For those of you scratching their heads...
The original "Big Alice, the Goon" was a character from the Popeye the Sailor comic strip (called Thimble Theatre) during the 1930's. It wasn't much of a stretch for those no-nonsense blue collar railroad guys to turn a pretentious name like "Aeolus" into "Big Alice."
Docter.... You forgot the nickel plate road 4-6-4 in the transportation museum of saint Louis.
BuslistSo let's see I've contributed more than $15K to IRM projects,
Then you should have no trouble providing that URL to the organized 3007 campaign you claimed was going on, and that you had donated to, should you? Anything else, while perhaps laudable, is not germane to the discussion here.
Since you are so well connected at IRM, can you tell us how much has been earmarked specifically for this restoration so far?
Restoring an existing (and proven) steamer should be a lot cheaper and easier than building and running a brand new T-1 with all its bugs.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
Headline from TRAINS Newswire of July 9th,2015
Wizlish Buslist you can contribute to the 3007 fund at the IRM store. It's already up and taking contributions, including mine Thank You! You'd better provide an explicit URL -- the IRM store on the Web is clueless about the existence of a "3007 fund". I hope that's not the best you can do substantiating an actual plan to restore and then operate a Burlington Hudson. There's been plenty of foam, including this video from 2010 which also purported the idea that IRM was going to restore 3007 to operation: Alas, the link to the 'organized restoration', whatever it might have been then, is no longer available, and I really didn't have the heart to go to the Wayback Machine to see what it consisted of. (At least the organ music is good, even if the video poster didn't think so!) I don't have nearly the interest in something like 1630 (which IRM actually does say they plan to 'restore to operation') -- and until further notice I'll be spending my available dollars on something modern and interesting and in an advanced stage of being professionally done, like 3713 or 2926, or that has actual, demonstrated organizational support, like MEC 470. But those efforts have little if any particular 'crossover' of interest or support with the T1 group, at least at their current levels of operation; and in any case the T1 group transcended the 'send in your $25 for the blue-sky fund' level of activity a very long time ago (even if some of their 'official' publicity approaches still seem a bit wacky at times). I repeat: when you can demonstrate the same level of activity for the 3007 project that the T1 organization is currently engaged in, come back and we can start to discuss what you think might be 'silly'.
Buslist you can contribute to the 3007 fund at the IRM store. It's already up and taking contributions, including mine Thank You!
You'd better provide an explicit URL -- the IRM store on the Web is clueless about the existence of a "3007 fund". I hope that's not the best you can do substantiating an actual plan to restore and then operate a Burlington Hudson. There's been plenty of foam, including this video from 2010 which also purported the idea that IRM was going to restore 3007 to operation:
Alas, the link to the 'organized restoration', whatever it might have been then, is no longer available, and I really didn't have the heart to go to the Wayback Machine to see what it consisted of. (At least the organ music is good, even if the video poster didn't think so!)
I don't have nearly the interest in something like 1630 (which IRM actually does say they plan to 'restore to operation') -- and until further notice I'll be spending my available dollars on something modern and interesting and in an advanced stage of being professionally done, like 3713 or 2926, or that has actual, demonstrated organizational support, like MEC 470. But those efforts have little if any particular 'crossover' of interest or support with the T1 group, at least at their current levels of operation; and in any case the T1 group transcended the 'send in your $25 for the blue-sky fund' level of activity a very long time ago (even if some of their 'official' publicity approaches still seem a bit wacky at times).
I repeat: when you can demonstrate the same level of activity for the 3007 project that the T1 organization is currently engaged in, come back and we can start to discuss what you think might be 'silly'.
So let's see I'v contributed more than $15K to IRM projects, as well as helped arrange for 2 vehicles to be donated in the last few years and spent countless hours stripping paint and repainting a number of cars: your experience and contributions?
Of course the 1630 is out and running as well as the E5 and the Nebraska Zypher out on several main line trips. A good example of what well directed contributions can accomplish, not some in 2030 maybe project might accomplish.
I know that they have discussed testing the T1 with the head business guy at Pueblo and he has set them straight on the cost of testing and and an the cost of an instrumented wheel set, probably why their estimate is now pushing $20M. But as he pointed out to them the rules and requirements today are likely to be very different in 2030, their projected completion date.
4000 is definitely a better candidate for operating restoration, imho -- and was given the Scott Lindsay treatment a decade ago.
It took some digging, but here is the website of the group that takes care of her -- note that the principals have their telephone and e-mail numbers proudly listed. A hint to the wise is sufficient if you want to set up to finance restoration to operations...
http://www.4000foundation.org/about-us.html
For those interested in the streamlining, there is this PDF link.
I do have to say that the Aeolus treatment is FAR more like the Crusader than 'sweater girl' 490 is! And personally I still think it is hard to reconcile that cab arrangement with anything streamlined or sleek; even with the shrouding applied: it gives something of the same 'cobbled together' vibe that the Milwaukee F6 has -- in both cases belying the very fine high-speed performance provided by the locomotives. Where were Loewy and Kuhler when they were needed?
Ok I have never seen her - BIG ALICE THE GOON!
Thats right - Ron Ziel had her picture in Twilight of Steam way back in 1966 - there in the rail yard was the last thoroughbred Burlington "hudson."
Once glistening in stainless steel streamlining - fluted to look like a "Zephyr" - replete with roller bearing side rods - there she was - BIG ALICE THE GOON! I studied the black and white picture hoping to see her myself in the Gailsburg Yard yet, but she was gone.
Burlington Railroad was caught up in the light weight stainless steel passenger craze - Zephyr's they called them - California Zephyrs - fast diesel powered and light weight. Wonderful and new designs foreign to the operating department which was still set on steam locomotion - they caught the fancy of the press. Diesel Powered stainless steel Zephyr's in stainless steel. The last one could be seen for years at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Diesel Zephyrs!
BIG ALICE THE GOON - they called her - Burlington Railroad named her AEOLUS - GREEK GOD OF THE WIND - shop workers called her BIG ALICE! She was built for the Burlington as standard "hudson" passenger power - big western power in 1930. When the streamlining diesel craze hit CB&Q 3002 was chosen out of the 12 "hudson" locomotives for special treatment in stainless steel. CB&Q 4000 aka CB&Q 3002.
She was a Burlington 4-6-4 hudson - taller than those of the New York Central but just as much to be desired for fast passenger work - reported to run on one load of coal from Chicago to Denver and capable of 112 mph - good speed for a "hudson." Burlington streamlined two of them for replacement California Zephyr power and surprisingly built a third engine brand new in the company shops. The first was CB&Q 4000 aka CB&Q 3002 - the second was new built CB&Q 4001 - and the third was CB&Q 4002 aka CB&Q 3009.
BIG ALICE THE GOON - CB&Q 4000 - is still with us - gone is the stainless steel streamlining but could they ever hide those "high heel slippers." There she sits in a La Crosse, Wisconson Park replete in her Boxpolk center drive wheel with light weight roller bearing side rods from the days of really fast passenger work.
One of three remaining American high speed passenger "hudson" locomotives left CB&Q 4000 - really built for high speed running - AEOLUS - aka - BIG ALICE! - stored outside - Gone are her headlight, number boards, MARS light - lost to pickers or preserved from vandals?
Gone is CB&Q 4001 - one of the last new constructed "hudson" locomotives - class of 1940 - and also gone is CB&Q 4002 aka CB&Q 3009 class of 1930 - they died together - hand in hand - their tenders removed in 1960 and were pinned back to back like some diesel A-A hookup and hauled to Northwestern Steel and Wire in Sterling, Illinois where they were melted in the furnace and turned into fence wire!
Long live BIG ALICE - BIG ALICE THE GOON! - the last truely high speed Burlington steam locomotive - sister of the "BLUE GOOSE" Santa Fe 3463 - super power Santa Fe "hudson" currently in a custody fight in Topeka, Kansas - and sister to the last streamlined C&O 490 - "CHESSIE" "hudson" (rebuilt from a "pacific") with Boxpolk drive wheels and light weight roller bearing rods, Franklin poppet valve gear, stored indoors in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum in Maryland. These are the last three Super Power American High Speed "hudson" Streamlined Steam Locomotives.
What about the other railroads - 4 Baltimore and Ohio none left, 10 Boston and Albany none left, 28 Milwaukee RR none left, 9 Chicago and Northwestern none left, 5 Lackawana none left, 6 Grand Trunk Western none left, 250 New York Central none left.
Let's see - did I get that right? - The Last Three American High Speed Streamlined Passenger Hudson Locomotives - Oh! lets not forget the other Santa Fe lighter "hudson" in California and that Nickel Plate "hudson," and those other Burlington sisters - the other surviving CB&Q "hudsons."
CB&Q 3001 - outside on display in Ottumwa, Iowa - this is in imaculate condition
CB&Q 3003 - nicely kept outside in Burlington, Iowa
CB&Q 3002 - aka CB&Q 4000 - BIG ALICE herself - in La Crosse, Wisconson
CB&Q 3006 - nicely kept outside in Galesburg, Illinois
CB&Q 3007 - moved three times and stored inside at Illinois Rail Museum
BURLINGTON must have preserved the most remaining "hudsons" 4 out of 12 built.
Gee, did New York Central really have over 250 of these locomotives - where are the 99 that should be preserved?
Doc
Buslistyou can contribute to the 3007 fund at the IRM store. It's already up and taking contributions, including mine Thank You!
Wizlish Buslist And although they will deny it every $ that goes to the silly T1 project is money that doesen't go to getting a Q 4-8-4 or better yet a 4-6-4 operational. That's why I think the T1 project is bad for the steam restoration effort. How about you get an 0-5 or S-4 project set up, organized, financed and supported, at least to the level of participation that the T1 Trust has achieved? Then, perhaps, you will have some standing to comment on practical use of available steam restoration dollars for that purpose.
Buslist And although they will deny it every $ that goes to the silly T1 project is money that doesen't go to getting a Q 4-8-4 or better yet a 4-6-4 operational. That's why I think the T1 project is bad for the steam restoration effort.
And although they will deny it every $ that goes to the silly T1 project is money that doesen't go to getting a Q 4-8-4 or better yet a 4-6-4 operational. That's why I think the T1 project is bad for the steam restoration effort.
How about you get an 0-5 or S-4 project set up, organized, financed and supported, at least to the level of participation that the T1 Trust has achieved?
Then, perhaps, you will have some standing to comment on practical use of available steam restoration dollars for that purpose.
you can contribute to the 3007 fund at the IRM store. It's already up and taking contributions, including mine Thank You!
Dr. D, you are The Bard of Steam and this is your Globe Theater! Your posts are always so enjoyable - thank you so much for contributing them! And t'would indeed be a midsummer night's dream to see a T1 hurtling by in all it's vaporous splendor, whether it be at the ides of March or any other moment in our celestial navigation about Apollo's orb!
Pennsy T1 was no joke!
Because it was probably the flowering of the American steam locomotive design; and the Pennsylvania RR burst upon an age of genius in the development of this concept of steam power for the modern age.
After years of running hundreds of dowdy old hand fired "pacifics" and "mikes" the Pennsylvania Railroad came of age with four truely remarkable steam engine designs.
To back up this unique locomotive production the railroad included a massive corporate budget, extensive shop complex at Juniata, Pennsylvania - a facility which included locomotive dyanomometer in which the largest most powerful steam engines could be run at full power indoors in a stationary setting to test for efficiency and horsepower. The Pennsylvania RR in this fashion was able to fine tune their steam engine design. NO OTHER railroad in history ever had this kind of technology at its fingertips.
The results of these efforts in the 1930's was the design of the 6-4-4-6, the 4-4-4-4 passenger engines, the 6-8-6 direct drive steam turbine, and the 4-4-6-4 freight locomotive. All these were remarkable and the result of iconoclastic engineering thought.
The question remains, Why on earth would a company that went to this degree of effort have scrapped everyone of these marvelous engine designs and saved instead a number of ordinary steam locomotives that every other railroad was using?
Don't get me wrong I am glad to have the Pennsylvania steam collection of 4-6-2's and the 4-8-2's - but they lack all the GLORY that Pennsylvaina Railroad came to. What are they compared to the mighty 4-4-6-4. A rigid chasis freight engine that produced more than 8000 horsepower! More than any other steam locomotive ever built! More than UP 4014, more NW 1218, more than C&O 2-6-6-6 - more than any steam locomotive!
So why should we build a reproduction T1 today? For the glory or for the fun? Or because there is nothing more romantic than a "lost cause!" - Its why the Southern United States keep the Confederate flag - the stars and bars of the Confederacy! It's why American movie goers keep prefering the movie "Gone With The Wind"! What is life without the romance. Imagine it - a new T1 towering in its strength ready to run again.
Yes, the Pennsylvania Railroad should have saved at least one 4-4-4-4 passenger T1 - because it was such a beautiful locomotive and because it was so very fast! And because it topped any steam locomotive ever built! Think of it as a super NW 611 - built to go faster than anyone ever dreamed!
The British don't hold the land speed record of 125.88 mph with the "Mallard" locomotive - The Pennsylvainia Railroad does! - it just never claimed the prize!
The Pennsylvania Railroad T1 - 4-4-4-4 had a boiler pressure of 300PSI - two sets of cylinders 19 3/4"x 26" inches - Boxpolk driving wheels 80 inches in diameter arranged in two engine sets and driven by light weight roller bearing rods. These engines also had steam distribution in the form of Franklin poppet valve gear! - They had 65,000 lbs of tractive effort - a 4.1 factor of adhesion - a boiler diameter of 100 inches - a boiler tube length of a mere 18 feet! - a firebox combustion chamber of a massive 84 inches! - a firebox size of 138" x 96" inches - a grate area of 92 square feet! - an evaporative heating surface of 5,661 sq feet - a super heat surface of 2,085 sq feet - the engine driver wheelbase was 26 and half feet - the total engine wheelbase was 64 and half feet - the total engine and tender wheelbase was 123 and half feet - the weight on drive wheels was 281,400 lbs and engine weight was 608,000 lbs - the tender capacity was 24,000 gallons - and tender weight was 452,000 lbs.
No formal record was ever made public of how fast the 4-4-4-4 T1's ran!
Further, these engines had that beautiful 1930's Art Deco streamline styling! - they were built upon a steel foundation in the form of a "one piece cast steel frame" that included two sets of cylinder castings. The engines ran on all roller bearing drive and as I said the drive wheel sets were arranged into two complete engines on one rigid frame which meant that cylinder rodding loads were extremely light in weight. The steam distribution was the Franklin "poppet valve design" - which is the type of valving used in automotive engines today.
The Pennsylvania Railroad built 52 of these 4-4-4-4 engines two were constructed by Baldwin and the other 50 by the Juiniata, PA shops - all 52 locomotives went into service in the United States before and during the Second World War which ment they were required to run hard and long in war time emergency.
The T1 4-4-4-4 locomotive was designed to operate at 100 mph on a daily basis and some were reported to have operated at speeds up to 140 miles per hour in "making up time" with heavy war time train schedules.
Unfortunately the T1's didn't last long enough for all of the develpment work to be completed on their design because the diesel engine technology forced their retirement. One of the major mechanical issues that was never satifactorily worked out was traction control at extreme speed - which often resulted in one engine set "slipping its wheels" while the other engine set held traction - this often resulted in mechanical damage to the "slipping" engine.
WHY REPRODUCE AT T1? - Because many people feel it was the engine design that could have come after CB&Q 5600, NYC "Niagaras", N&W 600's, UP 800's, AT&SF "northern's", SP "northerns" and others.
Now why would'nt the Pennsylvania have saved one for us today?
To answer your question john. Yes. It is worth it. I have stated this before. I may be 22. But the 5632 was my favorite nothern of all time. Sure I have allot of 4-8-4's as favorites. But she is no.1. I think the reason I want a c,b & Q 4-8-4 return. Is cause not only are they beautiful. But we lost not just one but two beautiful engines too soon. And with events that could have been prevented. I personally wanna see a wrong rewritten. 5629 is 5632's twin. And I just wanted to see if there is a possibility for her or one of the four surviving sisters to return. As docter mentioned. There is potential. I just didn't know that she was in bad shape. Plus why wouldn't you want to see one of those thouro breeds run again?. As for 1361. I personally asked them via Facebook. To my shock they replied. The museum has 1361 back. And now that they have a roundhouse up. They are going to return her to steam. I believe to full operating boiler pressure. Now I did,n,t ask what happened to all the money in Steamtown. But to me if you had several million given to ensure for it to get done and had it there for several years. What the hell happened? And why did it look like nothing was done? I mean what did they do. What was the repairs that drained the money so quickly? Plus if you had only a couple of repairs you should have a quit a bit left. Hell even enough for the 15 years and then some. I still wonder what epic disaster happens to cause so little work done.?
John,
The question you ask is to the fates! The fate of each remaining locomotive!
The reason we all discuss locomotive restoration on the trains magazine forum is to generate common interest in steam locomotives. The business of restoring a steam locomotive is not for the faint of heart. Many locomotive restorations have been attempted and have failed and the results for the locomotive can be worse that if it were never attempted.
For example the State of Pennsylvania contracted Railroaders Memorial Museum to have one of the two remaining Pennsy K4 Pacific 4-6-2 locomotives restored. After spending millions of dollars the state pulled the plug on the project and Pennsy K4 1361 remains scattered in a thousands pieces in the corner of Steamtown roundhouse. Can't say I have seen much discussion of this lately and it is a shame because K4 1361 is one of the greatest passenger engines of American railroad history. Isn't anyone clamoring to see it saved?
A worse fate awaited the steam locomotive star of the Burlington Railroad CB&Q 5632. The Burlington Railroad itself had almost finished the effort to restore the big northern when a change in railroad managment pulled the financial plug on the project. As fate would have it, CB&Q 5632 went out of the Burlington's hands into the ownership of a Chicago railfan named Richard Jensen. Richard already owned and was operating a Grand Trunk Western 5629 a 4-6-2 which was being used in passenger excursion service in Chicago and Detroit.
Richard was relying on some cooperation of other railroads like Baltimore And Ohio and Chicago and Western Indiana for the use of their facilities such as the Chicago 47th street roundhouse for locomotive storage. This was a tricky game Richard was playing with company officials and executives of corporations because the sentiments of managment and the power plays within corporate structures turned out to be very mecurical.
The steam locomotive CB&Q 5632 was taken from Jensen by the railroad in a confusing series of events which resulted in 5632 being derailed in movement and the big northern was suddenly cut up for scrap. Burlington 4960 along with several car loads of spare parts were saved. In a later court battle Jensen recovered monitary compensation of $1,700,000 for the loss, but how could he recover his wits and the good will of the railroads he was unable to successfully negoitate with.
Richard Jensen also owned GTW pacific 5629 which survived the above fiasco by being stranded in Detroit. Fate did not favor GTW 5629 which came to Chicago and also became embroiled in a railroad turf war with METRA the commutor rail system serving Chicago. A similar legal disagreement to that of C&WI resulted in GTW 5629 also being cut up for scrap. Chicago railfans and news media watched in disbelief as all attempts to stop this failed.
These experiences and others left Richard Jensen with what would appear to be "post traumatic stress" and he died at the fairly young age 60. I am sure his traumatic steam locomotive restoration experiences contributed in some ways - I would say he died of a broken heart?
As a young man I met Richard riding behind his beloved GTW 5629, as he always rode the excursions which operated his locomotives and he loved to talk to the railfans - he relished everyones enthusiasm. Later when I was a member of Project 1225 the group that was restoring locomotive Pere Marquette 1225 I had a chance to work and talk to Richard in depth. Project 1225 members would often go off to maintain locomotives on display and we were in Durand MI to help keep up GTW 5632.
Richard Jensen had come to Durand looking for spare parts and had gotten permission from the city to borrow the journal boxes and journal brasses out of the rear truck of display engine GTW 5632. Richard was in the process of disassembly of these parts - which he promised to return to the city - those worn ones from GTW 5629.
This wasn't so far fetched as Grand Trunk Railroad had run steam excursions from Detroit to Durand and the city was a passenger hub and rail facility for all GTW trains from Detroit to Chicago and Montreal to Chicago. For years the city fathers had hosted an October "Ox Roast" and Steam Train Festival, and they felt it was of municipal interest to help to keep the steam trains returning.
As the fates would have it! To this day GTW 5632 on display in Durand, MI has no rear truck bearings - just a couple of blocks of wood Jensen left holding up the engine truck above an empty wheel set.
As a point of clarification, Jensen owned the long gone "northern" CB&Q 5632, while "pacific" GTW 5632 remains on display in Durand.
It seems by the responses here that there is some interest in seeing a C,B & Q 4-8-4 rebuilt and running again. This would be a huge and complex project. I myself wouldn't even know where to begin a project like this.Would it be worth contacting a society that has already rebuilt an engine like this to see if they would have the inclination for a rebuild project?
John Becker
I ddn,t know you were restoring a 4-6-0!!!!!! You got me interested now. What's here history?
I rode behind 5632 had a great cab ride with her and chased her any times and ended up with some great photo's of her. It is a rotten shame what happened to this great engine. I would love to see a 5600 engine running again. or even a Q hudson. I think there are a lot of Q fans out there that would love that process Chuck
At present, the dream for No. 5629 should be to just get it under cover. Steam locomotives without shelter are dying a slow death from corrosion. While wet asbestos is eating away at the boiler and cylinder jackets, they are replaceable. That wet asbestos is also eating away at the boiler shell, to the point that some engines are no longer practical to return to operation. It's really a crime that picture-snapping railfans and model railroaders have done so little to save our remaining steam locomotives. Cosmetic restoration, using mostly volunteer labor, is not terribly expensive and well within the fundraising capabilities of most volunteer groups. The work requires some basic knowledge of how to not damage the engine (don't roll it without journal preparation, etc.) but is otherwise just hard and dirty. It does not require more than basic shop skills. But on most display locomotives, what little work has been done was by the Jaycees, Boy Scouts, etc.. The train nuts have been conspicuosly absent, including on the 4-6-0 I'm restoring. Of the 15 or so persons who have helped me, none were railfans.
Mudchicken - sorry to have missed you at the Colorado Rail Museum - the library you volunteer at is quite facility - it must be great to have time to delve into its many treasures - wish I was there to do the adventure with ya.
Visiting Golden, Colorado this last week I had a chance to look over CB&Q 5629. I had seen CB&Q 5632 in Chicago when Dick Jensen had purchased it from the Burlington RR. 5632 of course was in almost operational condition the overhaul having been stopped and the engine sold.
These were massive western 4-8-4 northerns on the order of size of Santa Fe. Big and powerful. The CB&Q gave 5629 to the Colorado Museum in 1963 after it stopped running it in 1957 it had been used as a stationary boiler in Nebraska.
Visually, the engine is complete and shows little damage except for the fireman side windows being broken - come on why let animals and elements into a locomotive in a museum setting when some glass and a little work could repair this? Another observation about 5629 is that the boiler jacket has rusted out on each course under the belly of the boiler allowing the asbestos jacketing to be washed out or pulled out by animals. This has got to be an enviornmental no no - and for an engine on museum display!
The engine seems entirely intact with closed all weather cab - oil fire conversion from coal - and is built with alligator crossheads - brass bushed main rods - Baker valve gear - Boxpolk drivers 73 inches dia - solid cast steel frame with cylinders and appliance mounts and brake mounts cast integral to the frame - wow! - massive blunt one piece pilot with coupler that elevates upwards out of the way - Nathan lubricator - Worthington feed water and a cross compound air compressor on each side.
The big steamer CB&Q 5629 has a silver boiler front - with Pyle headlight and that marvelous western railroad novelty of the 1940's and 50's - the MARS LIGHT - a twin beam headlight above the standard one with a red orbiting light and a white orbiting light. Looks so cool coming down the track at a distance - kind of "erie" - like it better than the Federal "ditch lights." Yes the original whistle and bell are there! Didn't see builders plates. This engine is huge - got to be a couple of feet taller than similar eastern US steam engines
When CB&Q 5629 was given to the Colorado Museum the CB&Q RR brought the engine along with a 100 foot portable girder bridge which they set up temporarily to ease the engine into the museum facility - then they removed their temp bridge and track which effectively land locked 5629.
Colorado Rail Museum is in the process of restoring DRG&W 491 the narrow gauge mike. A visit into the museum roundhouse - I told the guys Mudchicken was a friend of mine they gave me the cooks tour of D&RGW 491. The boiler pressure shell has been ultrasounded and passed - the loco is in great shape - they were replacing the lagging now. Machining new parts for the spring rigging of the tender - They built a brand new tender "dog house" of white oak no less! - the engine should run again joining several other on the loop of track around the museum.
These guys at Colorado Rail Museum are more than capable of restoring the mighty CB&Q 5629 on the spot and they know their business. Big issue is what would you do with it without some big time Class 1 help to get her where she could run. Like a wealthy benefactor giving a permanant spur line into the museum.
Denver has a grand historic rail station DENVER UNION STATION just miles away - let me dream of CB&Q 5629 doing excursions on the main line to MOFFAT TUNNEL and Salt Lake City or down to Pueblo or up the ROYAL GORGE to Salida - or better yet racing east across the great plains that she was built to run - eating up the miles of the vast west - cause thats what she was born to do.
While I agree I would love to see a big CB&Q 4-8-4 or even 4-6-4 running, my vote gose towards geting a CB&Q mikado running. The one I am think about is 4963 on display at Mendota IL. She looks like she is in decent condition but looks can be deciving i understand. It would be interex=sting to see a 4-6-4 pounding the high iron thought.
I don't know about the viability of any of these CB&Q 4-8-4's as an operating engine. If the desire is to run a big, fast CB&Q steam loco, it might be worthwile to take a look at the half-dozen or so existing 4-6-4's. On the Steam Locomotive site, the listing for no. 3007, at the Illinois Railway Museum, suggests that she is a candidate for restoration. Photos from last year suggest that she is in pretty good shape, but of course photos don't necessarily tell the whole story.
Tom
Samhongsas available from $650-950.
http://www.brasstrains.com/Classic/Trains/Roads/26/Chicago-Burlington-Quincy
Thomas:
Nope. Brass only, and out of production for many years (possibly several decades). Save your pennies. Maybe start a write-in campaign with the manufacturers. Don't hold your breath. Check RDG Casey's rebuilds on the MR forum for ideas on a do-it-yourself O-5a.
(edited)
ADD segway , do they make a Q 4-8-4 IN HO SCALE
plastic??? I know they do in brass but those are
$$$$$$$$$$$$
A rail line 200 feet away? Well that's good, it means there's some hope, no matter how slim. I was hoping I was wrong on this one.
BaltACD Firelock76 mudchicken 5629 will continue to sit where it's been for years. - Golden, CO No doubt. I've been to the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden and for the life of me I don't recall seeing any standard gauge trackage leading into or out of the premises. I could be VERY wrong, but it would seem to me 5629 is effectively marooned at the museum. Could be worse, sure beats a scrapyard. And if any of you ever get out to that area DON'T miss that museum! Fabulous place! There wasn't any direct rail connection to the UP 4014, when it got moved either.
Firelock76 mudchicken 5629 will continue to sit where it's been for years. - Golden, CO No doubt. I've been to the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden and for the life of me I don't recall seeing any standard gauge trackage leading into or out of the premises. I could be VERY wrong, but it would seem to me 5629 is effectively marooned at the museum. Could be worse, sure beats a scrapyard. And if any of you ever get out to that area DON'T miss that museum! Fabulous place!
mudchicken 5629 will continue to sit where it's been for years. - Golden, CO
5629 will continue to sit where it's been for years. - Golden, CO
No doubt. I've been to the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden and for the life of me I don't recall seeing any standard gauge trackage leading into or out of the premises. I could be VERY wrong, but it would seem to me 5629 is effectively marooned at the museum. Could be worse, sure beats a scrapyard.
And if any of you ever get out to that area DON'T miss that museum! Fabulous place!
There wasn't any direct rail connection to the UP 4014, when it got moved either.
There is a rail line the other side of 44th Ave. about 200 feet south.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.