Steam & Excursion > T1 Trust Launches the Cylinder Club

Just released 12/18/24

As we approach the end of another incredible year, we want to take a moment to thank you for your unwavering support. Your generosity has driven our success, and we hope you’ve had the chance to watch our year-end video highlighting the remarkable progress we’ve made together.  

This year, we broke records by raising more funds than ever before—while also taking on our largest expenses yet to bring the PRR T1 closer to reality. 

Now, we’re thrilled to announce the next exciting phase of our journey: The Cylinder Club. 

Having surpassed 50% completion of the locomotive and nearly finished the massive frame, we’re gearing up for the next critical step—the Poppet Valves and Cylinders. These components are what set the PRR T1 apart as a groundbreaking machine in steam propulsion history. The T1’s Rotary Cam Poppet Valves and Cylinders represent the pinnacle of innovation, marking it as a Duplex locomotive with two sets of cylinders on a rigid frame.

Here’s where you come in. 

The T1 Trust is ready to begin manufacturing the cylinders and attaching them to the frame, but we need your help to make it happen. The cost to produce all four cylinders is estimated at $350,000. This phase does not include pistons, heads, valves, or the cam box, which will follow later, but manufacturing the cylinders now is essential so they can be welded to the frame while it remains in the shop. 

Our goal is ambitious: to raise these funds by March 2025, and we believe we can achieve it with your support. 

Why join The Cylinder Club?

All donors who contribute to this milestone effort will have their names engraved on a plaque mounted on the locomotive’s frame, just below the cab—a permanent mark of your commitment to history. 

This is your chance to help build not just a locomotive but a legacy. Thank you for being an integral part of the PRR T1 Trust. Together, we’re proving that dreams fueled by passion and perseverance can come to life. 

Make Your Contribution Today: Join Cylinder Club Now! 

Let’s make history together

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Jason,

I've just joined... bring on the poppets! 
Thanks for the "heads-up"..

It will be interesting to see the
designed supporting strategy used to distribute the alternate, back and forth forces applied by the steam
pressure’s ‘power-cycles’ .

As much force is applied to move the pistons against the closest cylinder head. If there’s 65,000 lbs of tractive
effort, there’s 65,000 lbs of force on the respective cylinder head…

That was the large lesson that had to be learned by General Steel Castings
in the earliest versions of their
cast, one-piece frames.
The early frame-cracking at that joint-area showed up after a year, or so, of pulling actual HD freight loads.

They had to double the amount reinforcing steel at that joint, in their later one-piece, cast loco frames that were supplied to the loco builders.

That will be the most critical area
in the whole loco frame fabrication process.

Virtually impossible to correct,
if those areas are under-designed… and it’s found later.

It would be interesting to see if there are drawings of the cast, one-piece
frames for class of T-1s built.

​Wes



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/24 08:20 by wcamp1472.