The PRR 299 is a Panama Conal Construction Locomotive which was made in ALCO's Cooke Works, Paterson, NJ in 1904. It is a 2-6-0 of the typle called a "Mogul." In 1979 the locomotive was donated to the Paterson Museum which is where it sits today. The locomotive is open to the public; it is quite possible to climb into the cab and see what the engineer and fireman once saw. And climbing into the cab is exactly what I did today. Unfortunately, once you get into the cab many of the parts are missing. It would be nice to believe they are put away somewhere for safe keeping but what seems more likely is that they have been taken as souvieners. Over the years the weather has done its job. The locomotive is not protected from the weather and has seriously rusted in places. Will it continue to rust away? I hope not.
Here is a link to a technical description of the 299: http://www.czbrats.com/Builders/engine299.htm
The Paterson Museum is located at 2 Market Street, Paterson, NJ. It is a 15 minute walk from the Paterson Railroad Station.
It's a shame most steam is only partly preserved - only part of it isn't rusted away!
Just wondering, at this point does it make more sense to paint over the rust or just replace a piece?
You can paint over the rust, but unless the "cancer" is gotten rid of it's going to continue. As the saying goes, "rust never sleeps."
Like a lot of things stored or displayed outside, unless the maintanance and vigilance is constant by the time the problem's noticed and taken care of it's almost always too late.
If you want to see panic, wait until the boiler jacketing's rusted through and the asbestos insulation starts leaking out. Watch out brother!
eagle1030at this point does it make more sense to paint over the rust or just replace a piece?
According to a link on the link I posted students from Mountain Lakes High School and Paterson's John F. Kennedy High School scrape and repaint the locomotive from time to time. There is also a second locomotive but I was only able to memorize identify details from the first one.
From the outside the locomotive looks in reasonable shape to a casual layman observer. But I suspect crucial areas such as the places where the connecting rods are joined to the pistons and the wheels have serious deterioration. And when I climbed inside I found gaping holes in the decking.
I appreciate the efforts of the local high school students. But I think they need the help of someone who understands the proper maintenance of a steam locomotive to better direct their work. And of course it is not a fault of the students that these locomotives have been left out in the open air.
Firelock76Like a lot of things stored or displayed outside, unless the maintanance and vigilance is constant by the time the problem's noticed and taken care of it's almost always too late.
Part of the sad story, Firelock, is that there is no reason, absolutely no reason to store these locomotives outside. The Paterson Museum is housed in the old Thomas Rogers (later ALCO) locomotive works. There are over a dozen hugh double doors to allow locomotives to pass through after they were constructed. What would have to be done is to take these two locomotives and, using the existing doors, put them inside the museum. There are 3 floors above the present museum where displays in the museum could be moved. Many displays are small and could easily be relocated. Once inside the museum proper restoration could be begun as money was available but further deterioration would be halted.
In short, the locomotives could be moved inside the building where they were built in the first place.
Certainly, move the locomotives inside. I'm surprised no-one thought of that to begin with.
The more I think about it, Firelock, the more surprised I am that no one has ever considered this.
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