This is for Ross Rowlad to answer since he views this web site. What is the mechanical status of the 614? Curious as what it would take for the engine to run again.

Traincrew.

Questions like this are not very relevant until 614 has a place and a reason to run, and certain members of this board frown upon them being asked. I'm sure Ross has connections and resources in place to get 614 operable relatively quickly given a valid reason or business opportunity.

Not sure why someone asking the mechanical status is questionable. That seems precisely what this forum is for, discussing the preservation of railroad equipment. Anyhow, I also doubt that the old girl would be ready quickly at this point either. I am fairly certain she needs a complete inspection and retube to be ready to roll.

Joe

Well if it was any other engine besides #614... or #1361.

I have no objections to questions like this, they are interesting intellectual exercises. However, the mechanical condition of the locomotive is about number three of the questions that need to be answered for it's operation. Number one is do you have a place to run it? Number two is do you have a business model that will sustain it's operation. Answer these questions first, and you may have a chance of answering number four, which is how do we pay for it?

Gary says it exactly right. If there does develope a scenario that answers his key points in the affirmative then it's worth looking at making the substantial investment ( $ 1.0 MM- $ 2.0 MM) in putting her through the full FRA workup to return to service.

Until that happens she'll remain an attractive display ambassador.

Ross Rowland

And she currently is one very attractive ambassador as dressed out for the Holidays:



Click For Larger View

I guess what people want to know is what issues, if any are known, would need to be addressed besides the legally mandated tube job / inspection and maybe replacing the odd staybolt or two. If one ignored the law and commonsense prudence and fired her up right now, how would she do? No political agenda; people just like to be curious about such things. Folks ask the same thing about 611 and I think it was said that a couple things need doing besides the boiler job.

Steve

Ross,

Continuing the condition dialogue, obviuosly the boiler attracts the most investment and on-going maintenance as any steam locomotive would. Are the driver tire thicknesses satisfactory for another period of service? Manufacturing the tires would be a substantial expense beyond the boiler. In limited service in preservation, can tire life be stretched pretty far?

As a side note, I am very impressed with the hot ring rolling equipment and processes used to make tires.

On the positive side, being 100% roller bearing, all the bearings are fine? This a huge reliability advantage and savings over a plain bearing locomotive.

Thank you.

Regards,

Randy

Thanks to Bob Lyndall for the nice Christmas card.

To answer Randy when the time comes to give her a full FRA workup we'll go over the entire locomotive and replace/repair all the sub systems beyond the boiler work.

We had Timken do a full inspection of her roller bearings in 1995 and all were found to be in excellent shape. Timken gave us an estimate of remaining mileage that far, far exceeded any mileage we'd ever accumulate.

She will need new tires when returned to service. The existing tires have approx. 15,000 miles left in them but that's little enough to warrant new ones while you're doing a full workup.

Let's hope the opportunity comes along sooner than later.

Merry Christmas, Ross Rowland