State of 1218

[NW Mailing List]

It might be technically easier to restore 2156 that 1218 at this point.
NS was at that time turning off the steam program more because of the 
611 accident, but now the restoration with 611 is in differrent hands. 
its my opinion to keep an engine properly preserved is to have it 
mechanically complete, even if 1218 continues to sit, maybe they should 
have a drive to restore its parts, but if they really want to get 
serious to have it run, it would need to be done anyways. Donation drive 
please...friends of 1218?

I think for the while they'll be good with 611 for a while.

-Lynn-

On 6/16/2015 3:39 PM, nw-mailing-list-request at nwhs.org wrote:
> Subject:
> State of 1218 (was Re: 611)
> From:
> NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
> Date:
> 6/16/2015 2:28 PM
>
> To:
> NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
>
>
> On Mon, Jun 15, 2015 at 5:43 PM, Jerome wrote:
>
>     Some thoughts about #1218 and # 2156.  During my last visit to
>     VMT, I was told that # 1218 is missing some valve gear parts.
>     They were not installed when the loco left Birmingham shops for
>     display in Roanoke.  And they were 'lost' when the Birmingham
>     shop was closed and sold.  So - is that the case; and would NS
>     want to fund manufacture of the replacements, plus the long list
>     needed to restore # 1218 to operation ?
>
>
> Back when the NS Steam Program was terminated with extreme prejudice, 
> the matter was thoroughly discussed on the RAILROAD listserv email 
> list. Steve Lee, manager of the UP steam program, was a member of the 
> list and commented about the auction held in 1997.
>
> Lee also commented on the state of the 1218. His comments are posted 
> here, with his permission, to provide a professional perspective on 
> what happened to the A. The 1218 could be put back in service, but at 
> great expense to _someone_ (or many, many generous donors).
>
> Bruce in Blacksburg
>
> ===================================
>
> I saw the engine in the shop during the auction and got a good look at 
> it. The work that was in progress at the time was primarily firebox 
> work that was needed at the time the engine was restored but wasn't 
> completed at that time because of budget and time constraints. This 
> consisted of new partial side sheets in the firebox, a new door sheet, 
> most of a new mudring, and some new side sheet sections at the 
> mudring. This was in addition to replacement of flues, tubes and 
> superheaters and some appliance work that was normal maintenance, not 
> left over from the restoration. When I saw the engine, the new sheets 
> had been rolled and the staybolt holes punched, and were tackwelded in 
> place in the firebox. The ashpans, grates and grate bearers were out, 
> of course, as were the flues, tubes and superheaters. As I said, the 
> sheets were only tackwelded in place. There was still a great deal of 
> work to do in finish welding the sheets, riveting the mudring, and 
> making and driving several hundred staybolts. None of this work was 
> fully completed; the grates, grate bearers and ashpans were put back 
> in for appearance by Scott Lindsey and his crew.
>
> NS's entire stock of flues, tubes, and superheater material was sold; 
> most of it went to scrappers because it was odd-sized and not of use 
> on any locomotives now running or under restoration. Some of the 
> appliances (injector, air pumps, lubricators, water pump, dynamo, etc) 
> now on the engine are shells, put back on for appearance only. The 
> appliances that had been rebuilt brought a much higher price at the 
> auction than would empty shells, of course, and no one at the auction 
> could stand the thought of fully-rebuilt appliances being put on a 
> locomotive that probably won't run again for many years, if at all.
>
> As noted, N&W used a lot of odd-sized stuff, including odd-sized 
> staybolts and odd-sized flues and superheater units. Because these 
> things weren't adaptable to any other locomotives out there now, the 
> scrappers got it all. Of course, this stuff can be made new again from 
> scratch.
>
> IMHO, NS could have simply scrapped the 1218 and all the machines, 
> parts, tools and supplies at the end of the program. Instead, they 
> spent some money putting 1218 back together, and made the other stuff 
> available to other users. Contrary to popular belief, they did not 
> make much, if any, money on the auction sale when all things are 
> considered, and much of that stuff is being used all over the country 
> now to keep other engines going and even to help in some restorations. 
> AFAIK, no one has ever given them any credit for that.
>
> Steve Lee

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