.

Which will probably make the 1873 mason bogie here in Dearborn, MI the oldest operable engine in the U.S.

How about the John Bull?  Isn't it supposed to operate once every 50 years?

The Virginia and Truckee's #22 "Inyo" (1875) isn't far behind.

http://www.nsrm-friends.org/inyo22.html

Rusty

Are any of these "ancient" locos operating with their original boilers?

Steam locomotives are like the legendary axe: The head's been replaced twice and the handle three times, but it's still the original axe!

100% straight from Baldwin, Rogers or whomever? No.

Any steam locomotive would have gone through multiple repairs and replacements of various components.  The boiler is more than just the shell, there's the firebox, crown sheet, stay bolts, flues, flue sheets, plumbing, all of which would have had some replacement during their service lives.  Even boiler courses were routinely replaced as needed.

Rusty

As long as the steam  loco has its frame, its still there.

The 1873 Mason in Greenfield village received it's current boiler in 1969, or somewhere around there.  One of the shop guys I talked to said it's probably had a number of boilers in it's lifetime.

Let's put it this way:  Is Sierra Railway #3 any less of a locomotive now with her new welded boiler?

There are also a boatload of regulations to comply with today vs. the late 1800's.

If the intent is to operate a 100+year old locomotive in the 21st century, things are going to have to be replaced with parts made with contemporary processes and materials. 

Rusty

It's a shame that she'll be soon out of operation.  When the Wild Wild West movie came out, the locomotive came back to Baltimore still painted as it was for the movie (including still having "WANDERER" on the tender and with the #5!)

I not only had the pleasure that weekend of riding behind it, since I'm a lifetime member of the Museum there, and I was conversing quite a bit with the engineer (who went with her for the filming to run it) that I ended up riding in the cab on the return mile and a half back to Mt. Clare!  It was the ride of a lifetime, and it was quite an honor.

I'll have to find the photo of me in the cab, complete with James West hat!

I think you are correct.  There was also some cosmetic work done by the Walt Disney studio when it appeared in "The Great Locomotive Chase", but details are hazy as to if all parts were replaced or if something had to be rebuilt for it after filming.

The 0-6-4T mason at Greenfield Village isn't much original either.  I assume the frame is original, and one of the crew members I chat with named a few other parts, but not many are from 1873.  It was re-gauged to standard gauge when it came to Dearborn as well.

It would be neat if they would do one final run as a photo freight, pulling some of their period link and pin freight cars.  On their steam days, they run it at a pretty low pressure, but they never pull any cars with it and at least I've never heard it work.  It is still a wonderful sight to see.

This rough, unedited, windy day video was shot five years ago with my then 4-year old son sitting on my lap.  Bye Bye.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48WzWT83-M4&list=UUz9qf9KfLq0Edp2V3PPKibQ

Bob

When I was there in 1999 for that steam weekend (which was the one, I think, right after the release of Wild Wild West) they did a few special runs with the Mason pulling cars for riders.  They were the open air gondolas, only 2 of them, I think, but she pulled those for a few times that day.

That reminds me: I'll have to find and scan the ticket for those rides!  It looks like a turn of the 20th century railroad ticket!

Who wants to see the green pile of _____?  There's nothing majestic about the Mason. That sounds like a brand name for a product I can't mention on the forum!!  But let's stick to something majestic Matt...like the 261, the 4449, etc... NOW those are steam locomotives that are majestic in nature.

SJC, thanks for posting about this.  I was able to swing by the B&O Railroad Museum today.  All I had was my phone, so here are the best shots I was able to get (and sorry the video is a bit shaky).

Here's Big Jim's video, he even got a cab ride.

Great video, looked like a great event.

What a beautiful engine!  But why in the world would the front drivers be blind?

Blind and very wide.  The track it was built for wasn't the greatest and would have sharp curves.  Plus it is one less flange to wear out.  

Bob

Blind lead drivers were quite common on 19th Century locomotives.  As noted by Bob it was a track issue coupled with the fact of very rapid technological change.  There were any number of railroads whose first power consisted of 4-2-0 locomotives.  The curves built for these engines were just fine until the railroad decided to upgrade to a 4-4-0. The blind drivers were one way to get around this problem.

Bob look up The Great Locomotive Chase on Netflix and watch it. The Mason works hard at one point and you really get to hear her hard at work on The Tallulah Falls Railroad. If you have anymore questions about the movie or the line the movie was shot on just shoot me an email. I love my hometown rail line!

Josh