Maine Central Steam Locomotive #470 Discussion

One of the final photo sets prior to movement and restoration. Very nice.

"Touch A Train 2" at Washington Junction, tomorrow, June 21st. Cool railroad stuff happening for kids and parents. Fund raiser. Bring your friends and train buddies!

gokeefe wrote:One of the final photo sets prior to movement and restoration. Very nice.

Here's hoping that something is done about the paint - right now it's just slathered on, and it looks pretty bad up close.

The lock and latch to the fenced area in which the locomotive stands, have been repaired. The compound is secured again.

Once moved, the paint will be completely stripped and a proper undercoating will be applied. For awhile, expect to see 470 looking like a patient in the E-Room, but remember, this is essential during the rebuilding process. If anything, 690's black and white pictures accentuate why intervention is called for.

Rebuilt, hot, steaming, oiled, and repainted, she will be a star in the New England states, once again.

RGlueck wrote:Rebuilt, hot, steaming, oiled, and repainted, she will be a star in the New England states, once again.

You can say that again. Furthermore, it seems likely #470 will be the only steam locomotive operating on main line track anywhere in New England and not just at a museum operation. I'm taking some wild guesses here but that's my impression of the future.

"Touch A Train 2", held on the Downeast Scenic Railroad, in Ellsworth, today realized just short of $500 to help bring 470 to her restoration site. From 9AM until 12Noon, I'd call that great!
Special thanks to Governors Restaurants for free desserts, coupons, and enthusiasm. Also, a great chance to thank Gifford's Ice Cream for donating four huge tubs of amazing Maine ice cream! Thanks also to the Hancock Fire Department and Rescue for displaying their equipment.

Certainly not least, the people who came out to "touch a train", bringing their children and grandchildren.

If you belong to a group wishing to set up community events, races, barbecues, or similar to preserve and protect Maine Central 470, email us through our website. This is about preservation, education, and economic growth. Consider it a "grand-slam" !

New England Steam Corporation wins Tom Dailey Foundation Grant

New England Steam Corporation has been chosen as one of fourteen railroad preservation groups to receive a grant from the Tom Dailey Foundation. An award of $2,000 to be applied toward moving Maine Central 470 was made in a response during the second quarter voting. The Dailey Foundation has become a friend to railroad preservationist in recent years, and the NESCO board is honored to be included among other strong candidates. We wish to thank the Dailey Foundation, and want to assure them, their funding will be applied as intended.

A second private foundation, this one based in New England, has just sent NESCO notice of its intention to further underwrite development of the "Mascot of Maine" project. At this time we understand that grant to be at least $5,000, but may be substantially more. An official announcement of that funding will be made in the near future.

RGlueck wrote:New England Steam Corporation wins Tom Dailey Foundation Grant

New England Steam Corporation has been chosen as one of fourteen railroad preservation groups to receive a grant from the Tom Dailey Foundation. An award of $2,000 to be applied toward moving Maine Central 470 was made in a response during the second quarter voting. The Dailey Foundation has become a friend to railroad preservationist in recent years, and the NESCO board is honored to be included among other strong candidates. We wish to thank the Dailey Foundation, and want to assure them, their funding will be applied as intended.

A second private foundation, this one based in New England, has just sent NESCO notice of its intention to further underwrite development of the "Mascot of Maine" project. At this time we understand that grant to be at least $5,000, but may be substantially more. An official announcement of that funding will be made in the near future.

Dick,

This is great news! Congratulations!

New England Steam Corporation is prepping the big Pacific for a move to take place sometime in the next year. "When" will be determined by the allignment of donated services and continued growth of the capital fund. Recent foundation awards and the generous response of the railfan community. Maine retailers have also supplied tools, equipment, and lubricants.

Over the past few weeks, volunteers have met at the locomotive to begin applying rust penetrant and oils, in this case, a mixture of acetone and automatic transmission fluid. Two weeks ago, we began by applying it with brushes to every suraface that should move. Yesterday, the effectiveness was only too clear. the rods have opened, there is some "little" movement, and we could began loosening up the joints. A rental office in Waterville donated use of a power washer and Pan Am allowed us to use their spigot to give 470 its first cleaning in sixty years. A three man team spent four hours washing out debris, broken glass, and probably a thousand pounds of ballast from the frame, ash pan, and every tight space where it could accrue. Some material was bagged for removal.

After the washing, a second team arrived and reapplied rust breaker lubricant. They got into crevices which were painted shut and filled with matter only two weeks before. Several journal boxes had been filled with storm water and generous helpings of stone ballast. Drain holes were drilled and the water piddled out. Workers went in with gloved hands and scooped out the stones. The bearings will be inspected, cleaned, and re-lubed. The holes will be tapped and plugged. Eventually donated roller bearings will replace the friction surfaces, but maintained to appear as historically shown.

New England Steam Corporation is very careful with donated funds, but we wanted to show supporters that progress is being made and we are in the "positive column" with regard to restoration. The lubrication program will continue indefinitely as prepping for removal from the park.

Please check us out on Facebook and at our website http://www.newenglandsteam.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; .
Your donations (funds, parts, materials) make a huge difference. NESCo is a tax-deductable 501c3 .


Removing grit accumulation from tight spaces.


Cleaning the pilot deck.


Tight running gear overlaps get cleaning before lubrication.


Ash pan is relieved of grit, broken glass, and hundreds of pounds of ballast.


Tender brake linkage is lubricated for the first time in six decades.


Remember when the Tin Woodman says, "Ahhhh! That feels so good!" I swear we heard that same expression.


Crossheads are get a great deal of attention.


Skilled volunteers remove ballast and broken glass.


Rust penetrant is liberally applied to all moving surfaces as a rule.



Journal boxes which have been filled with storm water for years are finally drained. The boxes will be jacked, cleaned, and re-oiled in a few weeks.

Awesome updates! It always helps to hear what's going on physically as well as financially with a project like this.

Its things like this that have me backing you guys up, at least as a member considering where I am compared to where you guys are. You go out, you raise the money, you do actual work to further the stated project goals, and no one on the crew that I've talked to or had some sort of communications with give a line of BS with it. Those facts right there are possibly the driving factor in bringing the dollars in the door (from a more fringe perspective)...

Thank you for the compliments. We are trying to be open and forthright on every aspect of this project. While NESCo will own and maintain the locomotive, remember, she is your locomotive. You backers, donors, workers, will be the people who ultimately will have done more to preserve the Pacific.

When your memberships come round again, and that will be in a few months, we respectfully hope people will renew. We have a Broadway Limited H-O scale model of the 470 coming up for auction, probably at the Amherst show, but also online. Replica builders plates are coming. Tee shirts are still available as are signed/numbered prints of 470 leaving Bangor on "The Last Departure".
Donations can be made by check, or Paypal (on our website). New England Steam Corporation, P.O. Box 302, Winterport, Maine 04496 .

Dick,

Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for posting this great update. Outreach, transparency and openness about your efforts will go further than you can ever imagine to help the cause. I am so happy to see these wonderful things happening on #470. These are all great confidence building measures which also demonstrate to everyone the obvious competecies of the highly skilled machinists, mechanics, tradesmen and engineers involved with this project.

What gokeefe said!

Those pictures of 470 getting some long-awaited attention warm my similarly-numbered GE-powered heart.

Having seen Dick's magnificent pictures the thought struck me yet again what a unique project #470's restoration truly is. To get a sense of just how exceptional this restoration is here are some facts about the project based on data from http://www.steamlocomotive.com:

• When restored #470 will be the only operating steam engine of any of the historic New England based Class I railroads.
• When restored #470 will be the only operating main line steam engine of any historic Class I railroad with tracks in New England or New York.
• When restored #470 will be the only operating New England steam engine built, purchased and operating expressly for passenger service.

There may even be national distinctions as well. So far from what I can see MEC #470 is unique indeed.