CSR Engaged by Kentucky Railway Museum to Conduct Engineering Assessment of 110-year-old Steam Locomotive

The Kentucky Railway Museum (KRM), owner and operator of former Louisville & Nashville Railway steam locomotive number 152 (L&N 152), has engaged the Coalition for Sustainable Rail (CSR) to serve as consulting engineers in returning the 110-year-old locomotive to operation.

 Locomotive 152, a 4-6-2 Pacific, was the first artifact acquired by KRM upon its founding in 1954. The engine was rebuilt by volunteers from 1972 to 1985, and a series of excursions on Seaboard System and Norfolk Southern followed in the late 1980's. Since 1990, the engine has run passenger excursions on KRM's 17 miles of track, and had extensive firebox work done from 1996-1998. The locomotive was again taken out of service in 2011 just prior to its flue time expiring. KRM is undertaking this detailed study of the locomotive to determine the scope of work required to place the engine back into service.

 “Our work with KRM is a great opportunity to help educate a passionate museum volunteer force and to study in great detail the effects of nearly a century of use on locomotive boiler systems,” explained CSR President Davidson Ward. “Of particular importance is the opportunity to help newer volunteers understand acceptable standard repair practices which meet federal requirements and safety standards. This will greatly contribute to the longevity of the locomotive and the KRM steam program.”

“In making our selection of an Engineering Consultant, the Coalition for Sustainable Rail stood out because of its Team Members’ varied practical expertise. ”

— Rob Minton - KRM

 The CSR Engineering Team will work hand-in-hand with KRM volunteers and staff in completing the inspection. Already, the 152 Restoration Committee and its volunteers have begun preparing the locomotive and boiler for inspection, including removal of boiler tubes and flues, boiler jacketing, firebox components and more. Once the pressure vessel and locomotive are cleaned and ready for inspection, CSR will send a crew to inspect the boiler ultrasonically and perform an inspection of the overall locomotive and tender to determine what work needs to be done to return the locomotive to service.

 “In making our selection of an Engineering Consultant, the Coalition for Sustainable Rail stood out because of its Team Members’ varied practical expertise, including experience on successful programs such as Santa Fe 3751, and Southern 630 and 4501, and their willingness to help us meet our goals for the project,” explained KRM 152 Project Manager Rob Minton. “We wanted to partner with a group of steam technicians that were both experienced with hands-on work and detailed engineering analysis to assist our team of volunteers.”

 The KRM Steam Crew consists of about 15 volunteers led by Mark Johnson in the role of Master Mechanic and draws heavily on the experience of Joe Bratcher, Lewis Hicks, and Carl Cruger of the original restoration team. The CSR Engineering Team undertaking this work include its Senior Mechanical Engineer Wolf Fengler, MSME, Director of Project Management Rob Mangels, President Davidson Ward, and Technical Advisor Shane Meador.

 “Keeping 110-year-old locomotives under steam safely and efficiently is of extreme importance to the continued operation of historic rail equipment in the U.S.,” said CSR’s Wolf Fengler. “As we have done with our work on the Harz Narrow Gauge Railways in Germany, our Engineering Team is prepared to undertake this work with the highest regard for safety, technological soundness, and, above all, historical integrity.”

Volunteers begin process of removing superheater units - C. Buccola

Preliminary inspection on L&N 152 by KRM Volunteer Bradey Sanker - C. Buccola

Removing the cab from 152 - C. Buccola

Insulation being removed from 152 this Fall - C. Buccola

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF L&N 152

This builders photograph of sister locomotive 151 shows how the engine appeared 110 years ago.

The table below outlines the detailed technical specifications of L&N 152. From the KRM website: 

L&N #152 is a 4-6-2 Pacific type locomotive built in 1905 by Rogers Locomotive Works. #152 is the official steam locomotive of the Commonwealth of Kentucky as designated by an act of the Kentucky Legislature. It is also listed on the national registry of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

CATEGORY	L&N 152
General Classification	4-6-2
Service	Passenger
Fuel (Current)	Coal
Builder	Rogers
Year Built	1905
Tractive Force, lbs.	28,991
Weight in Working Order, lbs.	187,800
Length, Wheelbase, locomotive & tender, ft.-in.	61-7
Boiler Pressure, lbs. (Designed)	200
Firebox Grate Area, Sq. ft.	45
Engine (Bore x Stroke), in.	20 x 28
Driving-wheel Tread Diameter, in.	69

ABOUT THE KENTUCKY RAILWAY MUSEUM

 The Kentucky Railway Museum is a 501 (C) (3) Non-Profit Organization chartered in the Commonwealth of Kentucky for the purpose of educating the public regarding the history and heritage of Kentucky's railroads and the people who built them. This is accomplished through the acquisition, restoration, preservation, display, and operation of historic railroad equipment. The museum owns 17 miles of track (formerly part of the L&N Lebanon Branch), and operates excursion trains between New Haven and Boston, KY.

Website: www.kyrail.org
Office phone:  800-272-0152
Facebook: The Kentucky Railway Museum and Crew 152

New CSR Advisor - D. Shane Meador

Shane Meador stands beside 4501 as he starts up its cross compound air pump.

On this #techtuesday, we are pleased to announce that CSR has appointed D. Shane Meador to serve as a technical advisor of the organization. Meador is no stranger to steam, having led the rebuilding of Southern Railway steam locomotives 630 and 4501 at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM). He began his railroad carrier as a summer steam locomotive fireman at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in 1994 and qualified as a locomotive engineer in 1996 on steam and diesel locomotives. After being honorably discharged from the United States Navy, Meador began working for Norfolk Southern Railway as a Machinist in Chattanooga, while still continuing part time duties at TVRM coordinating the Southern 630's restoration.

Starting in 2010, Meador was offered the opportunity for a 3 year leave of absence from Norfolk Southern to manage the steam locomotive projects for use on Norfolk Southern's 21st Century Steam program at TVRM. During that time, he successfully led the extensive restorations of Southern steam locomotives 630 and 4501 back to mainline service. By creating a safe, positive, and educational atmosphere, he was able to recruit and retain volunteers throughout the project which helped to reduce labor costs significantly. Shane has operated all 4 steam locomotives currently participating in the Norfolk Southern's 21st Century Steam program on 6 Divisions traversing thousands of miles on mainline track.

Meador keeps a close eye on cylinder boring work on Southern 630.

Meador's background, leadership, and experience in locomotive management, personnel management, restoration project management, maintenance, and safely operating these unique and historic machines will be of significant benefit to CSR as it continues its dedicated work to keeping historic machinery operating safely and efficiently in the 21st Century. We are excited to have his input here at CSR moving forward.

HSB Update - a Primer on the Master Mechanics' Front End

On this #techtuesday, learn all about the Master Mechanics' Front End and how CSR is implementing one on a 1918-built 0-4-4-0T on Germany's Harz Narrow Gauge Railways. Read all about it in CSR's RESEARCH section.

This image shows Harz Narrow Gauge Railways 2-10-2T number 99 7241 as it battles the 3.3% grade between Schierke and the Brocken. Locomotive 7241 was built in the mid-1950's in East Germany and is one of 17 on the HNGR (currently 12 are in service). Known as the "new build" locomotives, these sizable engines are the standard power in the Harz.

Presidents Day - Teddy Roosevelt an ATSF Man?

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On this Presidents Day (a.k.a. President's Day, Presidents' Day, or Washington's Birthday), CSR reflects on the work of so many great presidents in American history. In terms of conservation, Theodore ("Teddy") Roosevelt is nearly unmatched. A rugged outdoorsman and bold leader, Roosevelt worked diligently during his years in office (1901-1909) to set aside lands for conservation. All told, Roosevelt set aside 230 million acres (930,000 square kilometers) into conservation spaces. This included formation of 5 national parks, 18 national monuments and 150 national forests.

What, then, of this image of T.R. on the fireman's side of an ATSF steam locomotive?

During 1903, Roosevelt went on a multi-state, multi-month whistle stop tour, traveling through many western states, including Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, California and Nebraska. The multi-month journey employed trains on many rail lines, including the Union Pacific Railroad, Southern Pacific Railroad and, as evidenced through this picture, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway.

This image depicts Roosevelt in Redlands, California, sometime around May 1903, in the cab of an ATSF steam locomotive with a crew member behind him. The locomotive is most likely an early 4-6-0 type steam locomotive built with Vauclain Compound pistons.

Roosevelt was quite popular with train crews, having been inducted as an Honorary Member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Fireman in November 1902. That said, it is certain that railroad management had a different view of the President, as one of his lasting legacies upon the industry was strengthening the ability of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to regulate tariffs the railroads could set.

This was achieved through the Hepburn Act of 1906, which gave the ICC right to set maximum railroad rates, among other items. Not only applicable to the railroads, it had jurisdiction over bridges, ferries, sleeping cars, express companies (e.g. Railway Express Agency), oil pipelines and shared terminals. In the end, the Hepburn Act, and predecessor Elkins Act of 1903, may be the most important legislative actions the railroads faced in the first 50 years of the 20th Century, and both were championed by Roosevelt. This regulation too may have contributed somewhat to the increased and unregulated growth in the trucking industry, something which took off post Second World War.

It was this trucking competition and overbearing regulation which contributed significantly to the downfall of freight railroads, but following passage of the Staggers Act in 1980, which effectively "deregulating" freight railroads, the industry has never done better.

RFIRT Rebuild Photos 1 - Move and Disassembly

Thanks to the generosity of G&G Metalmecanica SRL and its President, Mr. Gabriel Asenjo, CSR is able to provide images of the move of RFIRT locomotives 107 and 119 from Rio Turbio to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Also shown is preliminary disassembly work of the locomotives.

Note: some time ago, RFIRT renumbered locomotive 107 to 116. The design of its tender and tube plate reveal it is, indeed, from the first order of steam locomotives to the RFIRT.

Below is an embedded version of the CSR Photostream on Flickr.

CSR Web Exclusive: Steam Returning to the Rio Turbio Railway

This photo by William E. Botkin shows RFIRT 119 hauling a train in 1996; it is currently one of two locomotives being rebuilt in Buenos Aires.

CSR is thrilled to announce that, following more than a decade of hard work, steam is once again going to return to the remote and scenic Ramal Ferro Industrial de Rio Turbio (RFIRT). Known for its fleet of 20 advanced steam locomotives, the RFIRT has been entirely mainline diesel-hauled since November 1996 when the last steam locomotives were retired and stored, though steam was used on switching duties at Rio Turbio coal yard and workshops well into 1997.

Beginning in 2003, however, a small contingent within the Argentine National Government, owner of the railroad, began plans to return steam tourist service to the line. CSR Director of Engineering, Shaun T. McMahon, was brought in to the project in 2004 to attempt to make it a reality.

Some ten years later, two steam locomotives and a Sentinel steam truck, have been shipped from Rio Turbio to Buenos Aires for reconstruction for operational purposes. The reincarnated steam-hauled service is to be initially passenger-hauling, and as such new passenger rolling stock is being manufactured at the same time as the historic steam equipment is being rebuilt.

"This is truly an amazing opportunity, and one that has been many years in the making," said McMahon. "I have been brought on by INTI and the Government of Argentina to serve as a quality control expert in the rebuilding, which is being handled by G&G Metalmecanica SRL under the direction of the company's owner Mr. Gabriel Asenjo here in Buenos Aires, Argentina."

One locomotive from each of two original orders is being rebuilt to operation – numbers 107 and 119. The railroad itself is quite unique; constructed as a narrow gauge line (750 mm or 2' 5.5"), it operated more like a mainline coal hauling line as would be seen around the world today. Unit trains of coal up-to 2,000 tons were hauled by single steam locomotives that weighed only 48 tons.

Of significant importance to the development of modern steam is the fact that Engineer Livio Dante Porta served as General Manager of the railroad from 1957 until 1960, during which time he worked to perfect many of the key developments crucial to the theory of modern steam locomotion, including the important Gas Producer Combustion System.

"Though the locomotives had been de-modernized by previous management at the railroad, this rebuild should take the locomotives back to their as-built performance, which is quite impressive," said McMahon. "It is also worth mentioning that a Sentinel steam wagon, the last overseas order of those trucks, will also be brought back to life under steam. This is an amazing thing for both Argentina and lovers of steam world-wide."

Restoration is already underway on the equipment, with Cromwell Marine subcontracted in order to provide workshop facilities and skilled staff with CM's manager Richard Campbell providing liaison between the companies. An aggressive timeline has been set to have the equipment under steam; if all goes according to plan, locomotives could be chugging down the railroad by August 2015.

CSR will continue to provide updates on this interesting rebuild on this blog and on CSR's facebook page www.facebook.com/csrail. To get a detailed background on the railroad operation, be sure to read CSR's white paper on the RFIRT, which can be downloaded here.

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Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that Cromwell Marine had been awarded the contract to rebuild the equipment. Cromwell Marine is, in fact, serving as a subcontractor to G&G Metalmecanica SRL, under the direction of its owner Mr. Gabriel Asenjo. Further, the locomotives were shipped from Rio Turbio, not Rio Gallegos, to Buenos Aires.