The Latest from the Strasburg Rail Road Shops

Jeff Terry · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 12:18 am **Posts:** 281

Jeff Terry wrote:

Nice work on 504.

I try to take a Will Rogers approach to steam engines, and no offence to Silver Dollar City, but that is a seriously ugly locomotive. It shouldn't be difficult for SDC will make some cosmetic improvements to it.

You should have seen how it looked before Jim improved it! And it's the only 2-footer I've ever seen with a grapevine throttle.

wilkinsd · **Posted:** Fri Mar 24, 2017 11:50 am

Kelly Anderson wrote:

wilkinsd wrote:

Nearly 30 years out of a rubber roof on the parlor car? That's impressive. Was there any maintenance over the years?

Was the roof life expired or failing, or was it just a good time to replace it due to the other work being performed on the car?

No maintenance was needed during it's life. It was showing signs of cracks starting, so with the car entering the shop anyway, it was a good time to replace it. 20 year warrantee, and we got 29 years out of it. Not bad.

I think you got your money's worth.

How often does SRR wash their passenger cars? I assume it's the brush and bucket brigade, as I haven't viewed an automatic car washer sitting in the yard.

R L Musser · **Joined:** Fri Mar 12, 2021 8:30 pm **Posts:** 0

David,

The cars get the soap and water treatment several times a year, but the windows get cleaned at least twice a week. A pressure washer is a no-no because the last thing you want to do to a wood car is to ram water into the wood/joints.

Rick

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 24, 2017 1:19 pm

Great stuff to see as always!

Just curious about one detail, and I may be wrong with it, but I seem to recall that B&O car had spoked wheels. Do you plan on using those, or do you plan on replacing them with solid ones?

Kelly Anderson · **Joined:** Tue Sep 14, 2004 7:52 am **Posts:** 2477

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 24, 2017 1:39 pm

Thanks for the response.

Oh my, oh my TWO B&O wooden cars, and one a cafe-observation. . .need to paint them blue, and get a nice high-stepping 4-4-0 to pull them, like the B&O's famous Director General, or maybe you can liberate that CNJ Camelback from the museum in Baltimore. . .

Just kidding, of course, but it's all grand to hear.

junior · **Posted:** Fri Mar 24, 2017 9:41 pm

They tried for the high stepping 4-4-0 #98 in Delaware a few times....

JayZee · **Joined:** Sat May 07, 2016 1:12 am **Posts:** 140

Will the strasburg restore that camelback? It can haul maybe 4 loaded coaches? It's not exactly big enough for their purposes, but maybe a trade/dual lease to the museum next door for a unique steamer more suitable would be mutually beneficial?

Richard Glueck · **Posted:** Sat Mar 25, 2017 9:14 am

Kelly, I sent that check three times, and not once was it cashed! :-)

Kelly Anderson · **Joined:** Tue Sep 14, 2004 7:52 am **Posts:** 2477

Richard Glueck · **Posted:** Sat Mar 25, 2017 6:45 pm

There has to be some plan on the shelf for 1187? She's a very historical design, and having her rusting out back doesn't really seem to fit into Strasburg's style, or care for its equipment.

bigjim4life · **Posted:** Sat Mar 25, 2017 7:59 pm

Kelly Anderson wrote:

JayZee wrote:

Will the strasburg restore that camelback? It can haul maybe 4 loaded coaches? It's not exactly big enough for their purposes, but maybe a trade/dual lease to the museum next door for a unique steamer more suitable would be mutually beneficial?

As far as I know, a standing offer to swap her for #1223 has been on the table since 1990 with no interest from the RRMPA.

So then you'd restore #1223 to operational service if that swap were to happen?

daylight4449 · **Posted:** Sat Mar 25, 2017 8:03 pm

Kelly Anderson wrote:

We have no practical employment for #1187 that would justify the high cost of restoring her to service. It would take close to a million dollars to get her running, and then what? We haven't run trains only four cars long for many years. She is also too slow to used on our regular schedule. We can't afford that kind of outlay for an engine that could only be used on special occasions.

That presents a good question... What does #1187 need to get it into working order again?

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sat Mar 25, 2017 8:09 pm

Kelly Anderson wrote:

As far as I know, a standing offer to swap her for #1223 has been on the table since 1990 with no interest from the RRMPA.

I believe that the odds are that such a trade is extremely unlikely to occur, based on discussions with past staff about Museum and PHMC policy towards the specific ex-PRR collection from whence 1223 came to the Museum.

This might prompt a different question, however:

Does Strasburg specifically want 1223, or could another loco be traded if acquired by the Friends of the RR Museum of Pa., or even a zealous Reading fan, specifically to trade for 1187--say, just to make up an example, if a certain 2-6-2, 4-6-2, 4-6-0. 4-4-0, or whatever ended up on the market?

Imagine if, say, 20 years ago, George Hart had acquired CP 1098, and just offered to give it to Strasburg if the 1187 went across the street permanently?

(Obviously, Strasburg would have to want said loco, and deem it powerful enough to handle its trains......)