There used to be (up to maybe 1980s?) 'fireless cooker' steam engines that ran on compressed air. Usually little 0-4-0 switchers used to move cars around a grain complex where sparks could have easily caused a fire / explosion.
In "The Depot" museum in Duluth MN, they have a DMIR Yellowstone that's up on rollers; the wheels rotate every so many minutes via an electric motor, and there are recorded sounds playing of one under steam.
@wjstix posted:There used to be (up to maybe 1980s?) 'fireless cooker' steam engines that ran on compressed air. Usually little 0-4-0 switchers used to move cars around a grain complex where sparks could have easily caused a fire / explosion.
The "fireless cooker" steam locomotives did NOT run on "compressed air"! They had their boilers filled with VERY hot water from the main power house steam boilers, thus as the pressure was released on the "fireless cooker" through the throttle, steam was produced to power the pistons. They could operate quite awhile on each charge of hot boiler water.
In "The Depot" museum in Duluth MN, they have a DMIR Yellowstone that's up on rollers; the wheels rotate every so many minutes via an electric motor, and there are recorded sounds playing of one under steam.
With the 2926’s first moves this weekend, won’t that make it the second heaviest locomotive to operate in US preservation, only second to the 4014? IIRC, the 4000’s weigh 1,200,000(ish) pounds and the 2900’s weigh just below 1,000,000 pounds (975,000ish).
@NS6770Fan posted:With the 2926’s first moves this weekend, won’t that make it the second heaviest locomotive to operate in US preservation, only second to the 4014? IIRC, the 4000’s weigh 1,200,000(ish) pounds and the 2900’s weigh just below 1,000,000 pounds (975,000ish).
Please do NOT confuse the term "heaviest steam locomotive" with the term "heaviest 4-8-4", which meets the description of the Santa Fe 2900 class 4-8-4s.
Grand Canyon?
Jon 
@NS6770Fan posted:With the 2926’s first moves this weekend, won’t that make it the second heaviest locomotive to operate in US preservation, only second to the 4014? IIRC, the 4000’s weigh 1,200,000(ish) pounds and the 2900’s weigh just below 1,000,000 pounds (975,000ish).
Except a 2926's weight on drivers is 10,000lbs more than 4014's.
Rusty
@Rusty Traque posted:Except a 2926's weight on drivers is 10,000lbs more than 4014's.
Rusty
Rusty,
How did you come up with THAT???? My information has the Santa Fe 2900 class 4-8-4s at 293,860 lbs weight on drivers, while a UP 4000 class 4-8-8-4 has 545,200 lbs weight on drivers.
Now, the axle loadings on the Santa Fe 2900 class is a whopping 77,500 lbs per axle, while the UP 4000 class is only 67,800 lbs per axle.
@Hot Water posted:Rusty,
How did you come up with THAT???? My information has the Santa Fe 2900 class 4-8-4s at 293,860 lbs weight on drivers, while a UP 4000 class 4-8-8-4 has 545,200 lbs weight on drivers.
Now, the axle loadings on the Santa Fe 2900 class is a whopping 77,500 lbs per axle, while the UP 4000 class is only 67,800 lbs per axle.
I apparently misunderstood what I was reading. Something is the first to go, I just can't recall what it is...
Rusty
One thought from the NM Historical Steam society was to turn around in Las Vegas NM which has a Y. That info is about a year old so I don't know if that is current.
@KOOLjock1 posted:Grand Canyon?
Jon
My thought too.
@KOOLjock1 posted:Grand Canyon?
Jon
Do you REALLY believe the management of BNSF will allow it to run all the way to Williams, AZ? They, BNSF management, will not even allow Santa Fe 3751 with an established crew and excellent track record, to operate on their main lines anymore (citing way too much freight congestion in the LA basin).
They have proposed running a two day excursion to Las Vegas, NM where they would overnight with passengers staying at the restored Harvey House. The issue with the track was the weight limit of the wood trestles north of ABQ and south of Bernalillo, They could not support the weight of the locomotive and a tender full of water.
Jan
@Jan posted:They have proposed running a two day excursion to Las Vegas, NM where they would overnight with passengers staying at the restored Harvey House. The issue with the track was the weight limit of the wood trestles north of ABQ and south of Bernalillo, They could not support the weight of the locomotive and a tender full of water.
Jan
What sort of passenger cars would they be using?
@Hot Water posted:…the axle loadings on the Santa Fe 2900 class is a whopping 77,500 lbs per axle, while the UP 4000 class is only 67,800 lbs per axle.
It is those high axle loadings that will restrict where this locomotive can operate.
To put those axle loadings in context:
With 77,500 pound axle loads, 2926 will be restricted from crossing a lot of big and small bridges, and may not be able to run on anything less than class 3 track. They were main line runners, not branch line locomotives!
We need a big railroad park out west somewhere with a giant oval of track and a roundhouse where these monster steamers can live and run. Like a proving grounds type set up. The low humidity will help keep them preserved.
Stick a hotel next to it and a few restaurants and shopping.
Call it Trainland. Or Train-topia.
It moved:
It's excellent to see it moving under its own power.
I just hope she'll eventually be able to pull mainline excursion trains
@The Pullman posted:It's excellent to see it moving under its own power.
I just hope she'll eventually be able to pull mainline excursion trains
Yes, they sure have come a long way, and are to be congratulated. I'm just put-off by the military award ribbons painted on each side of the cab, just below the window. I thought service ribbons were awarded to individuals, other than Unit Citations.
@Lou1985 posted:It moved:
What a monster! Thanks for posting the video Lou!
What a thing of beauty. It’s hard to imagine those monsters running on the rails.
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