Chinese QJ steam locomotives

[william6]

I read in another post that the two Chinese QJ locomotives owned by Iowa Interstate railroad are stored at Newton, Iowa. Why aren't they being used?  Did they fail to perform the way intended somehow? too expensive to operate? too dificult to use or just what? I hope they are stored inside, for their sake.Very wet weather here in Iowa for the last year or more.

[fredswain]

They are stored inside. They are in a 2 stall engine house adjacent to the intermodal facility NE of Newton. I don't know that they've run in the past year but they were out in late 08 for a few public relations trips including a couple of revenue freight runs. They are quite well cared for.

[carknocker1]

[switch7frg]

     With the initial cost + shipping ~~~ one would hope they were well cared  for. Some folk have more money than they know what to do with. LOL                       Jim

[dknelson]

For some of us, one of the memorable railfanning events of the decade was seeing a steam triple header storming across northern Illinois -- the two QJs and Milwaukee Road 261, in a blatant display of excessive horsepower!

Dave Nelson

[nwo4rf]

Amen!!! Now that 261 has its ownership problems behind them......May be we will see a repeat performance!!!!!! I hope I hope I hope!!!!