Steam & Excursion > Texas & Pacific 610 restoration?

There is conflicting information on the internet about Texas & Pacific #610.  Wikipedia is stating they are "preparing to operate" the locomotive.  But other sources I found said there is no plan for restoration.  Will anyone explain what's really going on with that steamer?

JLW2K Wrote:
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> There is conflicting information on the internet
> about Texas & Pacific #610.  Wikipedia is stating
> they are "preparing to operate" the locomotive.
>  But other sources I found said there is no plan
> for restoration.  Will anyone explain what's
> really going on with that steamer?

James,

First off, the T&P 610 is NOT FRA compliant, as it needs the full 15 year boiler work, plus the Southern Railway pretty well wore out her running gear (needs tire also, if I recall).

Not to mention a very expensive rebuild for a locomotive not particularly suited for that line.

Out

Running on the line is not hte problem...turning her would be the problem. Not sure of what the degree of curvature on the wyes are in Rusk and Palestine, but she exceeds them. Anybody know what is the minimum curve radius the 610 can negotiate?

As I said, not suited for the line, my guess would be somewhere near 350-400 feet.

Out

610 can handle the wye in Palestine and  did to get into its storage building.  There are absolutely no plans to restore the engine.  The TSR has its hands full just keeping the 3 smaller engines operating.

When I was at the TSR, I inquired about taking 610 out, running it around the wye and spotting it for pics in front of the depot (I'd seen a pic of that someplace).  The response was a look of total horror.  I was told that last time they tried that it went on the ground twice putting it back around the wye and and into the engine house.

Earl:   The secret to it is not to push on the tender.  Lima trailing trucks did not like tight turns.  You had to pull it by the tender almost through the wye, get the pulling engine out of the way, and then get on the front of the engine  and tenderly finish the move.  There is no problem with the trailing truck when it is moving forward with the pull being on the engine.

So what's the guess on the radius of the wye?

Out

I don't know.

I can't see Mr. Ellis spending his own money on the 610.  Sounds nice in principle to see her in operation again, but it just doesn't sound realistic to me.  A lot more engine than is really needed.  I could see bringing SL&RG 18 over to TSR as she would be comparable to the other horses in the stable already.  Actually, I can't understand why he wouldn't try and get more out of the tube time left on the 18 instead of just letting her sit.

TrackGuy.

Earl, do you know how sharp the wyes are at Rusk and Palestine? All the time I worked there, I never knew...

Using Google earth and the measuring tool,  I get something like 475' foot radius for the Palestine Wye, which is like 12 degrees.  The west leg of the Rusk wye is 375' radius, which is slightly tighter than 15 degrees.

Then the Rusk wye would be a bad problem.

They pull it our of the barn and you take pics of it and they push it back.  That is all it's ever going to do.  The engine is too big for use on the TSR and UP isn't going to let them run it on it's track.  Forget it.  Be glad it's stored under cover.

tomstp Wrote:
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> Then the Rusk wye would be a bad problem.


Both would be for a 10-coupled engine.

Not only that but the Lima trailing truck.  T&P found out the hard way they could not back into the switches at Dallas Union Terminal but could run through them engine first.

Interestingly enough, it is the wyes that are the problem.  Not the main line rail or the curvature.  The enclosed picture was taken in 1955 of the Mineola sub of some 85# rail still in the main line, and the 600's ran over this regularly.

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Elueck is mistaken about the picture.  Miles post 748 is a MKT mile post on miles from St Louis , Mo. Mineola on the T&P is miles post 136.1.

In his defense, I have seen that picture before and it was credited to being the T&P by someone who did not know different.  That MKT track was abandoned in early 1950's and there are pictures of the last MKT train on  it going north and it derailed twice in 5 miles.  H K Vollrath followed it.

And,  I thank Tom for correcting me.   That is what all of this is about, sharing and learning.