Steam & Excursion > First wrench turned to prep NYC 3001 for movement

Work has begun in Elkhart, Indiana, on New York Central steam locomotive No. 3001 to prep it for shipping to the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society's shop, less than 90 miles away in Fort Wayne.

This week marks the start of sessions to prepare the engine not just for the road to our shop in New Haven, but for the long journey to resurrection, where it will join a stainless-steel passenger fleet of New York Central passenger cars, running once again over former Central territory.

In the months ahead at the National New York Central Railroad Museum, crews will update the air brake system, service the roller bearings, and perform many other tasks to prepare 3001 for movement. Among them will be continued fundraising: 

Project website: https://www.americanloco.org/

New video: https://www.americanloco.org/2025/06/500000-goal-met/

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A look inside the trailing truck roller bearing, which will be flushed, cleaned, and reoiled. 

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Thanks for reporting. I hope no bad surprises turn up.

nathansixchime Wrote:
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> A look inside the trailing truck roller bearing,
> which will be flushed, cleaned, and reoiled. 


You’ve got to admire the robust durability of the steam area design!

Posted from iPhone

If that bearing was put up "well oiled" you may be ok when you flush it, as in no rust. God speed on your project!

EdDickens Wrote:
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> nathansixchime Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > A look inside the trailing truck roller
> bearing,
> > which will be flushed, cleaned, and reoiled. 
>
>
> You’ve got to admire the robust durability of
> the steam area design!
>
> Posted from iPhone

We'll catch you up soon ;)

While the engine arrived in Elkhart in the mid-1980s and thus has moved in "recent" memory, it has since protested very little as work has started...

Is the plan to tow her to Fort Wayne on her own wheels, or lifted onto a flat car?

pennsy3750 Wrote:
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> Is the plan to tow her to Fort Wayne on her own
> wheels, or lifted onto a flat car?

One would assume it's being towed, since they're going to the trouble of servicing bearings and changing brake valves in Elkhart rather than waiting until it's at the shop.

Kelly:

Is the City of Elkhart going to give up the museum and its other equipment?

IMO, the choice of this loco to pull the NYC cars is a good choice too in that the Mohawk from the front resembles a later class Hudson, and from a distance, in a side view, it almost looks like a Hudson. This will probably be as close as we get to an operating Hudson, but as you know, some Mohawks were equipped to pull passenger trains.

As always, I'm sure the FWRHS will do it right. I'm also looking forward to some day the Fort Wayne Rairoad Historical Society getting a bona fide roundhouse, shop and museum complex, even if it isn't in Fort Wayne. A different location doesn't mean the name of the organization has to change. It can be a reminder to the short minded Fort Wayne bureaucracy of what they missed.

Victor Baird

 

my favorite tool, the red and green wrench

wabash2800 Wrote:
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> Kelly:
>
> Is the City of Elkhart going to give up the museum
> and its other equipment?

We held the first of several open houses on the direction of the museum, and there is a very careful deaccession process that will take place, but only for some of the equipment. The overall strategic plan will work on making the museum a bigger part of the overall neighborhood. Details here: https://fortwaynerailroad.org/2025/09/elkhart-museum-open-house/


> IMO, the choice of this loco to pull the NYC cars
> is a good choice too in that the Mohawk from the
> front resembles a later class Hudson, and from a
> distance, in a side view, it almost looks like a
> Hudson. This will probably be as close as we get
> to an operating Hudson, but as you know, some
> Mohawks were equipped to pull passenger trains.
>
> As always, I'm sure the FWRHS will do it right.
> I'm also looking forward to some day the Fort
> Wayne Rairoad Historical Society getting a bona
> fide roundhouse, shop and museum complex, even if
> it isn't in Fort Wayne. A different location
> doesn't mean the name of the organization has to
> change.

For an organization that's had a mailing address in Fort Wayne, a physical address in New Haven, and an operating territory of Hoboken to Rock Island, and Birmingham and Owosso, refocusing our primary efforts just 48 miles north, with a slight change of zip code ain't much of a stretch.

The mission statement and charter has always been a focus on railroad artfiacts and rolling stock significant to Northeast Indiana, so it all fits. 

> It can be a reminder to the short minded
> Fort Wayne bureaucracy of what they missed.

No joke. Fort Wayne has missed out on $5 million in economic impact (per the local tourism bureau) and 50,000 visitors in less than 120 operating days. Meanwhile, the right-of-way we acquired back in the day and the old NYC yard remain vacant still.

It's just good to prove what we always knew to be true, but to be able to build on a decade of work and the initial economic impact and feasibility studies, and finally put some meat on those bones. We wouldn't have been able to pivot and lean into these opportunities that we have now without first swimming in the lessons and relationships born of that bureaucracy. 

We still owe you a trip, Victor!
 

Thanks for the reply to me and trainorders.com group. Good to hear from you Kelly and that things are coming along as planned, though the Fort Wayne thing was a lost opportunity out of your control. (I heard through the grapevine that you received some sizable donations too.) I didn't know that your group actually acquired some property in the Fort Wayne area. There are a couple of businessmen that are unhappy with the City about the 4th Street Property too.

Gale Schultz and his group are a great bunch to work with over at Indiana Northeastern. I know you owe me a train ride, and I'll get up there one of these days. Having been retired now over two years, I am busier than ever. Mom's health took much of the family's time too, but rest her soul, she passed away at home in April. I know you went though that when your dad, Dan, passed away, though I wasn't in the loop at the time to know that. But the "Iron Duke" set me straight.

Victor  Baird



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/28/25 16:59 by wabash2800.