I went to the UK last week and read a couple of ‘steam’ railway magazines. In one (Heritage Raiways, I think,) I read about a gentleman restoring/expanding/operating a 2’ gauge railway, and apparently the gent has a passion for the SR&R. His next new locomotive will be SR&RL #23, the next in the series of SR&RL 2-6-2s. After that he wants to make a Maine 2-4-4 Forney.
The UK is full of these projects. After Tornado, the 4-6-2, they are planning to build a brand-new P2 2-8-2 express loco.
The reality is that in many cases its probably easier to build from new (if you have the plans) than to try to restore an example of something that may have very serious fatigue/decay issues.
For a small lokie like the 2-6-2 or 2-4-4 I am surprised it hasn’t been done more often, its no more complicated than any of the large ride-on type locomotives out there. There are several large amusement park steam engines that are similar sized and about as powerful. Maybe that’s been the problem, that people associate the smaller full sized loco’s only with amusement park rides, so they think straddling a 1"/ft scale Hudson looks less silly than standing inside a tiny cab on a diminutive steamie.
I have always said if I ever hit the lotto and could afford it I would build a working narrow gauge estate railroad (probably a vineyard) with full sized field and mining equipment. Central to which would be a full sized from scratch 0-4-0T Porter.
Doesn’t that look like fun?
Vic,
No doubt that building new would be both cheaper and more efficient. However new does nothing for the historical value of rehabbing an original.
Bob C.
Bob, that’s assuming there actually IS still an original around to be restored.
How many historically significant models are there that simply do not exists because every last one was scrapped? That was the primary driver behind the British Peppercorn project (that and that someone discovered the full original planset carelessly tossed away in a disposal skip)
I can think of a few steam loco’s I would love to see returned to active duty, the Pennsy T-1 for example, but since every last one of them was scrapped, the Peppercorn option is only hope for that ever to happen.
I would really love to see the monster 3 cylinder 4-12-2 Union Pacific 9000 at the Fairplex reborn, but its probably so far gone internally and its boiler too eroded that it will never happen. The shear costs would be so prohibitive. Its the ONLY one of its class left in the US out of 88 built. The Hudson they have at the Museum would be a better candidate. If I ever have the money in epic amount though I would shoehorn possession of the SP 3025 4-4-2 Atlantic currently at the LA Traveltown site away from the city to be restored, there’s almost no Atlantic’s operational left. Its small enough to manageable almost anywhere, and not so big as to require special handling or pay the piper like what happened to UP 844 at Sacramento a couple years ago.
Vic Smith said:
The reality is that in many cases its probably easier to build from new (if you have the plans) than to try to restore an example of something that may have very serious fatigue/decay issues.
For a small lokie like the 2-6-2 or 2-4-4 I am surprised it hasn’t been done more often, its no more complicated than any of the large ride-on type locomotives out there. There are several large amusement park steam engines that are similar sized and about as powerful. Maybe that’s been the problem, that people associate the smaller full sized loco’s only with amusement park rides, so they think straddling a 1"/ft scale Hudson looks less silly than standing inside a tiny cab on a diminutive steamie.
I have always said if I ever hit the lotto and could afford it I would build a working narrow gauge estate railroad (probably a vineyard) with full sized field and mining equipment. Central to which would be a full sized from scratch 0-4-0T Porter.
Doesn’t that look like fun?
Hey Vic,
I started a thread especially for you over on MLS. Very similar to this conversation. Take a look.
Took a look, read my reply, you’ll get a BIG surprise…
Vic Smith said:
Took a look, read my reply, you’ll get a BIG surprise…
AND how!!! Small world!
The shear costs would be so prohibitive.
Yes, but when you start talking about “new build” it helps to have some history. The British Peppercorn Ai “Tornado” cost 5-10M GBP, and the new P2 is targeted at a similar cost - and will use a lot o the A1 technology and parts. You should be able to fix that Atlantic for $5M - at least you don’t have to cast new drivers !
FYI - the A1 and P2 funding comes from monthly subscriptions. Thousands of folk paying $10/month means that in 5 years you have a brand new loco.