Have there been any recent developments in the restoration of K4 1361?
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All the parts are at least in one place. Not bad.
RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:All the parts are at least in one place. Not bad.
I keep hearing that "some parts" have been lost. Also, wonder went they will have enough money to contract Strasburg Rail Road to complete the firebox rebuild.
I say 5550 runs first !
There is a facebook page (if you are part of facebook) that shows volunteer progress on various parts and posts updates.
What are the things with the holes? grates?
Gregg posted:What are the things with the holes? grates?
Yes.
What a huge job. That is going to take some serious money and expertise and dedication to complete it.
Ace posted:What a huge job. That is going to take some serious money and expertise and dedication to complete it.
Absolutely! Not to mention an outside contractor to "finish" the boiler/firebox work, in order to comply with current FRA regulations.
Its a "government job", there is no rush.
Last I heard, the Boiler was in the East Broad Top shops in Rockhill Furnace. When did it get back?
spwills posted:Last I heard, the Boiler was in the East Broad Top shops in Rockhill Furnace. When did it get back?
The boiler was never "in" the EBT shops. It was just temporally stored there at the shop area, on a flat bed truck trailer, since the family who's trucking company moved most of the 1361 components out of Steamtown, also owns the EBT. The EBT property was simply a good location for the storage, until the Altoona Railroaders Museum was ready for it. The move took place last year.
Hot Water posted:spwills posted:Last I heard, the Boiler was in the East Broad Top shops in Rockhill Furnace. When did it get back?
The boiler was never "in" the EBT shops. It was just temporally stored there at the shop area, on a flat bed truck trailer, since the family who's trucking company moved most of the 1361 components out of Steamtown, also owns the EBT. The EBT property was simply a good location for the storage, until the Altoona Railroaders Museum was ready for it. The move took place last year.
Thanks for clearing that up for me.
The amazing race: 1361 vs 844?
Is this actually going to be restored to steam? Last I heard it would be a cosmetic restoration. I thought it would never steam again due to the metal being too thin to comply with FRA regulations...
ES44AC posted:Is this actually going to be restored to steam?
Yes.
Last I heard it would be a cosmetic restoration.
That is not the desire of the museum.
I thought it would never steam again due to the metal being too thin to comply with FRA regulations...
Too thin to comply at it rated working boiler pressure. However, it could be properly rebuilt to fully comply, if the museum raises the funds and desires that. On the other hand, it could be simply "put back together" and operated at reduced boiler pressure, and still comply with FRA regulations. It gets pretty complicated.
From multiple articles I've read over the last 7 years, the goal of the museum with the 1361 is to bring her back up to FRA spec and operate her.
I do recall seeing that a comestic restoration was going to be the plan but due to "turnover" in museum leadership the goal is now once again to operate her.
I don't blame the new leadership for trying to do so since the incompetent leadership the museum had years ago really mis-allocated the funds needed to restore her and bring her back up to FRA spec in Steamtown. It's the attitude of: "We've come this far, we might as well keep going".
1361 was the hot button topic in train preservation for years until the recent debacle with UP in Cheyenne replaced it.
As I understand it, she steamed for about a year in the 80s and has been in various states of 'not ready to display' ever since. I don't know all the details so I won't rehash them here.
There's only two K4s in existence, the other is at the impressive museum at Strasburg. Sadly, the other doesn't look too good as it's displayed outside in a very unforgiving climate:
Too bad. It seems it will be a long time since we see mainline PRR steam. Of course we still have PRR #643..
I think the K-4 deserves a place in spotlights, a bit more than many others. Not my favorite, but very respectable historically.
RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:Too bad. It seems it will be a long time since we see mainline PRR steam. Of course we still have PRR #643..
What is "PRR #643"?
Jack,
The 643 is an authentic PRR B4a, the last one of its class. It currently operates at the Williams Grove Railroad, in Mechanicsburg, PA. Interesting note about her was that she was converted from a belpaire firebox to a radial stay firebox in the 40s.
PennsyPride94 posted:Jack,
The 643 is an authentic PRR B4a, the last one of its class. It currently operates at the Williams Grove Railroad, in Mechanicsburg, PA. Interesting note about her was that she was converted from a belpaire firebox to a radial stay firebox in the 40s.
Thanks. I've never heard of that little beauty.
Strasburg can fix her, they have tackled this exact boiler issue before. I would make the boiler repair priority #1, as I don't think you will see any confidence in this project until that work is completed.
Montclaire posted:Strasburg can fix her, they have tackled this exact boiler issue before.
Exactly. However, the Strasburg Rail Road Shop does NOT work for free! The Altoona Railroaders Museum will need to raise LOTS of money, for the completion of PRR #1361.
I would make the boiler repair priority #1, as I don't think you will see any confidence in this project until that work is completed.
Montclaire posted:Strasburg can fix her, they have tackled this exact boiler issue before. I would make the boiler repair priority #1, as I don't think you will see any confidence in this project until that work is completed.
I think priority one right now from visiting is finding all the parts.
Any way you spin it this should have been a done deal a while ago. Just bs. Really a shame such a historic locomotive.
It has been a long time and a lot of money, posturing, excuses, mismanagement as inferred by other folks on this thread. They are all correct. I have my own opinions. I missed seeing her at the Curve. Hoped to see 1361 in steam and running well.
This locomotive has been apart since the ill-fated tow back from down East which badly galled a driving axle. Here are some pictures I took of 1361 in the Juniata Shops December 1992. My escorts said at that time her carcass was looted. Stuff was missing. This shop building was an active Conrail repair shop.
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My guess is that the LIRR's G5s Nos 35 & 39 may be running before K4 No. 1361. So it is possible that some PRR mainline steam engines will run in this century. Maybe railroad owner Warren Buffet can divert some of the millions he gives annually to charity to finish the restoration of these 3 PRR engines.
Bobby Ogage posted:My guess is that the LIRR's G5s Nos 35 & 39 may be running before K4 No. 1361. So it is possible that some PRR mainline steam engines will run in this century. Maybe railroad owner Warren Buffet can divert some of the millions he gives annually to charity to finish the restoration of these 3 PRR engines.
Well that would be nice, but don't hold your breath.
Its tough for an update when nobody is speaking up for its restoration. With my experience with government funds and government projects... its assessed every quarter....
The Atloona Museum has done a great job at restoring the shop and the interior displays at its location, however the caboose at the rear entrance is a real mess inside... not even cleaned out. And most of the passenger cars lay out side rotting away.
I think the rolling stock , passenger cars, K4, GG1 and other items will be done at a later time... problem is ... it maybe real later...
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I know this is quite an old topic, but how close can you get to 1361 now? can you get up close and take pictures of her? We are hoping to make it to Altoona this summer.
Good evening, she is in the round house and yes you can go inside and see her.
Work is progressing but slowly.
Enjoy your visit to Railroad City !!!!!
The PRR Technical & Historical Society is having its annual meeting in Altoona next month. One of the events at the museum is listed as "K4 1361 Centennial Luncheon and Exhibit Unveiling."
Here are some photos of the sad shape she was in last year (June of 2017).
The rear exterior of the roundhouse building.
Closeup of the sign on the outside.
1361's boiler on a flat car.
Smokebox end.
Ash pan.
Stack, firebox grates and "stuff."
Headlight.
More "stuff."
Tender (the best looking part of her by far).
Overall view.
All of the photos except the smokebox end were taken from behind the orange netting. Since I was the only one in the roundhouse at the time, I did sneak past the barriers to take the smokebox photo.
Missing are the frame, cylinders, drivers, lead and trailing trucks, cab, domes, etc., etc.
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"Missing are the frame, cylinders, drivers, lead and trailing trucks"
Actually they can be seen in the building on the south side of the turntable. They are under lock and key last time I peeked through the window.
Dominic Mazoch posted:The amazing race: 1361 vs 844?
Wasn't much of a race. 844 did the Cheyenne run last summer, and as for 1361, it looks like it would be amazing if it's anywhere near operational in my remaining lifetime! 
Thanks for the updates everyone.
Tom
What work still needs to be accomplished? I’ve heard rumors about her firebox sheets were to thin and the staybolts had bad placements or something? Does anyone have an official estimate to bring her up to modern standards? I know I’m asking a lot, but with 5550 not operating until twenty thirty it would be nice if there was Mainline prr steam operating.
NS6770Fan posted:I know this is quite an old topic, but how close can you get to 1361 now? can you get up close and take pictures of her? We are hoping to make it to Altoona this summer.
Since the 1361 is still TOTALLY DISASSEMBLED, and spread all over the place (the boiler is on a flatcar and the frame is in a different building), viewing her is more like a science project, i.e. an exploded view of a steam locomotive. Note the photos recently posted above.
NS6770Fan posted:What work still needs to be accomplished?
In simple terms, she needs to be completed and reassembled.
I’ve heard rumors about her firebox sheets were to thin and the staybolts had bad placements or something?
Not the staybolts but the steal sheets of the firebox were too thin in order to comply with current FRA standards.
Does anyone have an official estimate to bring her up to modern standards?
Yes, someone there in Altoone knows, but it has become an extremely controversial topic. One faction wants to complete the required & necessary work in order to bring her up to current FRA standards, while another faction just wants to "put her back to gather" and operate her at reduced steam pressure.
I know I’m asking a lot, but with 5550 not operating until twenty thirty it would be nice if there was Mainline prr steam operating.
I can't imagine ANY railroad in the eastern U.S. that would be willing to have a "Mainline PRR steam operation"!
