Steam & Excursion > atsf 2926 4-8-4 restoration in new mexico

found it to be quite shocking thruout the railfan world, VERY few people have even heard of this restore much less how much progress has been made on the locomotive. visit thier site http://nmslrhs.org/ for many photos, updates, and how they got to where they are now. i know a few people actually restoring this thing and i must say im excited as hell because itll actually be able to run on the line north of albequerque most likely to santa fe, nm AND they are trying to get heavyweights to run to make a historically accurate train. The group has secured some much needed grant money earlier this year to help kick the restore into higher gear.

for those who dont know, the atsf 2926 is one of the santa fe's famous "2900's" which were beefier 3751 4-8-4 class of locomotive. it was the heaviest northern class ever built due to wartime restrictions on lighter steels. when it is restored and running, it will be the largest rigid frame locomotive operating in the world.

from a few people who actually work on the engine say its quite possible to see it running at the end of 2008 early 2009 if all goes well. if all doesnt go as well, it will be restored to operation, but perhaps by 2011.

attached is an image of a sister to the 2926, 2928. only difference on the 2926 is only the 4th axle has baldwin disc drivers and the front 3 are boxpok.

Will Hemb
Flower Mound, TX

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Its usually the case that locomotives get very little fanfare or notice until smoke comes out of the stack and the whistle is blown. Thats usually when all the hard work has been finished and everyone wants to show up to help with the engine.

texaswestern70mac Wrote:

> found it to be quite shocking thruout the railfan
> world, VERY few people have even heard of this
> restore much less how much progress has been made
> on the locomotive.

How much progress has been made? Poking around the website, it looks like the tender work is almost done, but the locomotive work is just starting. One of the photos from 5-12-07 appears to show the boiler lagging still in place. Is asbestos abatement still in the future, or am I not seeing what I think I'm seeing? Has the team been able to assess the condition of the boiler shell? Somewhere I read that the Achilles heal for restoring a 2900 would be the condition of the firebox wrapper sheet, which was thinner than usual to save on weight.

From these pictures, the inside looks encouraging at first glance.
http://nmslrhs.org/images/photos/boiler%20pics/index.html

Now can somebody please tell me why I get the annoying pop-ups asking me
to allow them access to my computer?, and why I have to click deny 4 times before I visit the next picture? Don't get me wrong, great shots, but I could do without the aggrivation.

FindersKeepers, I didn't experience any popups, just able to select each photo in succession with no prompts or anything. Possibly your antivirus software? BTW that boiler looks great if it has not seen any action for over 40 years.

I didn't experience any either.

JDE

I think they will find this locomotive is is great shape because it has been in New Mexico since it retire. Low humidity and little rain means that it had less of a chance to rust.

That being said, it looks like they are still a few years away from steaming up. They still need pull the jacketing as it was said above. Once that is done they need to remove all the superheater tubes and the flues and ultrasound the boiler. Then they will have to turn around an install all new flues, possibly new firebox sheets. While that is being done they need to remove the rods and pistons. Check all the bearings and clean them up. Check all the valves and make sure they aren't scored or botched up. Then remove the lubercators and all the piping with it. Clean those out and make sure they are working. The best way to think about it is like this.... if it can be taken off the locomotive, it will be taken off, cleaned up, tested, repaired and tested again.

I am not saying this group will not get this engine running, just trying to paint the rosy picture of the work they have ahead of them and that it may be awhile before the engine is running.

Why do they need to replace firebox sheets? Without an ultrasound then this is a bit premature to state. If anything, any metal replacement or repair would be on the boiler exterior due to weathering.

I've got sn "S" Scale of 2923 (x American Models). Have read a lot of this class. Truly monumental.
The 3752 class was a dramatically upgrade of engines built in the late 20's. Seems to me they kept
thad 220 BP vs I believe 300 for the 2900's and later 3700's. Considerable drawbar HP difference
between the two.ind you, in actual service especially passenger, I don't think the operating dept
favoured one over the other very much. Check the American Models site out. Even if you're not in S Scale one of their's would make a great mantle piece display. Ron Aboussafy

The rods appear to be roller-bearing equipt. I certainly hope they get this baby restored. I would love to see a 2900 run before I leave this earth.

nycman Wrote:
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> FindersKeepers, I didn't experience any popups,
> just able to select each photo in succession with
> no prompts or anything. Possibly your antivirus
> software?

The Exact message is "Internet Explorer Do you want
to allow this webpage to access your clipboard?
If you allow this, the website can access the clipboard
and read information that you've cut or copied recently"
I Agree I Disagree

Finderskeepers, that's why I don't use Internet Explorer, only Firefox.

nycman,
it will be running, its just a matter of when really. there is alot of state funding going into this thing thanks to people in the state of new mexico.

Will Hemb
Flower Mound, TX

texaswestern70mac Wrote:
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> nycman,
> it will be running, its just a matter of when
> really. there is alot of state funding going into
> this thing thanks to the governor bill richardson.


Is the funding going towards the funding of this restoration, or
is it going towards the development of the WHEELS museum at the
site of the former Santa Fe shops?

The WHEELS website would lead me to believe the latter
"Journal Staff Report
Friday, April 13, 2007
Albuquerque Journal

Wheels Museum representatives are in negotiations to buy the old Santa Fe railyard property in Barelas.

"Nothing is on paper. It's not a done deal, but things are looking pretty good," said Leba Freed, president of the planned transportation museum. "It's our hope that we will be able to acquire the rail property for the Wheels Museum."

Freed said talks have been going on for several weeks with a group that includes Ed Casebier of Renaissance Development Co.

Freed noted that the museum recently secured a $1 million appropriation from the state. Also, the city recently approved a proposal earmarking $2.25 million to help acquire the 27-acre railyard parcel.

Many details have yet to be worked out, but the Wheels Museum would be one of the developers of the site that has languished for years. The property is home to the cavernous shops once used to repair locomotives.

Alan Clark, executive director of Wheels Museum, said the concept could work in the same way as Explora science center. "That's kind of the model. It isn't exact, but the land will belong to the city of Albuquerque," Clark said.

Wheels Museum, in turn, would be one of the developers of the site, Freed said.

"We're going to try to do the highest use that we possibly can on that site, which is so important for New Mexico, and it will be a cultural and economic attraction," she said.

See will look great running on the Santa Fe Southern with the 3751.....

CPRR Wrote:
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> See will look great running on the Santa Fe
> Southern with the 3751.....

I ment "She"...

Bill, I didn't mean anything derogatory with my comment, it's just that I am getting OLD.

They came to us about "donating" a full set of rod bearings, thought about it and decided that business isn't that good!!!

nycman i know you werent, but i was just pointing the fact there is enough $$$ to this great group of people that "if" is out of the question, but rather when :) ie better outlook than you think :))

Will Hemb
Flower Mound, TX