Wednesday of last week, ATSF northern 2926 moved for the first time since her retirement in 1953, albeit under compressed air. The New Mexico group decided that the first moves should not be under steam, as to not damage equipment if adjustments are needed. This friday (June 24th), the 2926 will make her first move entirely under steam. 21 years in the making, we have another Santa Fe Northern running!
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It's exciting to see so many steam engines come to life!!
I wonder how they ran on compressed air? Just plumb a big storage tank into the engine and pull it along on a flatbed?
Unfortunately, all dressed up and nowhere to go.
Rusty
Wow! Really cool video. Thanks for sharing.
@BillYo414 posted:…I wonder how they ran on compressed air? Just plumb a big storage tank into the engine and pull it along on a flatbed?
The “…big storage tank…” is the boiler. They connect an air compressor to the boiler and run it…for long time. Once the boiler is pumped up to whatever pressure the compressor can achieve, the compressor is disconnected and the engine can move. We’ve done it with 765 several times.
@BillYo414 posted:It's exciting to see so many steam engines come to life!!
I wonder how they ran on compressed air?
Instead of filling the boiler with water and having a fire in the firebox to make steam, they simply filled the boiler with compresses are from an external air compressor (probably about 150psi).
Just plumb a big storage tank into the engine and pull it along on a flatbed?
Nope.
@Rusty Traque posted:Unfortunately, all dressed up and nowhere to go.
Rusty
That, and nothing to pull either.
Another issue, maybe. Were the 2900's the heaviest Northerns built? Is that another limiting factor?
@Dominic Mazoch posted:Another issue, maybe. Were the 2900's the heaviest Northerns built?
Yes.
Is that another limiting factor?
Could be.
I remember seeing her on display years ago in New Mexico. I thought if only......... Now that dream is coming true and if they get excursions to anywhere, I will try my best to be on board. Saw another 2900 up close in Wichita Kansas in 2005. What a magnificent beast!
Rolland
Talk about a dry run 
(still glad I bought a Premier 2900 a couple of years ago)
---PCJ
Well, let's hope that the locomotive can actually power some excursions. It's a challenge. The locomotive is located in an area without much population and also without a ready supply of conventional passenger cars, but it is truly a magnificent - and huge - machine. Perhaps those who are bringing her back to life have a plan.
Let's hope that something to develops. It would be a shame to see it run out its boiler time running back and forth at 10 mph on auxiliary tracks.
There are some commuter passenger cars for the runnout of ABQ. But these are modern and need HEP. There is that line from ABQ to Danta Fe. But no tirning facilities in Santa Fe.
Can a non PTC locomotive run on PTC trackage if between two points the railroad is sealed, that is, no other trains or locomotives would be running?
The following might be heresy. It may come down to few if any steam locomotives running on open trackwork. Instead, functioning steam locomotives will run in place on rollers. At least visitors will get a sense of seeing the rods move and wheels turn, smoke and whistle, etc. 
Dan Weinhold
@sleepmac posted:The following might be heresy. It may come down to few if any steam locomotives running on open trackwork. Instead, functioning steam locomotives will run in place on rollers. At least visitors will get a sense of seeing the rods move and wheels turn, smoke and whistle, etc.
Dan Weinhold
And just who in the wide wide world of sports would pay for THAT arrangement?????
Way back when 2903 was at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry, it was slightly lifted off the rails and the drivers were driven by an electric motor. When you pressed a button, the drivers would make one revolution.
Rusty
@Dominic Mazoch posted:Another issue, maybe. Were the 2900's the heaviest Northerns built? Is that another limiting factor?
They were the heaviest 4-8-4s built - but ATSF never used the term "Northern". ATSF correspondence and blueprints refer to their 4-8-4s either by the class number (2900) or as "New Mountains", "Heavy Mountains" or "Mountains 4-Wheel Trailer". This was a consistent practice on the ATSF - note similar notations for Mikado, Pacific, and Santa Fe 4-wheel trailer. This blueprint index dated 1927 (digitized by the Kansas State Historical Society) shows 3751 class as Mountain 4 Wheel Trailer.
Here you see a blueprint of Class 3700 - Mountain Type from this blueprint book. 
A copy of Blueprint for 3751 - somewhere I have another one that lists it as a "Heavy Mountain". The following are sourced from railroading online: http://www.railroadingonline.c...drawings/index.shtml
Finally, a blueprint for 2900 class. No "type" listed.
@Rich Melvin posted:The “…big storage tank…” is the boiler. They connect an air compressor to the boiler and run it…for long time. Once the boiler is pumped up to whatever pressure the compressor can achieve, the compressor is disconnected and the engine can move. We’ve done it with 765 several times.
Ya know...it makes so much more sense that they can do that once you point it out. I can't believe I didn't realize that's how it's done.
I also read "we've done it 765 times" instead of "We've done it with 765 several times."
@Hot Water posted:And just who in the wide wide world of sports would pay for THAT arrangement?????
HW, good question! I for one don't know the answer. 
Dan Weinhold
@Dominic Mazoch posted:There are some commuter passenger cars for the runnout of ABQ. But these are modern and need HEP.
Maybe that's their plan. I hope not, but it's better than nothing.
There is that line from ABQ to Santa Fe. But no turning facilities in Santa Fe.
Dominic, the Santa Fe Southern track (the former Santa Fe, NM, branch) is not well suited to the heaviest 4-8-4. BNSF is not likely to allow the engine out on the very busy transcon, which leaves the Glorieta Subdivision, single track, mostly ABS/TWC (with a few semaphores still active), and two trains a day (Amtrak Nos. 3 and 4). The passenger trains are not a big obstacle, but sidings are often blocked with stored cars. The "horny toad" line toward El Paso is another lightly trafficked route which might be available. But Santa Fe, NM? Not highly recommended.
Nobody would be more pleased than I, to see successful excursions run behind this engine. The organization which has the engine has not said much, publicly, about plans or partnerships which could result in mainline operation. Perhaps they are planning and keeping it quiet until agreements are reached.
Can a non PTC locomotive run on PTC trackage if between two points the railroad is sealed, that is, no other trains or locomotives would be running?
After January, 2022, no train will be allowed to depart its initial terminal without having an operational PTC-equipped locomotive or push-pull control car on the front. So the answer is, effectively, no. Can't do it with Absolute Block.
There used to be (up to maybe 1980s?) 'fireless cooker' steam engines that ran on compressed air. Usually little 0-4-0 switchers used to move cars around a grain complex where sparks could have easily caused a fire / explosion.
In "The Depot" museum in Duluth MN, they have a DMIR Yellowstone that's up on rollers; the wheels rotate every so many minutes via an electric motor, and there are recorded sounds playing of one under steam.
@wjstix posted:There used to be (up to maybe 1980s?) 'fireless cooker' steam engines that ran on compressed air. Usually little 0-4-0 switchers used to move cars around a grain complex where sparks could have easily caused a fire / explosion.
The "fireless cooker" steam locomotives did NOT run on "compressed air"! They had their boilers filled with VERY hot water from the main power house steam boilers, thus as the pressure was released on the "fireless cooker" through the throttle, steam was produced to power the pistons. They could operate quite awhile on each charge of hot boiler water.
In "The Depot" museum in Duluth MN, they have a DMIR Yellowstone that's up on rollers; the wheels rotate every so many minutes via an electric motor, and there are recorded sounds playing of one under steam.
With the 2926’s first moves this weekend, won’t that make it the second heaviest locomotive to operate in US preservation, only second to the 4014? IIRC, the 4000’s weigh 1,200,000(ish) pounds and the 2900’s weigh just below 1,000,000 pounds (975,000ish).
@NS6770Fan posted:With the 2926’s first moves this weekend, won’t that make it the second heaviest locomotive to operate in US preservation, only second to the 4014? IIRC, the 4000’s weigh 1,200,000(ish) pounds and the 2900’s weigh just below 1,000,000 pounds (975,000ish).
Please do NOT confuse the term "heaviest steam locomotive" with the term "heaviest 4-8-4", which meets the description of the Santa Fe 2900 class 4-8-4s.
Grand Canyon?
Jon 
@NS6770Fan posted:With the 2926’s first moves this weekend, won’t that make it the second heaviest locomotive to operate in US preservation, only second to the 4014? IIRC, the 4000’s weigh 1,200,000(ish) pounds and the 2900’s weigh just below 1,000,000 pounds (975,000ish).
Except a 2926's weight on drivers is 10,000lbs more than 4014's.
Rusty
@Rusty Traque posted:Except a 2926's weight on drivers is 10,000lbs more than 4014's.
Rusty
Rusty,
How did you come up with THAT???? My information has the Santa Fe 2900 class 4-8-4s at 293,860 lbs weight on drivers, while a UP 4000 class 4-8-8-4 has 545,200 lbs weight on drivers.
Now, the axle loadings on the Santa Fe 2900 class is a whopping 77,500 lbs per axle, while the UP 4000 class is only 67,800 lbs per axle.
@Hot Water posted:Rusty,
How did you come up with THAT???? My information has the Santa Fe 2900 class 4-8-4s at 293,860 lbs weight on drivers, while a UP 4000 class 4-8-8-4 has 545,200 lbs weight on drivers.
Now, the axle loadings on the Santa Fe 2900 class is a whopping 77,500 lbs per axle, while the UP 4000 class is only 67,800 lbs per axle.
I apparently misunderstood what I was reading. Something is the first to go, I just can't recall what it is...
Rusty
One thought from the NM Historical Steam society was to turn around in Las Vegas NM which has a Y. That info is about a year old so I don't know if that is current.
@KOOLjock1 posted:Grand Canyon?
Jon
My thought too.
@KOOLjock1 posted:Grand Canyon?
Jon
Do you REALLY believe the management of BNSF will allow it to run all the way to Williams, AZ? They, BNSF management, will not even allow Santa Fe 3751 with an established crew and excellent track record, to operate on their main lines anymore (citing way too much freight congestion in the LA basin).
They have proposed running a two day excursion to Las Vegas, NM where they would overnight with passengers staying at the restored Harvey House. The issue with the track was the weight limit of the wood trestles north of ABQ and south of Bernalillo, They could not support the weight of the locomotive and a tender full of water.
Jan
@Jan posted:They have proposed running a two day excursion to Las Vegas, NM where they would overnight with passengers staying at the restored Harvey House. The issue with the track was the weight limit of the wood trestles north of ABQ and south of Bernalillo, They could not support the weight of the locomotive and a tender full of water.
Jan
What sort of passenger cars would they be using?
@Hot Water posted:…the axle loadings on the Santa Fe 2900 class is a whopping 77,500 lbs per axle, while the UP 4000 class is only 67,800 lbs per axle.
It is those high axle loadings that will restrict where this locomotive can operate.
To put those axle loadings in context:
With 77,500 pound axle loads, 2926 will be restricted from crossing a lot of big and small bridges, and may not be able to run on anything less than class 3 track. They were main line runners, not branch line locomotives!
We need a big railroad park out west somewhere with a giant oval of track and a roundhouse where these monster steamers can live and run. Like a proving grounds type set up. The low humidity will help keep them preserved.
Stick a hotel next to it and a few restaurants and shopping.
Call it Trainland. Or Train-topia.
It moved:
It's excellent to see it moving under its own power.
I just hope she'll eventually be able to pull mainline excursion trains
@The Pullman posted:It's excellent to see it moving under its own power.
I just hope she'll eventually be able to pull mainline excursion trains
Yes, they sure have come a long way, and are to be congratulated. I'm just put-off by the military award ribbons painted on each side of the cab, just below the window. I thought service ribbons were awarded to individuals, other than Unit Citations.
What a thing of beauty. It’s hard to imagine those monsters running on the rails.
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