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.

John Philip Sousa: 3 | Steam Trains: 0

Perhaps no musician gets played more on the Fourth of July than John Philip Sousa. He was a prolific composer and band leader, traveling the world in the time of passenger trains and steam ships (the band traveled more than a million miles by train!).

Little known is the fact that Sousa and his band were involved in no fewer than three train accidents throughout their career. This image shows band members standing in front of their train, which had experienced a head on collision on the The Northern Pacific Railway in 1899 as they headed from Portland to Spokane. Sousa's band also endured two other derailments in the 1920's, one near Rochester, New York and one near Walsenberg, Colorado.

See Tracks? Think Train!

Wishing all a happy, and safe, Fourth of July!

New CSR White Paper

CSR released today a new White Paper that outlines the thermo-mechanical behaviors associated with steam locomotive fireboxes (including the firebox sheets, tube sheets, tubes and staybolts). This technical paper was originally written by modern steam engineer Livio Dante Porta in 1984 / 1985 during his work on the ACE 3000 modern steam project in the U.S. As such, the White Paper also includes information specific to tests undertaken with C&O steam locomotive 614 and issues it had with staybolt leakage.

This White Paper has been digitzed by CSR from the original hand drawn and hand written piece, with slight editing for clarity. Be sure to read it, and all of the other CSR papers, on the CSR White Paper Program page.

Watch HSB Steam Engines Battle to the Brocken

The Harzer Schmalspurbahnen (HSB) hauls more than one million passengers a year, and to do so it utilizes its equipment to the fullest potential. The following video shows unmodernized HSB 2-10-2T steam locomotives lugging trains up the 3.3% grade between Schierke and the Brocken in July 2009.

Steam Power Rolling Along | August 1945

On this #throwbackthursday, read all about the battle between steam and diesel on U.S. railroads in the 1940's. The cover story of the August 1945 Fortune Magazine addresses experimental advances in steam technology that locomotive manufacturers were pursuing.

While there is some discussion of the ATSF 2900 class towards the end, this article addresses primarily the experiments the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) was undertaking in advancing steam. From the T1 to the S2, this article has detail and perspective from the era on advances the steam engineers were pursuing.

Download and read the entire piece by clicking on this link (4.37 MB) or the image