing completion - interestingly they're having the boiler made by in Germany at Dampflokwerk Meiningen, which handles a lot of heavy overhaul work for DB's museum fleet. Last I heard was that the locos involved in the Nurnberg museum fire were being sent there to see what can be salvaged and how long it will take.

[tree68]

While building any locomotive from scratch (without the benefit of a factory designed for that purpose) would be a challenge, it wouldn't be impossible.

I would think that if someone could assemble the appropriate equipment and technologies, it would be relatively simple to build just about any locomotive. With computer-based machining, turning out parts (or masters for parts) would be greatly simplified, given the necessary information about the original. Modern materials and techniques would allow a good looking, appropriate for a given railroad, safe, and functional locomotive to be produced.

Note that I didn't say anything about it being cheap.

On the other hand, legacy locomotives (preserved) would benefit from having a facility such as this, as they would be able to replace parts without finding another, similar engine to cannibilize. One "feature" of such a shop would be that it could/would serve as a repository for specs and drawings of steam locomotives, thus it could pull up the info on such-and-such a valve and turn out a new one.

It wouldn't be necessary for the shop to have every single machine, either. Having a network of facilities would allow for something like the automated machining to perhaps be "contracted out" to someone who might have the machine time available and would be glad to fill in those spaces.

Interesting concept indeed.

[samfp1943]

QUOTE: Originally posted by wallyworld

Any nominations?

http://www.a1steam.com/

Pretty Slick! Both website, and idea..Some years ago there was a scheme talked about in the magazine RAILWAY to actually build a brand new steam locomotive; Possibly a Pacific class, maybe a Merchant Navy type[?]. I don't know if that was accomplished, though. You have to give to the Brit Railfan Community, they have accomplished a lot in preservation and actually operating that equipment in the environment that is governmentally and privately controlled railroading.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Another worthy consideration would be a C&NW Class E, not exactly a light Pacific but it did run on a railroad with a lot of weight restrictions.

Coming up with the money and finding a shop that could do this work would be a real stopper on attempting such a project here.

[Anonymous]

an NKP K class Pacific, A nice size, classic design, and none were preserved.

I know, everyone wants a NYC Hudson, But thats a big locomotive, A NKP K is a nice manageable size.

[wallyworld]

Any nominations?

http://www.a1steam.com/