Santa Fe 2926 first steam up set end of August?

Steam up? Have you done the hydro yet?

smd4 posted:

Steam up? Have you done the hydro yet?

Yes, quite some time ago. As I recall, they were readying for their first "steam test", more than a month ago, but when they pulled her out of the building, the rail in the inspection pit area rolled, and derailed the trailing truck. They had Hulcher come in with their big side-boom Cats, and lift the rear of the engine (they have a nice video of that operation on the website).

Awesome, thanks Hot. I'll check it out.

Hot Water, are you going out, and help them fire and run....?

Brandy posted:

Hot Water, are you going out, and help them fire and run....?

Nope. Getting too old, thus I only participate with 4449 operations, as needed. Besides, I don't think they need my help.

Exciting news! Those 2900's are monsters.

Will the open house be near the 2926?

Thanks

mokemike

mokemike posted:

Will the open house be near the 2926?

Thanks

mokemike

The open house is at the 2926 shop, and the engine is on-site.

Because of WWII material restrictions, were not the 2900 class some of the heaviest 4-8-4 ever built?

Dominic Mazoch posted:

Because of WWII material restrictions, were not the 2900 class some of the heaviest 4-8-4 ever built?

They were the heaviest 4-8-4's as built, being 2000lbs heavier than second place Northern Pacific A-5 class.

Stuart

Sorry to disagree with the poster above but I was there on August 22, last Wednesday, and the 2926 was definitely NOT steamed up and not operating in any fashion. I was led on a tour by Martin Sanchez one of the group leaders and he explained to me that there were several valve leaks that would prevent a full steam up until the leaks were fully identified and repaired. As a matter of fact, the flues had been washed out the day before and they were busy getting rid of the water and residue on my visit and the firebox was cooling down from the day before. Pistons in the steam chests were not installed.

Martin explained that a full steam up would have to wait. He could not confirm the locomotive would run by early 2019. In the photos below from August 22 I am standing beside the 2926 and Martin it is most definitely not steaming.

If you go to the website you see a steam up from the day before where steam was blown out from the piston empty steam chests. That was when they discovered the valve leaks and that steam up was ended.

so what is that a picture of above your post?

not trying to get into a pizzing contest just wondering.

I found some youtube video of the "partial" steamup . Some whistle and bell at 17:54. Its getting there.

Heres more info:

There was a partial steam up on August 21, not open to the public, the day before I saw the #2926. It was during that time that the valve leaks were discovered. The engineer in the photo above is the same fellow I talked to about the #2926 steam up and the predictions the group has regarding the eventual operation of the locomotive.

1) They lease the siding they are on from a local company

2) They plan to operate the locomotive in 2019 but cannot say definitively that will happen in 2019

3) They have made arrangements for use of filtered motor oil as fuel because it has the right BTU content and they have made arrangements with local fire companies to provide water via hoses at various stops.

4) With regard to turning the locomotive for operation, they hope to "find a wye." 

5) Interestingly, the locomotive was built with a form of automatic braking back in the forties but is not capable of being used with PTC.

6) They are negotiating arrangements with the Grand Canyon Railroad to run the same route as the Grand Canyon steamer currently not operational

I did not discuss with them the insurance issues that other railroads are facing with regard to excursions or fan trips. The fellows said they plan to pull a consist of privately owned passenger cars. Of course, on another railroad's mainline the insurance issues are going to be an issue. The locomotive has been totally overhauled although the boiler has not been lifted off of the chassis. It looks fabulous.

I can't understand why someone affiliated with the 2926 group says that the air brake equipment cannot be used with PTC.

This locomotive was built with 8-ET air brake schedule, and was formerly equipped with Automatic Train Stop.  3460 Class Santa Fe steam engines, also built with 8-ET air brake schedule, were equipped with both Automatic Train Stop and Automatic Train Control (cab signals).  I might add that Southern Pacific 4449 also was built with 8-ET and HSC air brake schedule, and that group has not been complaining about incompatibility with PTC.

Obviously Number 8 air brake equipment can initiate a penalty application when commanded by a train stop device.  So, what's the problem?

Number 90 posted:

I can't understand why someone affiliates with the group says that the air brake equipment cannot be used with PTC.

This locomotive was built with 8-ET air brake schedule, and was formerly equipped with Automatic Train Stop.  3460 Class Santa Fe steam engines, also built with 8-ET air brake schedule, were equipped with both Automatic Train Stop and Automatic Train Control (cab signals).  I might add that Southern Pacific 4449 also was built with 8-ET and HSC air brake schedule, and that group has not been complaining about incompatibility with PTC.

Obviously Number 8 air brake equipment can initiate a penalty application when commanded by a train stop device.  So, what's the problem?

Tom,

Also lets not forget the UP steam locomotives, i.e. 844 and 3985, the she was operational. Both were fitted with UP's cab signal equipment, way back in the steam days, and after the merger with Chicago & North Western, both locomotives were up-graded with the latest electronic/solid state UP cab signal and CNW Automat Train Control. Both UP locomotives, as well as the under restoration 4014, are equipped with 8ET air brake schedules.

Apparently someone at the 2926 group is confused. 

Hot Water posted:

Apparently someone at the 2926 group is confused. 

Or -- possibly -- the person affiliated with that group and who spoke to our good friend Eliot was posing as one who knows air brakes.  It is tempting to some who are in the inner circle of steam engine operating and preservation groups, to pose as experts.  On the other hand, perhaps this person does indeed "know the air."  Without more information about that person's background, we do not know if he knows something specific to the 2926 that would back up his claim.  I would hate to think that someone might try to B.S. a good man like Eliot.

Those of us who have actually used manually-lapped automatic brake valves as Engineers on real trains are rightly puzzled by the claim that there is anything about the 2926 air brakes that would be incompatible with PTC.  To the best of my knowledge, 8-ET air brake equipment is superbly well-suited to both freight and passenger use, and was used with great success by Santa Fe Railway.

Perhaps, if there is anyone on the Forum from the 2926 group who could elaborate, we could understand this more fully.

Maybe because they installed a 26L brake system?

steam fan posted:

Maybe because they installed a 26L brake system?

That still does not justify the response that the locomotive was built with a form of automatic brake, back in the forties, but was not compatible with PTC. Many "restoration groups" have elected to install the 26 brake schedule simply because they could not obtain overhaul/repair components for an 8ET system.

Scrapiron Scher posted:

6) They are negotiating arrangements with the Grand Canyon Railroad to run the same route as the Grand Canyon steamer currently not operational.

ex-CB&Q 2-8-2 no. 4960 is a steam locomotive owned by Grand Canyon Railway that still runs, their other steamer, ex-LS&I 2-8-0 no. 14, is not. So even if the deal between NMSL&RHS and GCRY doesn't work out, there will still be steam action there.

TrainMan1225 posted:

Scrapiron Scher posted:

6) They are negotiating arrangements with the Grand Canyon Railroad to run the same route as the Grand Canyon steamer currently not operational.

ex-CB&Q 2-8-2 no. 4960 is a steam locomotive owned by Grand Canyon Railway that still runs, their other steamer, ex-LS&I 2-8-0 no. 14, is not. So even if the deal between NMSL&RHS and GCRY doesn't work out, there will still be steam action there.

Only on a limited basis, does the Grand Canyon Railway operate steam. One needs to check their website for potential steam operations.

With the locomotive's weight, will it not not be hard on the track?

Thanks to Number 90, Hot Water and others for your knowledge about the #2926 and braking control. All of you know much more about these issues than I do. I merely claim to love the trains and I have tried to report exactly what I was told, no more no less. I know that I was told that the loco is not compatible with PTC but I cannot elaborate. Hopefully, I have reported correctly.

Eliot