Updates Asked: BLE 643 and CP 5361

jayrod · **Posted:** Tue Oct 31, 2023 8:31 am

That’s interesting. It looks like the tail track that ended just north of the adjacent lot has been extended onto the property where 643 sits. Maybe we’re getting somewhere.

PaulWWoodring · **Posted:** Tue Oct 31, 2023 2:43 pm

I wasn't going to start it, but yes, AOS hopes to have the entire move done by Thanksgiving. Panel track has been laid and two heavy-duty flat cars are on site, a drop center flat for the boiler/firebox, and an 8-axle one for the frame and cylinders. Interestingly, the frame and cylinders weigh more than the boiler and firebox. It will go via Morgan Run, and hopefully everything will be facing the same way by the time it gets to the roundhouse.

I had quit asking Pete about it, since the issue had sort of become a running bad joke, but he announced it at the Akron RR Club meeting last Friday.

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

Randy Musselman · **Posted:** Wed Nov 01, 2023 4:12 am

Hello,

Interesting view of the running gear. I was always impressed with the 643’s connecting rods. The expansion link is about as tall as the drivers! And the diameter of the main crank pin!…. Serious.

Brutish, track squashing, drag power tractive effort here folks!

Good to see the rest of it soon on its way to AOS

Sincerely

Randy Musselman

Randy Gustafson · **Posted:** Wed Nov 01, 2023 9:41 am

Thanks for the updates. I too remember when it was in the Greenville, PA roundhouse.

I've had a couple clients investigate running it, and it boils down to the fact that these are probably the heaviest non-articulated steam out there; true bridge and rail killers and why B&LE had probably the finest track and bridge structures out of necessity. I'm glad to see it preserved, but any railroad looking to operate it will have some serious questions if they even begin to examine loadings. The dynamic augment thing doesn't get bad until about 35mph, then like the Burlington 2-10-4's, it goes nuts on the ones that didn't have lightweight rods. Railway Historical did an excellent article on dynamic augment on 2-10-4's with small drivers, you need a degree in physics to follow it, but wow..... In a nutshell you simply didn't have enough driver to hold enough counterweight at higher driver RPM.

In addition to the expansion link, look at the counterweight on the center axle with the main rod...... wow......

PaulWWoodring · **Posted:** Wed Nov 01, 2023 11:55 am

Randy Gustafson wrote:

Thanks for the updates. I too remember when it was in the Greenville, PA roundhouse.

Yeah, but I'll bet you didn't get to do a midnight, clandestine run to Greenville on a Saturday night with Jerry Jacobson, like I did, to stand next to it in the roundhouse admiring it in the dark? My understanding is I wasn't the only one who made that trip with him either.

Randy Gustafson · **Posted:** Wed Nov 01, 2023 2:51 pm

No, actually, my father had a friend who was the friend of the GM in Greenville, knew of my emerging interest in railroading as a career, and invited me down when I was just starting college. Would have been 1974, I think. I got a guided tour of the whole place including the roundhouse, got a couple of 35mm prints of it. Got to see everything there was to see in Greenville. At that time, the 2-8-0, 2-10-4, and 0-10-2 were there in the roundhouse.

The highlight of the day was being allowed to jockey around an SD38-2 from the shop track out into the yard leads, with a careful watch, my very first time operating a diesel.

That was sure one impressive railroad then. I grew up around PRR/PC, this was the kind of operation that convinced me that not all was weeds and rust and memories.

NKP779 · **Joined:** Mon Mar 14, 2011 4:10 pm **Posts:** 89

Re. CPR 5361- Brother Lynch is correct. It was purchased by a party just so it wouldn't be scrapped.⁷

NKP779 · **Joined:** Mon Mar 14, 2011 4:10 pm **Posts:** 89

Please ignore the stray question mark or small 7. It is correct. I know the current owner, also.

Richard Glueck · **Posted:** Sun Nov 05, 2023 2:26 pm

I saw it (5361) pre-covid, recently repainted. She looked amazing. Did I miss something posted about new plans to move her? A switch and rail removal is possible, but requiring an enormously expensive amount of ground prep, plus co-operation of CSX. More likely a crane move in pieces with be her salvation.

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2893

This photo was posted on the AOS facebook page as part of a "giving Tuesday" post but without any news, presumably the location is still Pittsburgh: https://www.facebook.com/ageofsteamroun ... C3sVeeH6Ml

PaulWWoodring · **Posted:** Fri Dec 01, 2023 8:31 pm

The crane to load 643 was supposed to have arrived in McKeesrocks on Monday morning. I haven't heard anything since.

Steamguy73 · **Joined:** Wed Dec 24, 2014 3:15 pm **Posts:** 636

It appears 643 has been loaded on the flatcars and is awaiting transfer to Sugarcreek.

After however many years it’s finally leaving.

(Yes, Facebook I know. Photos are in a public group so they should all be viewable).

https://m.facebook.com/story.php/?id=95 ... 7598968065

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sat Dec 02, 2023 7:49 pm

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sat Dec 02, 2023 7:51 pm