At this point, no one of any authority has actually said to me whether the 1309 is being leased, or has been sold (or for that matter, donated, if we're open to any possibility). Notice that the specifics of that issue were deftly avoided in news releases. The "scuttlebutt" among followers of the Museum I have been listening to is that the 1309 was sold to the WMSR.

I draw no conclusions as to what this might mean for other pieces. I will point out that the Museum recently leased/loaned/whatever RDC 9913 to the Fayette Central for a spell. C&O 377 was leased to the Toledo, Lake Erie & Western in the 1969-74 time frame, but that LONG predated current management or even an independent B&O Museum--the lease was apparently from the C&O, not the Museum.

I leaves all kind of room for idealistic railfans to knock-about, but I appreciate the context in which this particular piece of the collection is moving out. When more is factually known, please let us know.

The official statement says the engine was simply "transferred". To me, that means either donated or sold.

I wondered if disassembly was required? I recall when I moved this engine, the tonnage profile showed 303 tons (including the flat car). I googled the weight of both engines, they are within 5,000lbs

Here's the best information I can find. Note that locomotives shipped this way go "dry," empty boiler and tender. That probably accounts for at least a 30-ton weight difference in the locomotive alone, and would also change the center of gravity considerably.

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/northern/?page=pr

http://www.movingfullsteamahead.com/upl ... -Page-80(1).jpg

I'm surprised at how relatively short the wheelbase of the C&O H-6 is. The locomotive itself has a total wheelbase of 48 feet, 10 inches.

If you look at the picture I can see everything on the locomotive including the stack. So as long as tunnel clearances are good and she is not too wide moving it this way is more efficient then taking a chance on bearings that have been sitting for years going up in flames.

While its more expensive this way she can roll in a freight train without the speed restrictions of having the main rods off. I know with 1352 move she'll be cleared for 40 MPH while rolling on flat cars.

Steven Harvey
American Steam Railroad
Frisco Mike #1352

Might not be right on this but when you pick up an articulated loco its best to leave the front engine on the ground. That said I suspect that the 1309 will be moved boiler and rear engine all together on one car, the tender on another, and the front engine on a third.

As to moving it around it's roller bearing equiped which on the one hand may have made it a bit easier or less risky but then again replacing a roller bearing that is 65 years old is not something you want to do.

Tim, I think you might be right on how to lift an articulated like this. That's how it was done in the shops. That said, they're going to need an interesting crib or something to hold up the front of the locomotive with the front engine out!

I'm not sure this locomotive has roller bearings, though. I've looked at sister 1308 in Huntington, and that engine has a bar or fabricated frame, rather than a cast one. I've been told roller bearings didn't like bar frames too well because the bar frames weren't as stiff as the cast ones. Could be a lot of hooey, but that's what I heard.

A lot of the engine really is a throwback to 1911. Besides the fabricated frames, there is a fabricated trailing truck, fabricated valve gear, and a backhead or dome throttle, too. The diagram also indicates she has a Type A superheater.

What are the odds she has roller bearings?

I was just going through photos of the 1308 and I have to say doubt I doubt the roller bearing thing too. You can clearly see good ol fashoined journal covers on the trailing truck and tender. (I picked the roller bearing tid bit up from the H-6 info on steamlocomotive.) Rollers might not have been a good idea on these locos anyway. I'm not an expert on the C&O especially the coal fields of the RR, but rollers and curvey ROW aren't a great match.

Measurements and more:

http://www.movingfullsteamahead.com/upl ... -Page-80(1).jpg

Everything I've read said the last batch was indeed roller bearing equipped, but that might have only been the drivers. Certainly the pictures that I've looked at show the trailing truck and tender to have journal box covers consistent with plain bearings.

roller bearings from all data I find, friction on the rear trailing truck, front pony...not sure, but built in 1949, it has no outer bearings, that might say roller bearings on the front, thats just like 765.

I wonder if they will keep the white drivers and the white walls . I like the look.

Some video footage is now available:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_un4-kgdFs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbF2ylZQGA0

I won't claim to be an expert, but the locomotive seems to roll easily without a lot of undesirable sounds, at least nothing I can detect. A good sign, perhaps?

This C&O diagram for an H6 would appear to indicate the drivers do not have roller bearings:



The main driver journals are described as "9-5/8 x 13" while the other driver journals are described as "9-1/2 x 13". The lead and trailer journals are described similarly.

Roller bearings are normally designated just by diameter, while friction bearings are designated by diameter x length, like these. Nothing else on the diagram indicates roller bearings.

I guess we will soon learn the true nature of the driver bearings. When I reviewed the drawing yesterday, I noted the TE stated as simple as well as compound. Were these husky locos capable of running in simple expansion and compound like the famed Ys? Or is it customary to state TE both ways on the spec sheets of a compound?

Anyhow folks this locomotive is a gem. We're very fortunate to get to see this one come back. Such a contrast to the sleek J that is only 7 months it's junior. The 1309 with its pumps on the front, different sized cylinders, smallish tender just doesn't look like something from the end of the steam era. It's a throw back to a different era - a time when steam ruled the rails.