N&W 2156 on the move StL to Virginia

As of 4:45PM Eastern Time, the 2156 is already by Hugo Tower in the Ft Wayne , Ind area.

2156 as now (5:20PM Eastern) arrived in East Wayne, IND.

Yeah, trying to decipher the Face Book, a friend and I made a trip to Kenova Yard trying to get some update from NS employees.  Sounds like with the trouble that they are having, it's gonna be awhile before getting to our neck of the woods!

If they hadn't had the "Hot Bearing" problems, they would have already been thru the Kenova, Wva area. I believe they had stopped more doing checks more often than just a crew change as was posted on Face Book.

Hey Cullen Mac , if you can give us some more up date, please chime in here!....Thanks Brandy!...........................

There's no way they would be to Kenova by now.  It's a 25mph move and routing through Fort Wayne and Bellevue.  They just left St. Louis yesterday.  Should be close to, or even beyond NKP 765 World Headquarters by now.  Figure at least another day--if not more--to get to Kenova.

Keep an eye on the Track N&W 2156 facebook page.  They are doing a good job keeping up with local field reports.

Kevin

Yeah, some one sent me a Face Book post, it was about a 17hr trip, from St.Louis to Roenoke. I just figured they must have divided, the miles, by mph, and came up with that one. 

The gentleman that we talked with at the Kenova Yard Office talked like sometime late tomorrow, if they don't have anymore unscheduled stops.

I have been around old equipment from oil fields, that has set many years, and then getting it back into some sort of running condition. I could imagine how it would be with a steam locomotive, setting in one spot, for many, many years then expecting it to go without a hitch of some sorts.

Be a horse of a different color, if all the moving parts had been rotated, and kept in good lubricated condition. You know kinda like they reported was done on the 4014!

So it get's through here, when it get's through here!........................

I tracked it from Huntington IN. to Ft. Wayne. Seems like they had more problems just cruising along at 25mph. They would slow down to what seemed like about 10mph, then speed back up to 25. I had heard about a hot bearing somewhere over in Illinois last night, but with all the clanking the rods were making I don't think it's a rod issue, maybe a trailing or engine truck bearing? It's past Leipsic OH. already, so they are moving right along.

They stopped in Peru IN. this afternoon about 12:30 to shoot the rods with grease and check it out. I imagine they are stopping every 100 miles or so to shoot them? That would put the next stop around Continental OH.

The 2156 has all roller bearings on the ENGINE axles, however the tender is plain bearings. The rear tender truck axle journal, on the Engineer's side has needed some tender loving care, enroute.

Nice to see an old girl on the move, even in amongst her replacements  

2156 made it to Kenova and got a slow order south of Kenova for the MOW Group doing track work. It made a stop at the old Pritchard, Wva Coaling Tower. The crew separated the diesel, and water tender, with the 2156 spotted under the Coaling tower for pictures. 

The NS Company Photographer, did a photo shoot, they also ran an extension cord from the coach behind the tender to the engine and illuminating the marker and head light/lights.

I got several shots on my cell camera, and text them to some club friends, and I would post them on the forum, if I knew how!..............If any of you guys could put the proverbial "directions on heel", I'll give it a try............Brandy!.......... 

Okay, this is NOT one of the "why don't they get her restored" posts, but I am wondering if the St Louis museum ever did a study on what mechanical condition she's in? I'm familiar with the mechanical statuses of all the UP 4000s and several other articulateds, but though I've seen 2156 in person, I have no clue how good a shape she's really in.

For what it's worth, there is nobody qualified, nor interested in, the restorable condition of any of their locomotives.

Hot Water you definately got better info than we got. I always thought "Face Book" was a bunch of Sh** from the 1st time I heard about it, and recently joined that club of miss informed dummies, Hmmmmmmmmm, guess I'm dumber than they are!

The NS guy I spoke to at the Kenova Yard Office, probably got his "Problems" information from the operstion's crew, who got theirs, from the guys that were handling the oversee of the engine during movement. You never know what is, or isn't understood during a passage of information!....So don't shoot the Messenger

Brandy, I was called out of Kenova at 4.15pm and just missed it.Sorry I didn't see your post earlier I was either at work or asleep .

It was coming in the yard at Williamson when I was trying to leave with an empty set for Colmont.It had things tied up for a while.

I saw some of the pictures from Prichard when they cut away from the diesel unit and they looked great.Glad someone thought of positioning it under the coaling tower that made for a great shot .

They were trying to call in some service building guys from home for some reason ? I'm not sure if it was to do with the 2156 or something else with it.It was in #1 pocket (track) when we went by it down the middle yard lead.

It looks a little rough on the cosmetics to me,but that was nearly in the dark.I'm sure the folks at the Va Transportation museum will give it a good cleaning. 

Collin, thanks for the come back here. There were 3 trains running south ahead of the 2156 movement, and I of course waved at all 3 lead units just figuring you maybe the engineer on one of those trains coming from Portsmouth. (Dark Windows)

I got some great shots under the coaling tower, when they did the photo shoot, they also turned the marker and head lights on, there was a storm coming up from the south, and lighting got low, which made for a great photo shot with the old engines lights on.

What job are you working now?  I see you got called from Kenova, is that a switcher job of some sort?.................Thanks again.........Have a safe trip/trips..........Brandy!

NS Corp photo at Prichard, W.Va.

Elmwood, OH

That NS would take the extra effort to stage the photo under the coaling station speaks clearly of their commitment to celebrating railroad heritage - 5 thumbs up...  I wonder what UP execs will be thinking as they see favorable public reaction to NS's moves?

Ed Rappe

Well, in my opinion, "steam" and "UP execs thinking" may just be the ultimate oxymoron!

icing on the cake would have been a smoke bomb in the stack......

My...oh my !   Will you look at those two photos.   Elephant fever hits big time !

Diesel Dan & Big Jim, thank you for posting the video links and the great pix! The events of the past few weeks are beginning to feel like N&W heaven for me and (I'd be willing to bet) for a lot of folks.

Reports on Facebook indicate 2156 has arrived in Roanoke and will be stored for awhile in the East End Shops. https://www.facebook.com/pages...422067280073?fref=ts  The thread has several videos of 2156's journey.

 The Virginia Museum of Transportation hasn't posted the promised calendar of events for 611's "Homecoming Weekend" - perhaps they were waiting to be sure of 2156's return in time for the May 30th event.  I have a gut feeling 1218 and 2156 will play key supporting roles in the festivities.

Ed Rappe

My guess is that while 2156 is in the East End Shops, she will be "cleaned up" and have her main rods reinstalled.

The Big Three together again !   Somewhere, the giants of steam are sipping Le Fete Rothschild Bordeau-'59, and lighting up Havana's finest !   Can I get a big HOOT-HOOT !

You can have the nasty Havana, but, I'll take the stinky Feet. Hooty - Hoot!

How did this move come about?  Is the NMOT getting anything in return?

It's at the East End Shop; I saw it there this evening.

Scott Smith

The combined efforts of NS and the Virginia Museum of Transportation, the following to the St Louis Museum, in order to borrow the 2156 for 5 years:

1) VMT loaned the FTB unit, that matches the EMC FTA original demonstrator fro 1939-1940.

2) NS offered to cosmetically restore/repaint the DDA40X (which is now already in Altoona).

Just curious as to why the first part of the trip was made as part of a UP train?  Was that because they were on UP track?

Yes, the St Louis Museum of Transport is on the UP, at Kirkwood, MO (former MOPAC main line as I recall), thus the UP had to switch the NS consist into the museum, pick up the 2156, and then return to the NS terminal in St Louis.

   I'm on a mine run (local) the J-16 at Kenova. We can do about anything from flood loading to spotting industries,even when needed time freight out of Portsmouth to Williamson.

2156 was visible on the railcam passing the VTM at 2:56 pm,  Tuesday afternoon.  

Earl G.

Even Roanoke local TV news covered this last night!!! 

They had a lot more pics.....thought some might get post here????

WDBJ 7 newscast