Watch as our volunteer crew made up of veteran railroaders, experienced mechanics and new recruits wrangle our 200-ton steam locomotive back on the rail. This was no easy way to spend a Saturday...
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Thank you for video very informative. I bet you wish it was O gauge train and all you needed was "The Giant Hand from above". Good job!!!!
While everyone helped was there one individual making decisions? If so, who was the person?
It was largely a family affair with Aaron Sherman, Jon Jaros, Zach Hall and Jim Lesiak leading the effort. Between them we had one Class 1 railroad manager, one diesel locomotive service provider, one vastly qualified steam locomotive mechanical contractor and our new operations manager and the owner of a construction and heavy moving company, respectively.
If you're a new or current member, there's a good article dedicated to this in our most recent newsletter. We now include newsletters with each new member mailing: http://fortwaynerailroad.org/become-a-member/
Very nicely done...on the video production AND the re-railing job. That was a tough one to re-rail!
Pulling from the side as you had to do on the trailing truck, is not something you often have to do in these kinds of re-railing jobs. But when both wheels are down on the same side of the rail, you have to "persuade" the truck to move sideways a little.
Unfortunately this equipment is a little too heavy for the "0-5-0 Switcher" (your hand) to handle. 
Looks like those tracks need a few wooden gauge rods installed and get rid of the metal ones.
Man re-railing on a curve with a loco that size...
I helped re-rail a 0-4-0 on a straight stretch of track once (without another locomotive to push or pull) and even that was a royal pain. Still, that was nothing compared to what the 765 people had to handle!
Great job re-railing her! It looks like the plymouth had a chance to prove itself.
I hope I didn't loosen the gauge rod when I ran 767 the previous day!
Who filmed the re-railing process?
Gene posted:Looks like those tracks need a few wooden gauge rods installed and get rid of the metal ones.
"wooden gauge rods"???????? How long would THOSE last?
At 4:20 in the video the drivers slip. Was the locomotive being run on compressed air?
That was pretty cool to watch.
Hot Water posted:Gene posted:Looks like those tracks need a few wooden gauge rods installed and get rid of the metal ones.
"wooden gauge rods"???????? How long would THOSE last?
It is what I used to call cross ties. My boss and I hated metal gauge rods. I trust them a whole lot more than the metal ones. The wooden ones will last 15-18 years depending on curvature, elevation and location
OGR Webmaster posted:Unfortunately this equipment is a little too heavy for the "0-5-0 Switcher" (your hand) to handle.
Man! You beat me to it! 
Seriously though, you guys all do a great job!
Something you do not want to drop on your foot .
Railfan Brody posted:Great job re-railing her! It looks like the plymouth had a chance to prove itself.
I hope I didn't loosen the gauge rod when I ran 767 the previous day!
Who filmed the re-railing process?
I think you know him!
Matt A posted:At 4:20 in the video the drivers slip. Was the locomotive being run on compressed air?
Yep, you can even hear a brief chuff during that spin.
OGR Webmaster posted:Very nicely done...on the video production AND the re-railing job. That was a tough one to re-rail!
Pulling from the side as you had to do on the trailing truck, is not something you often have to do in these kinds of re-railing jobs. But when both wheels are down on the same side of the rail, you have to "persuade" the truck to move sideways a little.
Unfortunately this equipment is a little too heavy for the "0-5-0 Switcher" (your hand) to handle.
After seeing this I don,t think I complain so much rerailing my steam locomotives.
Railfan Brody posted:I hope I didn't loosen the gauge rod when I ran 767 the previous day!
At least we have someone else to blame now other than Kelly!
Hey Kelly... I've been waiting for the video for some time now and it was worth the wait.
It goes to show that it's possible to accomplish just about anything if you put your mind to it. I know some have said this is not a big deal or it's like changing a tire but it really is. (rain didn't help) Not every Railway has access to the big hook.
Just getting the re-railers in place is a lot of work. disconnecting the tender. finding enough power to move the engine . Fixing the track.
I 'm a little confused about the reference to the metal / wooden track gauge rods.
Aren't the metal rods the ones that broke?
To measure the gauge I'm guessing there's a wood and metal version.
One more question... When the diesel was pushing the steamer into the engine shed it sounded like there was steam or compresses air coming from the engine although I couldn't see anyone in the cab.
Thank you.
Thanks. And you're hearing air escape the cylinders as the piston rods move back and forth.
And I believe the "wooden gauge rods" are a tongue-in-cheek reference to railroad ties.
another example of what a group of professionals Ft Wayne is.
Kelly,
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I hung out with a volunteer at the member day, and I'm not sure what his name is. I think it is Andrew Worman; he told me that he works for Pioneer Lines on the ND&W as an engineer. We were in the New York Central car during dinner. I will put in the member picture too, he is wearing a bright green shirt and is hanging off the far side of 767.
Thanks, Brody
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How did it derail in the first place? Were the tracks old or something? Pretty cool how you all came together to put it back on the rails.
The tracks aren't that old, but they are in need of some repairs, as proven by the incident. What happened was a gauge rod broke under 765/767's weight, not to mention that multiple caboose trains ran back and forth on this track throughout the previous days. When the 765 was running back and forth, the gauge rod broke, and the rail shifted out causing 765 to derail.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but the video does say what happened at 0:05. 
Brody, Andrew is not an engineer for ND&W. He's only 16 and full of tall tales. Not a good way to become a part of our organization.
One heck of a job there. Thanks for posting.
Wonder what would happen if 765/767 ran on the old Maumee and Western?
I dare not to think of the outcome.
Man,
that was a hellacious tough re-rail. I've been involved in a few, but never where the track rolled like that. Nice job all around.
Ironically the biggest one I was (peripherally) involved in was using a steam engine to try to rerail a diesel!. Unfortunatley the little Porter 0-4-0 I was firing at the time did not have enough mass and power to smoothly pull the the gp-9 that had derailed on a picked switch. Eventually we were sent to wait it out on a different section of track while the local freight borrowed a diesel switched from thenearby CSX yard to them back on the rails.
Again, nothing like the track slipping out from under you though!
nathansixchime posted:Not to put too fine a point on it, but the video does say what happened at 0:05.
Brody, Andrew is not an engineer for ND&W. He's only 16 and full of tall tales. Not a good way to become a part of our organization.
Thanks Kelly! I guess there were some blind giveaways, like the fact that he looks my age, and he said that HE was firing 765 and there was a steam explosion within the boiler. I have never heard of a steam explosion that didn't blow the boiler to pieces, or anything for that matter. I mean, we all know what happened at Chernobyl.
jhz563 posted:Ironically the biggest one I was (peripherally) involved in was using a steam engine to try to rerail a diesel!. Unfortunatley the little Porter 0-4-0 I was firing at the time did not have enough mass and power to smoothly pull the the gp-9 that had derailed on a picked switch. Eventually we were sent to wait it out on a different section of track while the local freight borrowed a diesel switched from thenearby CSX yard to them back on the rails.
That was when the SWP ran through the depot switch going south, then came back later and put the engine on the ground. I was just telling someone that story not long ago...
While we're talking about 765, I had a question about the auxiliary tender. First, will it be ready for the 2017 excursion season, and second, how did it end up with 4-axle trucks after the New River Trains?
-Brody
RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:How did it derail in the first place? Were the tracks old or something? Pretty cool how you all came together to put it back on the rails.
It derailed because the ties are old and beyond the end of their useful life. The ties could not resist the spreading force of the wheels in the curve. The strain got so high that a gauge rod (a 1" diameter piece of steel) broke, allowing the rails to spread and the wheels to drop into the gauge.
Brody, our A-tank never had 4-wheel trucks. When full of water it is far too heavy to ride on only 4 axles. Don't know where you came up with that.
With regard to operating on the Maumee & Western...it won't happen. We will not take the 765 anywhere the track is only Class 1 (10 mph freight, 15 mph passenger.) We learned our lesson on that in North Judson a few years ago. Three derailments in one weekend...never again. 
I hope you know that I was joking about the Maumee & Western. No steam engine would last on that track in the condition it's in. But you know I've heard the current railroad who owns it have put in quite a bit of money to restore the worse sections of track.
When I came out to the shops on the member day, the aux tender was sitting out back on 4-axle trucks, with the new 6-axle trucks in the shops. I'm guessing that the 4-axle trucks were just temporary to give the tender support.
Also, does anyone know Bill Dolby. He is a former crew member and was around during the North Judson trips. He now is an engineer on the Wabash Central Railroad.
If anyone knows him let me know.
Railfan Brody posted:When I came out to the shops on the member day, the aux tender was sitting out back on 4-axle trucks, with the new 6-axle trucks in the shops. I'm guessing that the 4-axle trucks were just temporary to give the tender support.
I suggest you get your terminology straight first, i.e. are you referring to 6- WHEEL trucks? There are no such thing as "6-axle trucks"., and "4-axle trucks" are VERY, VERY rare!
Railfan Brody posted:I have never heard of a steam explosion that didn't blow the boiler to pieces, or anything for that matter. I mean, we all know what happened at Chernobyl.
You need to read about the Gettysburg Railroad.
smd4 posted:Railfan Brody posted:I have never heard of a steam explosion that didn't blow the boiler to pieces, or anything for that matter. I mean, we all know what happened at Chernobyl.
You need to read about the Gettysburg Railroad.
Good suggestion! Also, our new young "Railfan" has never experienced a cracked/broken boiler tube either. He surely has a LOT to learn.
Hot Water posted:smd4 posted:Railfan Brody posted:I have never heard of a steam explosion that didn't blow the boiler to pieces, or anything for that matter. I mean, we all know what happened at Chernobyl.
You need to read about the Gettysburg Railroad.
Good suggestion! Also, our new young "Railfan" has never experienced a cracked/broken boiler tube either. He surely has a LOT to learn.
Yeah, but we all have to start somewhere. Try not to be too hard on the lad, as that can sometimes drive off someone who, later in life, could turn wind up with more experience than you do now...
As for the Gettysburg crown sheet failure, the NTSB report will make anyone familiar with the doings of a boiler cringe at almost every page. I recall reading there was only one working sight glass, no working cab lights and a bunch of other, "You gotta be kidding me" methods of operation before the firebox couldn't take anymore and went off in the summer of '95 (if memory serves).
Were it not for the design of 1278's firebox with its button-head staybolts, the crew would have met a much more horrible fate when the firebox simply couldn't take any more "Bubba" operation... My understanding is that the new FRA rules on 15-year or 1400+ hour op rules on a boiler came directly from this incident.
I've seen photos of the interior of the firebox after Jerry bought the locomotive, but couldn't find them online to link them here. Man, the sag is so pronounced, it makes you realize how lucky those in the cab were that they didn't have to picked up with buckets afterward!
Railfan Brody posted:When I came out to the shops on the member day, the aux tender was sitting out back on 4-axle trucks, with the new 6-axle trucks in the shops. I'm guessing that the 4-axle trucks were just temporary to give the tender support.
What you saw are called "shop trucks." They are a spare set of trucks used in the shop to put under the tender while the real trucks are worked on. Since the tender is empty, a set of 4-wheel (not 4-axle) trucks will properly support the weight.
That's what I thought. Thanks Rich!
I WISH I had a resource like what young "Railfan" has at his fingertips, with folks handing over documents and websites to read and learn about railroading and steam locomotives, like we've done here and on other threads. I would have absorbed that information like a sponge, had it been available when I grew up. It wasn't.
I grew up before the internet, and struggled to find even the most basic information on steam locomotives. The best the local library could provide were "picture books" of trains.
Railfan and the other younglings don't realize how lucky they are. They can ask any question they want of Hot Water, for instance, or Rich, or several other folks--REAL STEAM ENGINEERS AND FIREMEN!
A lot of times, these resources are met with a response not much better than, "Hey, thanks. I'll get around to reading (insert website/document/resource) when I'm done playing Pokémon Go."
Railfan *may* be the real deal--a guy who is so passionate that he won't let anything get in his way to learning about steam and railroading. But, he may be like his friend, the 16- year-old who claims to be an engineer and was firing 765 went she went on the ground...
His questions--and his responses to the answers that others provide--may tell us what kind of railroad fan he is.
