Reading T-1 no. 2100 Restoration - Legends of Steam Dinner with Gary Bensman! (11/9/22)

Hello everyone,

Hope you all are doing well. Due to the current world health situation, American Steam Railroad has chosen to postpone our Legends of Steam dinner with Doyle McCormack to September 19. The event will still be held at the Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum. The event will continue as planned with caboose rides, BBQ dinner, and a presentation and audience Q&A by Mr. McCormack himself.

Refunds will be granted for new and existing registrations until Friday, September 4 at midnight. Of course, all proceeds will go to benefit American Steam Railroad's restoration projects.

Get your tickets now at www.fireup2100.org/events!

Hello everyone,

I have a lot to talk about today regarding Reading 2100.

First off, we resumed work sessions this past Saturday after the state of Ohio's stay-at-home order was lifted. We made great progress on the engine, so here's a quick rundown of what we got done that day!

All photos are mine unless otherwise noted, and may not be reproduced without permission from the owner.

A major task that was accomplished yesterday was the removal of the cab floor. It will eventually be replaced with new steel to accommodate the stoker feed trough and grate shaker bars, as we convert the engine back to coal.

We also continued to peel the reflective tape off of the running board skirting. The tape was required when the locomotive operated in Canada.

Photographer unknown.

At a separate facility, we also began to cut the material for the 560 staybolts that will go in the firebox, which leads into my next announcement.

As you may have heard a couple of weeks ago, thanks to a generous donation from Louis Schillinger of United Shortline Insurance Services, the fundraising for the machining and forging of the 560 staybolts has been completed!

Now that the process of machining has begun, we're launching a new fundraising campaign to hire professionals to weld them into the firebox. For just $9, you can sponsor the welding of one of these staybolts, and you can contribute as many as you want! Visit fireup2100.org/product/weld-in-a-staybolt and make your donation!

You can also still own a piece of the 2100 herself with a stamped and serialized staybolt that we removed from the firebox when the old side sheets were taken out. You can order it polished up or with the original boiler patina as we removed it!

Photo by Brian Smith.

We also on Saturday pulled the winner of our raffle. Congratulations to Jerry Feicht for winning either the custom painted Broadway Limited T1 or the $500 prize! Round two of the raffles is ongoing right now, and over 100 tickets have already been sold! Check out our gift store at fireup2100.org/shop for your chance to win!

Now, moving on to our sister locomotive to the east. The Reading and Northern Railroad has for the past few weeks been putting out updates on the 2102's restoration, which is getting very close to completion! In the past few weeks, the railroad announced it installed the last of the 724 new staybolts in the locomotive's firebox in February, and pressurized water to the operating pressure of the boiler in March.

In mid-March, the first newly cast pieces came in from Preservation Pattern, including the firedoor frame, stoker trough and steam dome lid, among many other items.

Currently, work on the 2102 includes beading the new tubes and flues, finishing repairs to the feedwater heater and pump, machining new tri-cocks and water glass valves and plugs, and plumbing various appliances. Fall of this year is still the goal, to my understanding.

For more information on the state of the restoration, check out the Reading and Northern's 2102 updates page on their website!

Thanks again for your support of the Reading T1 restoration projects. With your help, we can get these magnificent anthracite giants breathing fire once again!

The last time I payed with PayPal. This time I do not have that option what happened?

thank you

al

@azubal posted:

The last time I payed with PayPal. This time I do not have that option what happened?

thank you

al

We should be accepting donations via PayPal. Not sure why it's not working for you. Try contacting Brian Smith about it at brian.smith@americansteamrailroad.org

There is still no PayPal icon on the check out page.

al

Hello everyone,

As always, I hope you're doing well during these times. I have some more updates to share regarding the restoration of the 2100.

First of all, if you have any questions about the restoration, check out the latest video update and you just might find your answer!

Thanks to your generous support, we were able to begin forging and machining the 554 new staybolts last month! We now have a fundraiser ongoing for the welding of the new staybolts into place in the firebox, so head on over to fireup2100.org/product/weld-in-a-staybolt to find out more!

You can still own a piece of the 2100 herself with a stamped and serialized staybolt that was removed from the firebox when the old side sheets were cut out. The staybolt sale is still ongoing, and if you order yours by June 8, they will arrive in time for Father's Day! So why get dad another tie this year when you can get him a piece of railroad history?

Visit fireup2100.org/product/staybolt to get yours!

As always, thank you for your support.

Hello everyone,

Hope you're doing well. Since we resumed work on the engine in mid-May, we have made great progress toward getting the 2100 steaming again. Our volunteers and contractors have been hard at work on many projects.

Thanks to your generous support, all 560 of our new flexible and rigid staybolts have been cut to length from bar stock! As of June 19, about 200 have had telltales drilled and 50 have had their round head forged and machined.

The reflective tape that once was on the running board skirting has been removed. Using heat guns, puddy knives and lots of elbow grease, this stubborn material was removed. Much like the ditchlights, the tape was required for the locomotive to operate in Canada. The removal of the tape will help in returning the locomotive to its as-built appearance.

We recently made an exciting step forward toward the conversion of the locomotive back to coal, with the fitting of the firebox door frame. This template was lent to us by our friends at the Reading and Northern Railroad, who used it to cast new pieces for the 2102.

Volunteers also ventured into the tool and storage area of the auxiliary tender to look for parts. The grease cellars and spring hinge for the deck plate were found and cleaned. The steel apron that sits between the locomotive and tender has also been cleaned and painted.

Thanks again for your support of the restoration of Reading 2100. With your help, she'll ramble on once more very soon.

Hello everyone,

Since the last update, great progress has been made on the restoration of the 2100.

Since we removed the red reflective tape from the running board skirting, volunteers are now removing the sticky and stubborn glue residue, so the skirting can be primed and painted, and the engine returned to its as-built appearance.

We took the grease cellar parts out of storage and cleaned these parts of all grease and grime.

As you may have already heard, the highlight of the month was when we were able to visit the Reading & Northern Railroad's restoration facility, where they are maintaining and restoring 4-6-2 no. 425 and sister Reading T1 no. 2102.

Upon our arrival, the steam crew presented us with a brand-new firedoor casting! We would like to give a big thank you to Andy Muller and the Reading & Northern team for this donation, along with allowing us to spend almost a full day with the crew inspecting the restoration, and giving us some great advice. This donation represents a significant step in returning the locomotive to burning coal.

Don't forget, we are still fundraising to complete the welding of the new staybolts into the firebox! Head on over to our gift shop to find out how you can bring the 2100 a staybolt closer to steam with a $9 donation! You can sponsor as many as you like!

We also just introduced a brand-new way to support the restoration of the 2100, by buying staybolt cap that was removed from the locomotive! Head over to our gift shop to buy one for just $30! Act fast, as supplies are very limited!

To see what work remains on the firebox before we can begin filling the boiler with water, check out our latest video update, where treasurer Forrest Nace walks through the work needed and the budget.

Thank you again for your support of the Reading 2100 and American Steam Railroad.

Hello everyone,

The past month has been a very productive one for the Reading 2100. Here is a quick rundown of what has been accomplished under the hot summer sun this July.

- A complete inventory of spare parts was taken inside the auxiliary water tender. Within this tender were found rear steps for the 2100's main tender, and these steps were mounted.

- The steam distribution manifold from the stoker mechanism was removed from the trough housing. It will be sent off to a contractor so it can have repairs made to return it to like-new condition.

- Damaged studs on the feedwater line of the main tender were removed.

- Volunteers have spent plenty of time this month drilling out the telltale holes for the 560 new staybolts needed in the firebox. So far, the forging and machining process is past the halfway mark!

Work is also picking up on our tool car, former New York Central Baggage Car no. 9110, at the Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum in Bellevue, Ohio.

- The car was moved into the MR&NKP's brand-new restoration facility, where the car can be kept out of the elements and volunteers can work on it more frequently.

- Volunteers labored to remove the old insulation and assess the car's condition, so we can see what will need to be done to restore the car to service for us.

- Mad River Vice President Dwayne Fuehring instructed us on how to perform a clean oil test and stencil on the tool car, and gave us an overview of what needs to be done before 9110 can go to work for us.

 - We'd like to thank the Youngstown Steel Heritage Foundation for their donation of D22 brake parts for use on the 9110.

Calling all artists! The 2100's 75th Birthday is fast approaching, and to celebrate, we're launching a T-Shirt design contest! The winner will receive a t-shirt featuring the design, a one-year membership to American Steam Railroad, and $100 cash! Make sure to visit our website to find out more!

And don't forget, we're still fundraising to have contractors weld the 560 new staybolts into the firebox! Head over to our gift store and you can sponsor as many staybolts as you like for just $9 a bolt!

Thank you again for your support of American Steam Railroad and Reading 2100.

Hello everyone,

This past month has been a good one for the Reading 2100. Here's a breakdown of what we've been able to accomplish.

- The project to forge and machine the 560 new staybolts for the firebox has now been completed! Volunteers have spent countless hours dedicated to this milestone project. As you can see, our volunteers were very happy to complete this project. The next steps include sandblasting all the bolts to remove the mill scale, so our contractors have good material to work with when the time comes to weld them into the firebox. Don't forget, we're still fundraising to weld these staybolts in, so head over to our gift store to see how you can sponsor one today!

- We retrieved several locomotive items from long-term storage, such as tender doors and grate shaker bars and mounts.

-  Volunteers squeezed under the locomotive to apply grease to the bearings on the driving axles. They also applied a light oil to recently cleaned grease cellar parts to prevent rusting.

- The feedwater pipe between the engine and tender that had suffered cracks from freeze damage has been repaired by brazing.

- We removed the shutoff water valves from the tender and discovered one of the rods to be bent. Parts around the area were also cleaned.

- We also dove inside the water space of the tender for an inspection. While we found that this area will need to be cleaned during a future work session, the baffles and floor looked to be in good shape overall.

- For a limited time only, you can celebrate Reading 2100's 75th birthday, which is this month, with this brand-new t-shirt designed by Jacob Petkovsky! The proceeds will go toward the restoration of the 2100, so we can ensure she'll ramble on for many more years to come! Head over to our gift shop to get one today.

- Have you ever wanted to get hands-on with an operating steam locomotive? Now's your chance, with our Blue Flag Tour at the Age of Steam Roundhouse of Sugarcreek, Ohio! Head over to our events page to get your tickets today!

Check out our latest video update for a more in-depth look at progress this month, along with a demonstration of a dead weight gauge tester!

Thank you for your support, and with your help, 2100 will be ramblin' again soon!

Hello everyone,

The temperatures may be dropping, but the restoration of the 2100 is heating up! This past month has been very productive, so here's a rundown of what we have accomplished.

- All 560 staybolt holes were cleaned of dirt, debris and other grime, so when the welders come in the next week or two, they have a very good surface to work with.

- All 560 newly machined staybolts were transported to the B&O Roundhouse here in Cleveland, where our restoration is taking place. The bolts were checked for quality and sandblasted to remove the mill scale and other grime.

- Thanks to your generous support, we can now weld in all the staybolts on the fireman's side of the locomotive. We're still raising funds to complete the entire firebox, so visit our gift store to see how you can sponsor a staybolt today!

- The copper gaskets that will fit into the caps over the flexible staybolts have arrived and are ready to be installed. Thanks to Doyle McCormack, we were able to get in touch with a supplier to make this happen.

- We also had a contractor come in and help us inspect the driving boxes and axles. You may have seen earlier this month that the 2100 was moved outside by the Midwest Railway Preservation's RS3, which was done to better inspect and measure these components. Measurements were also taken of the running gear. While not perfect, the findings so far have resulted in a significant saving in anticipated work and cost.

Did you know the same Cricut that you use for model railroading can also make parts to restore the prototype? Check out our latest video update to find out how!

Thank you for your support of the 2100 and American Steam Railroad, and take care.

What is the plan for #2100 once restored? Is it in Cleveland, OH? NS isn't exactly excursion friendly like it was during 21st Century Steam. Maybe CVSR for public excursions? At least #2102 will have a large railroad to run on. It only got to run the coal region lines in 1991, and never the Lehigh Gorge route up to Pittston and beyond live. RBMN didn't buy the Lehigh Division from Lehighton to Mehoopany until 1996. #2102 last ran October, 1991. So, seeing #2102 in the gorge and through White Haven will be a first.

@Robert K posted:

What is the plan for #2100 once restored? Is it in Cleveland, OH? NS isn't exactly excursion friendly like it was during 21st Century Steam. Maybe CVSR for public excursions? At least #2102 will have a large railroad to run on. It only got to run the coal region lines in 1991, and never the Lehigh Gorge route up to Pittston and beyond live. RBMN didn't buy the Lehigh Division from Lehighton to Mehoopany until 1996. #2102 last ran October, 1991.

We have had a few railroads express interest in hosting us, but we'll wait until the locomotive is closer to completion before formally approaching railroads about running excursions.

@Trinity River Bottoms Boomer posted:

Hope the 2100 will take a ride on the Reading...

...home rails is understood!

Except,,,,,,,,Andy Muller, owner of the Blue Mountain & Reading network, has his own Reading 4-8-4, plus a currently operational fantastic 4-6-2!

@Trinity River Bottoms Boomer posted:

Hot Water: You bet!  How about a double header?

Just my opinion but, somehow I don't think Andy would be all that interested.

@Trinity River Bottoms Boomer posted:

Well, this proves you can't always have your cake and eat it too?  Gotta admit though, a double header would put on a pretty good show, don't you think?

Yes, doubleheaders are nice. I remember many of the Reading Iron Horse Rambles (I rode the first one behind #2124 in the late 1950s), with many doubleheaders through the early 1960s.

@Hot Water posted:

Just my opinion but, somehow I don't think Andy would be all that interested.

I share that opinion...

Nick,

Is there any chance of getting a few photos of the Feed Water Heater in front of the stack? I'm modeling a Lionel MPC Chessie Steam Special and the photos would help me out a bunch.

Thanks Chris

@Jayhawk500 posted:

Nick,

Is there any chance of getting a few photos of the Feed Water Heater in front of the stack? I'm modeling a Lionel MPC Chessie Steam Special and the photos would help me out a bunch.

Thanks Chris

Hi Chris,

I expect to be pretty busy the next time I'm up there but I'll see what I can do for you. Would you like me to email them to you via the address in your profile?

@TrainMan1225 posted:

Hi Chris,

I expect to be pretty busy the next time I'm up there but I'll see what I can do for you. Would you like me to email them to you via the address in your profile?

Yes please.

Thank you very much.

Hello everyone,

We are getting closer and closer to the smell of coal smoke coming out of Reading 2100. Here's a glance at what we have done in the past month.

- Work continues with the sandblasting of the 560 newly machined staybolts. We do this so that we can remove the mill scale and give our welders great material to work with, without etching into the steel.

- We are also carefully checking each staybolt for quality and sorting them by length.

- Don't forget, we're still fundraising to complete the welding of the staybolts! Make sure to visit our online gift shop to sponsor one today for just $9!

- The stoker jet casting was found to have damage, and it is to be repaired by Gemini Industrial Machine Group of New Philadelphia, Ohio. We also allowed our friends at the PRR T1 Steam Locomotive Trust to take measurements of the casting to make a duplicate for use on their giant in the making!

- We have been in the process of taking a full ultrasonic survey of the entire boiler vessel, as the locomotive's 1472-day inspection is due this summer. With the ginormous size of the boiler, this will take quite some time, but it's a necessary job in the process of bringing a steam locomotive back to life.

As you may have heard lately, our friends out east at the Reading & Northern Railroad have been making fabulous progress on sister engine no. 2102, which is on track to steam next year. This past summer, the locomotive passed her hydrostatic test, and work on various components continues. Work has picked up this year, but the crew is in no hurry to see her steaming out of the shop. Their goal is a post-COVID rollout, so large crowds can congregate and view the locomotive safely.

Read more at this Railfan & Railroad Railnews article!

Thank you for your support of Reading 2100 and American Steam Railroad.

Thanks for another great update Nick!  In your last photo I see the drivers have a white coating on them.  I have done something similar in the past,  using white enamel style paint to assist with crack inspections.  Is that what is going here or just simply some primer?

Got my tee shirt from the gift shop - love it!

@jhz563 posted:

Thanks for another great update Nick!  In your last photo I see the drivers have a white coating on them.  I have done something similar in the past,  using white enamel style paint to assist with crack inspections.  Is that what is going here or just simply some primer?

Got my tee shirt from the gift shop - love it!

Thanks for your support! I'm with the 2100, not the 2102, and we haven't done that to our drivers, so I'm not entirely sure what that could be. I suspect it's a coat of primer.

O - sorry about that.   I didn't take the time to realize that photo was from the R&N.

@Trinity River Bottoms Boomer posted:

TrainMan1225: Wishing you and the crew a Blessed Safe Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Looking forward to your next report, probably in 2021?

Joe

Thank you Joe! I'll put out another full progress report whenever the video update is released. Merry Christmas to you and your family as well!

Hello everyone,

Hope you all had a safe and happy holiday season! We are only 11 days into the new year and things are already getting steamy with the Reading Ramblers.

Work on the 2100 in the past couple of months has focused on ultrasonic testing of the boiler and firebox exterior. The locomotive's boiler time will run out this year, and per FRA regulations, a full survey is required for the next inspection. When you're dealing with a boiler as hefty as those on the Reading T1s, taking such meticulous measurements is no easy task. If you would like to find out how to take one of these measurements, check out the November 2020 Update on our YouTube channel!

If you're waiting for a full progress report on the 2100, don't worry! We have a very special gift that is on it's way and we will release a full report once it arrives.

Now, on to the exciting part! As you may have heard, the Reading and Northern Railroad put a fire in the belly of T1 no. 2102 for the first time in over 29 years yesterday morning. The day was spent slowly building up pressure, producing quite the Internet buzz in the process. Over the next day or two, the locomotive will remain stationary while various systems are tested. There is still quite a way to go in the rebuild, but this event represents a major milestone in the return of this rambler!

Photo by Ethan Brodie.

But most importantly, the test fire was done in loving memory of Bill Frederickson, who sadly passed away last month due to COVID-19. His railroad career traces back to the early days of the Blue Mountain & Reading, and his sons and grandsons are also still active members of the Reading & Northern steam team. The first excursion of the 2102, which is expected to take place this year, will be run in memory of Bill.

Photo by Bernard Krebs.

Thanks again for your interest, and for your support of Reading 2100 and American Steam Railroad.

Hello everyone,

Hope you all are doing well. It's been a little white since the last update, but progress on the 2100 has progressed wonderfully this winter. Keep reading for a look at what was accomplished!

- Our main focus this winter has been taking ultrasonic readings of the boiler vessel in preparation for the upcoming 1472-day inspection. The entire boiler has been gridded with each grid having its own identifying label. We are about halfway through the reading phase, and upon completion, we will analyze the information to ensure that we have the proper FRA-required safety factor over the entire boiler.

- We recently became fully funded for the welding of the new staybolts into the firebox. We would like to thank all who have sponsored over the past several months. Look to see them welded before spring!

- When we removed the old side sheets, we unfortunately had to remove and destroy the arch tubes on both sides of the firebox. So, we are happy to say that we have recently received a generous donation of $2,500 for the fabrication and installation of two brand new arch tubes!

- We have also received a number of other small donations. Recently, we received a couple of very special gifts from longtime supporter Mike Smith. Those items include a boiler badge which will later be stamped and put on the backhead, and a replica numberplate for the rear of the tender. The interesting thing about the numberplate is that not only is 2100 lettered on one side, but 2129 is lettered on the opposite side. Thanks, Mike!

- Our newest volunteer, Grayson, undertook the polishing of the bell off the 2100 as well as the Hancock 3-chime whistle off of our other steam locomotive, Frisco no. 1352. We then tested the whistle on air in the roundhouse and let that steamboat song ring again! If you'd like to hear it for yourself, check out the video we posted on our Facebook page. Great work, Grayson, and welcome to the team!

Speaking of 1352, one of the most common questions we get asked is, "is the 1352 project dead?" The short answer is no! While it is a back burner project at this time due to the 2100 taking priority, we plan on transporting her to Cleveland and giving her the attention she deserves upon 2100's completion. For the time being, she will be stored in Taylorville, Ill., with continued stabilization taking place.

The 1352 was built as a 2-8-0 in 1912, but was converted to a 2-8-2 as a result of the demands of World War II. She was donated to a Kansas City, Mo., park in 1956, but flooding and vandalism over the years did not do any favors to the old girl. While a group was successful at removing the locomotive from the park and transporting her to Taylorville, the restoration attempt eventually failed and the locomotive was at risk of scrapping until an eleventh-hour intervention by American Steam Railroad, acquiring her in 2008.

Thank you for your support of Reading 2100 and American Steam Railroad.

Awesome thanks for the update

Hello everyone,

Hope today's post finds you doing well. The past two months have been very productive for Reading 2100. Keep reading to see what was accomplished!

- Work in the past two months has focused on continuing our ultrasonic measurements of the boiler. Appliances on the backhead and other places are being disassembled so that we can take measurements.

- The sand dome was emptied of its contents. We were able to fill 20 Home Depot buckets with the stuff, which was left over from the last time the locomotive ran back in Washington. We will soon lift the sand dome off of the locomotive so that we can take readings under the dome space.

- As you saw in the last post here, Grayson, our newest volunteer, polished the bell on the 2100. Last month, the bell was mounted back on the locomotive and rung! The bell has since been covered so that its shine can be preserved for the next open houses at Midwest Railway Preservation Society, and of course for the locomotive's future operation. Check out the video below to hear that wonderful sound!

- We took measurements of Nickel Plate Road no. 757's firedoor air cylinder so that we can construct one of our own for the 2100. We would like to thank the Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum for their assistance with our restoration!

The past two months have been very exciting for Reading 2100, and April will be even better, as we have welders from Gemini Industries poised to weld our new staybolts into the firebox!

Thank you for your support of Reading 2100 and American Steam Railroad.

Hello everyone,

Today's 2100 update will have you "welded" to your seat! Take a look at the exciting things we've already been able to accomplish in the month of April.

- On Saturday, April 10, Gemini Industries descended on the B&O Roundhouse here in Cleveland, and with a spark and an arc, tac welded all 560 flexible and rigid staybolts into the 2100's massive firebox! While this process is not quite complete yet, it represents a major milestone in returning the 2100 to steam, and in the coming weeks Gemini will come back to Cleveland to complete the weld.

- We would like to say thank you to all of you that have assisted us in this endeavor. Starting with the initial fundraiser for the forging and machining of the staybolts back in February of last year, you have shown tremendous support with this project. If it wasn't for your generosity, none of this would be possible. Again, THANK YOU!

- While the staybolt project represents a massive milestone, there is still more work yet to be able to do a hydrostatic test on the boiler. We need to replace improperly repaired staybolt caps and sleeves in the combustion chamber and outer wrapper sheet, remove the springs over the no. 4 driver in order to gain access to some of those caps and sleeves, fabricate and install two new arch tubes, and replace worn staybolt caps. Once those items are complete, we will be able to do a hydrostatic test on the boiler!

- Also, six years to the day before we welded the staybolts in, on April 10, 2015, we publicly announced the start of the Fire Up 2100 project, and the 2100 began her trek back east from her lonely siding in Washington state. I think it's quite interesting how dates seem to line up like that, don't you?

Thank you again for your support of Reading 2100 and American Steam Railroad. We couldn't have done this without you!

I am very saddened to hear that Bill Fredrickson died recently.  Bill and Shane and Chad were great fellows to work with when they visited Steamtown with the  425 in years past.  Our paths continued to cross over the years with Bill always inviting me to Port Clinton for a visit. Sadly, I never took him up . We also shared a fraternal friendship. May he rest in peace and may light perpetual shine upon him. Farewell my brother.

Shane and Chad, I hope to see you sometime at trackside.  Please know that you are in my prayers. 

Earl Trygar     

Congratulations on passing another milestone in your restoration effort! I hope to ride being this machine in the years to come.   

Besides boiler work,  are there other major evolutions that still need completed?  I.e. cylinder inspections, driver tires, wiring, brake work, tender restoration etc?  I am just trying to get a feel for how close you are to starting reassembly.  It would be a blast to start a trip here in Eastern PA, maybe at Steam town, catch a ride at Strasburg, go to Reading and get onboard being R&N 425 or 2102, maybe one at WK&S if Steam is available,  go way back in time at New Freedom PA, then swing down to Cumberland MD to check out that restored giant 1309 (hopefully running on better track than what's currently available), and then out to Ohio to catch the 2100 as a grand finale. That would be an amazing steam trip.  Even better if the East Broad Top was back in service to catch one more ride on the return trip!

@jhz563 posted:

Congratulations on passing another milestone in your restoration effort! I hope to ride being this machine in the years to come.   

Besides boiler work,  are there other major evolutions that still need completed?  I.e. cylinder inspections, driver tires, wiring, brake work, tender restoration etc?  I am just trying to get a feel for how close you are to starting reassembly.  It would be a blast to start a trip here in Eastern PA, maybe at Steam town, catch a ride at Strasburg, go to Reading and get onboard being R&N 425 or 2102, maybe one at WK&S if Steam is available,  go way back in time at New Freedom PA, then swing down to Cumberland MD to check out that restored giant 1309 (hopefully running on better track than what's currently available), and then out to Ohio to catch the 2100 as a grand finale. That would be an amazing steam trip.  Even better if the East Broad Top was back in service to catch one more ride on the return trip!

Thanks for the great question!

The boiler vessel is in the process of undergoing a full ultrasonic inspection to determine the thickness of the metal and ensure that we a proper factor of safety. Before long, we will lift the sand dome off of the locomotive so that we can take readings on that section of the boiler. The firebox interior got this treatment a few years ago and that is how we found the inner side sheets to be thin.

The running gear was recently inspected by a professional contractor. I do not know the specifics of the inspection but I will try my best to explain what I do know. In terms of the side rods, our contractor found that there is not as much work needed on them as we had anticipated. That being said, they are not perfect, and they will need work before reentering service. The driver tires and crankpins are good for service. The cylinders are ready for service, but the valves will need disassembled and inspected. The pilot truck will need to be removed from under the locomotive, as one of the roller bearings has some surface rust on it. We will have a Timken representative come up and inspect it to see if it is suitable for service as-is or if additional work is needed.

The projects on the tender and the rest of the coal conversion are coming along nicely. We are very fortunate that the coal-burning components of 2100 were saved after the oil conversion, but there is some work needed before they can go back in service. The oil bunker was drained of oil and removed from the tender in the summer of 2019, and the coal bunker is in very good shape. The oil bunker support brackets have been removed. Some new metal will need to be fabricated for the stoker and deckplate. The water space of the tender will need a thorough cleaning and the protective coating reapplied before it is ready. The stoker mechanism overall needs plenty of work yet. We removed the cab floor so that we can fabricate a new one that will properly accomodate the coal-burning components. The grates are ready for a coal fire. In the smokebox, we will need to fabricate some new screening in order for the locomotive to draft properly while on the road.

Mechanically, I believe that is all there is to do aside from the other firebox work that I already mentioned. Hope to see you out here when she's done!

Nick, thank you for the detailed update!

As a word of caution,  be sure to take all precautions when working on the inside of the tender.  Use a confined space air monitor and an air mover with hose to supply yourself fresh air while working with chemicals in a confined space.   I came really close to getting into serious trouble doing that exact job on a smaller tender without the right precautions.

@TrainMan1225 posted:

Thanks for the great question!

The boiler vessel is in the process of undergoing a full ultrasonic inspection to determine the thickness of the metal and ensure that we a proper factor of safety. Before long, we will lift the sand dome off of the locomotive so that we can take readings on that section of the boiler. The firebox interior got this treatment a few years ago and that is how we found the inner side sheets to be thin.

The running gear was recently inspected by a professional contractor.

Please provide the name of the "professional contractor".

@Hot Water posted:

Please provide the name of the "professional contractor".

For this particular task, our contractor was Dan Pluta.

Dan's a good guy.

He did the Amtrak Certification Inspection on NKP 765 a few years ago.

Hello everyone,

Hope today's post finds you doing well. The past several weeks have been very productive for both of the Reading T1s. Keep reading to see what has been accomplished!

- On the 2100, volunteers have been kept busy with a number of detail projects. Those include the continuation of the ultrasound survey, preparing non-compliant staybolt sleeves for replacement, annealing of copper gaskets for staybolt caps and drilling telltale holes in several staybolts. Looking forward, upcoming projects include continued UT testing and analysis, lifting the sand dome off of the locomotive, lifting the locomotive to remove the no. 4 driver springs for access to combustion chamber staybolt sleeves and, weather permitting, continued work on the tender.

Photo by Brian Smith

- You can get the chance run or fire the legendary Norfolk & Western Class J no. 611 in our newest raffle! One winner will get the limited opportunity to be the engineer on this massive 4-8-4, while another winner will have a chance to fire this beast. Proceeds from the ticket sales benefit the 2100 restoration. For tickets and information, visit our online gift store.

- Meanwhile in Pennsylvania, things have been heating up for the 2102. Last month, the locomotive was brought out once again for another test fire, and in the last week, the tender has been brought out for sandblasting, priming and painting. Appliances are being finished up and work is ongoing on repairs to the cab. Hopefully it won't be much longer until she's rambling again!

Photo by Ethan Brodie

Thank you again for your support of Reading 2100 and American Steam Railroad.

Hey Nick @TrainMan1225, thanks for sharing this.   I always enjoy your informative posts.   I can't wait to see these beasts back on the rails.

I'm hoping to get to Reading Outer or Port Clinton to see #2102 run again for the first time since October, 1991 and maybe ride behind it. I rode behind it twice, April 1988 South Hamburg to Temple, and Sept. 7, 1991 Emmaus to Pennsburg. I live less than 30 miles from Reading and Port Clinton. #2102 actually came through my area (Allentown) on mainline excursions on Conrail from Temple to Jim Thorpe in Sept. 1985, fall 1987, and 1988 (and South Hamburg to Jim Thorpe 1987-1988) as well as the Emmaus excursions in Sept. 1991. I didn't see it or ride behind it when it was running the excursions on Conrail, which is now NS through Reading, Allentown.