N&W 611 test run successful

I am so excited to see this happening! I always said when I won the lottery I would restore the 611. Look's like we all won the lottery thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Restore611 folks.

Wow! They really aren't screwing around! 

No they are not.  They have a plan and are moving along nicely.  All of the superheaters are out and next up will be the old tubes and flues. 

What is in the middle of the bottom chrome band on the front of the skyline casing?

Just passed by the NCTM/Spencer shops it appears all the shrouding is off.  Earlier this week there was a crane over her, nose was gone and smoke box open as pictured above.

 

Ron

Good deal.  They are moving right along.

Most all of the jacketing has been removed now. Check out the FB page for fireup611.

 

 

 

Maybe these guys  (and gals?) can work on three locos I can think of:  844, 3985 and 4014.

Well there is a group of folks from the AOSR that are helping with this work on the 611...maybe when there done...   

great to see this going on. maybe when the AOS guys get down, they'll get after 6325,763,

I'd love to see the 763 get restored....another NKP Berk alive!

  I had to take a 2nd look at the pic with the grey lagging. Kinda looked like a CPR loco with wide running boards and black smoke box.

   Im looking forward to hopefully ride behind the 611 when back in service. Beautiful work of engineering. Al

me too! I thought of CPR as soon as I saw that. sure is a great time for steam fans. Now to get something with a Keystone in the works.

When the 611 was built, the major stockholder in N&W was PRR!  Hence, it is partly a PRR engine.

Not even close! ALL of the N&W steam locomotives were designed and built "in house" with ABSOLUTELY NO HELP in any way from PRR. In facet, when the PRR finally tested an N&W J, they simply would NOT believe how it ACTUALLY performed. Besides, since the N&W J wasn't invented by the PRR, they would have no part of acquiring any 4-8-4s.

I forgot that. Hmmm...with that bullet nose,she kinda looks like the S1 from the front. Maybe we could talk them into some Brunswick Green....make a Keystone number plate(quickly dives under desk.....)

Guess you'll just be forced to wait for K4s #1361 to be finished.

running out of popcorn for that one.

Don't even think it...

Wonder if TVRM will do the drive wheels? 

 

NOTE: TVRM has a Niles wheel lathe and quartering machine.

Do WHAT to them? All N&W 611 actually REQUIRES is the FRA mandated 15 year boiler inspection. There is NOTHING needed on the running gear. The only "additional work" needed is, drop the engine truck for wheel work on the two axle sets in the engine truck. Now, TVRM might turn those wheels, or they may just be replaced with new wheels.

The following is from the fireup611 group which lists what work will be done.

 

Restoration requirements include:

 

• Repair of engine truck

•preparation, and accompanying boiler work

• Preparation and stocking of tool car and auxiliary tender

• Removal of jacket and lagging • Removal/inspection of flexible staybolt caps & staybolts

• Appliance repair

• Tender inspection & repair

• Running gear inspection & repair

• Airbrake inspection and repair

• Application of new safety appliances (event recorders/cab signals etc.)

• Installation of new tubes and flues

• Superheater testing/repair

• Reassembly, hydro, fire testing and test runs

• Painting

PRR could have taken a few notes from N&W's J, and in some respects they did.  If we're going to get into history here, let's keep in mind that PRR knew a good design when it saw it.  PRR management (J. M. Symes in particular), and the people involved with the tests of N&W 610, all had high praise for its design, accessibility and performance while on PRR.  Most thought that the machinery speed was too high for PRR's requirements and that a large 4-6-4 would be a better fit for PRR's service.  However, Symes was the better visionary, and wanted diesels immediately in early 1945.  However, the T1 production order was too far along, and the  die was cast.  If you want the full story, get back issues of the Keystone, Vol 41, #4, pgs 9-21, and Vol.42, #2, pgs 67-70.  There's plenty of primary source info to back up these observations.

The folks at Roanoke certainly did take excellent custodial care of this iconic engine!

Well, to be truthful, the folks at the Roanoke Museum took care of the OUTSIDE of 611, but the original operating & maintenance crew prepared her and put her away properly.

Will 611 have a MU control box added to the cab?

As tested, the N&W 610 would not fit physically in some PRR applications.  With a booster engine, she would have made a terrific freighter/ dual service machine for the Penn.....but with Clement and Symes at the wheel, they'd be moving in a different direction after 1945. FWIW, you can't "MU" a steamer with a Diesel...mebby with DCS, perhaps, but not in real life!

Hmm well than the 765 & 4449 & 844 all have some useless black MU boxes in their cabs.

Oh, really?

 

Rusty

The jacketing has been removed, flues and tubes are out as well.  And now boiler inspections have begun in Spencer.  The 611 is in spectacular condition.

 

Photo posted on the Fireup611 FB page.

 

 

 

Sure hope that guy doesn't get stuck!!!! Thanks for the updates. It's great to see the pictures!!!

 

Gilly

Have you been sleeping with Mr. Van Winkle for many years?

No photos of the flues & tubes yet????

They didn't want to embarrass the 844 crew...

 

Regarding PRR steam design and them not having any 4-8-4's because they didn't invent the arrangement... really? PRR didn't invent anything until they came up with the T, Q and S classes, and those were not stellar engines. So, really it's a good thing that the PRR built tried and true designs like the K, E, and the M's. Probably the best engine the PRR built was the copies of the C&O Texas J class.

Not yet.

Here's a pic I took today. Sorry it's a bit dark.

 

 

A PRR J (2-10-4) boiler on a 4-8-4 wheel arrangement might have been interesting R class.............!

Very cool!

Peter

Sorry guys, but putting a Diesel control in a steamer is not "MU" operation between steam and Diesel.  Remote operation, yes, but MU.......NO WAY !    B&O considered doing this back in the '50s, but Clinchfield was the first, with a 4-6-0, IIRC. Old idea, makes sense, works pretty well when done properly.....but not MU !  And it won't be until all the Diesel's functions are automatically tied by remote to those going on in the steamers's cab.