Train Stuff

Truck Shop

Well-known member
I'm no train expert by any means but I wondered the same thing. Allot of parts moving around and cylinders still operating.

Truck Shop
 

rzucker

Well-known member
Especially after sitting for 50 years or so. I'm sure they know what they are doing and wanted to keep the rods on for show when they were traveling. When those engines are under steam oil is injected into the steam feeding the cylinders to lube the valves and pistons. Can you imagine trying to rebore a 30" cylinder to fix scoring?
 

Truck Shop

Well-known member
Especially after sitting for 50 years or so. I'm sure they know what they are doing and wanted to keep the rods on for show when they were traveling. When those engines are under steam oil is injected into the steam feeding the cylinders to lube the valves and pistons. Can you imagine trying to rebore a 30" cylinder to fix scoring?
Well with the boring equipment these days it probably isn't to big a deal compared to years ago. I would think they would spray weld and rebore or maybe
bore and make a sleeve depending on the shape of the piston I guess. Either way it would be spendy. I just know that who ever gets to work on that
project is a lucky fellow.

Truck Shop
 

rzucker

Well-known member
Well with the boring equipment these days it probably isn't to big a deal compared to years ago. I would think they would spray weld and rebore or maybe
bore and make a sleeve depending on the shape of the piston I guess. Either way it would be spendy. I just know that who ever gets to work on that
project is a lucky fellow.

Truck Shop
There's a 3 part video series named "Last of the Giants" that shows a lot of the maintenance work being done on the 4000 Class engines and interviews with the guys that ran them. Some good stuff. I have it on VHS if you would like to borrow it.
 

Truck Shop

Well-known member
Wow that sounds great, but I don't have a VHS anymore. Just didn't use it so we gave it away last summer. I will look it up on line and see whats available that way.

Truck Shop
 

rzucker

Well-known member
That must have been the Royal City Railroad. Google Earth shows the old MRS Alco is still sitting in Royal City, probably just where you left it. Supposedly, a shortline railroad operator with 5 or 6 other small operations, has a lease on that line, and is trying to get freight operations started again.
Jeff
News I got today is that the Port of Royal Slope has purchased a Locomotive of their own and is offering rail service again. I'm not sure of the disposition of the old ALCO, but it was tied up in a bankruptcy ordeal in the '05-'06 era.
I'm going to be in that area this weekend and probably be snooping around a bit.
 

rzucker

Well-known member
What kind of ALCO are you talking about RZ ?

Truck Shop
It was a Road Switcher built for the US army transportation corps. in the early 50's. Had a 1600 HP 12 cylinder 244 series engine. 120 tons sitting on 6 axles. MRSXT-4 was the model number I think, The US Army number was B-2070.
Now the Port has a GM GP-38 from what I understand, 4 axles will be a whole lot less squealy in the tight curves than the 6 we ran back then.
 

rzucker

Well-known member
Google Earth, roadside view, shows the Alco still there in 8/16.
I didn't make it over that way this weekend to look. But if they are using the yard to capacity it's going to have to be moved to a storage track. Also it's my understanding that it is stuck there now, unless it's shipped out by truck. The old friction style axle bearings are prohibited from use on the class 1 railroads.
 
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