THE REAL LEGEND OF CRAWFORD NOTCH.... MEC #501 PERIOD!!!

THE TIME HAS COME TO STRAIGHTEN OUT SOME OF THE CHEAP SHOTS , SOME FOLKS ARE DIRECTING AT BOTH THE 470 RAILROAD CLUB AND THE MAINE CENTRAL # 501. YOU ASK ,WHO THE HECK IS THIS GUY? I AND ONLY ONE OTHER MAN, MATT RINES HAVE ENOUGH TIME IN ON THIS PROJECT TO , SEPERATE FACT FROM FICTION AND KNOW WHAT IS WHAT AND WHERE WE STAND AT THIS POINT IN TIME REGARDING PLANS TO RESTORE AND OPERATE THIS GREAT HISTORICAL LOCOMOTIVE UNDER FULL STEAM FOR AN ALL OUT ASSAULT ON "CRAWFORD NOTCH". NOTE ONE THING IS MISSING! I DON,T LIKE ANY IDEA OF ANY DEISEL LOCOMOTIVES BEING ANYWHERE NEAR THE #501 WHEN SHE GOES UP THRU THE NOTCH. WHY RUIN A PERFECT STAEM FAN OUTING? IF ONE WISHES TO GO ALONG ,IT WILL STAY OUT OF VIEW, COUNT ON IT. IF THE RESTORATION WORK IS DONE TO FRA CODE AND MATT AND I HAVE LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THIS TOPIC ,SAY NO MORE,THE #501 WILL BE DONE RIGHT AND BY THE CODE.I,M SURE THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF TEST RUNS SO NOTHING GETS OVERLOOKED AND THINGS WILL BE CHECKED AND CHECKED AGAIN IF ANY DOUBT ABOUT ANYTHING SURFACES. THE #501 IS A VERY GOOD CHOICE FOR RESTORATION, THE MAINE CENTRAL PERFORMED A LOT OF OVERHAUL WORK ON HER , JUST BEFORE DEISELS TOOK OVER. A HIGH PRESSURE WASH BACK IN 1998 REVEALED A LOT OF MACHINEST CHALKINGS ON THE DRIVERS AND OTHER ARES OF IMPORTANCE. I,M GOING TO GET SOME PHOTOS UP OF SOME OF THE WORK PERFORMED BETWEEN THE MID 90s AND 2000. ONE LAST THING. PLEASE STOP THE PENNY ANTE STUFF ABOUT TURNING #501 AROUND IN THE NOTCH.LISTEN AND READ THESE WORDS.

ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LEARN ANYTHING ABOUT STEAM ERA RAILROADING UP IN THE NOTCH SHOULD BUY THE HERRON RAIL VIDEO /DVD MOUNTAIN DIVISION AND SEE FOR THEMSELVES THAT EVERY LOCOMOTIVE I WATCHED GO UP THRU THE GATEWAY WAS SIMPLY REVERSED AND BACKED ALL15 MILES BACK TO BARTLETT NOTHING NEEDS TO BE TURNED , AT ANYWHERE PAST BARTLETT. YES THERE IS A " WYE " AT BARTLETT, I,M SURE IT NEEDS SOME NEW SLEEPERS AND A GOOD LUBE JOB AND SOME WEED WHACKING. AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE THE OTHER " WYE " UP QUEBEC JCT. WAY CAN BE REFURBISHED.IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE DONE FOR #501 AS THE LOCOMOTIVE WILL BE REVERSED AND BACKED THE 15 MILES TO THE WYE AT BARTLETT. PLEASE ENOUGH WITH THE END OF THE WORLD TALK ABOUT TURNING #501. BACKING IN REVERSE TO BARTLETT WAS STANDARD PRACTICE FOR ALL THE PUSHERS/HELPERS I EVER HAVE SEEN ON TAPE OR IN PHOTOS. END OF SUBJECT.! THE MAINE CENTRAL #501 WON,T NEED ANY HELPER OIL BURNERS TO ASSAULT THE NOTCH, " SHE HAS BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT IN BYGONE YEARS, SHE HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO REPEAT HISTORY BY HERSELF, SOORY , OILBURNER LOVERS. I,M 100% STEAM POWER, DON,T WORRY ABOUT INSURANCE , LOTS OF WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE THAT BRIDGE IS CROSSED A POWER OF FAR SUPERIORITY THAN ANY MAN WILL HAVE THE FINAL SAY AS TO THE DAY " THE REAL LEDGEND GETS UNCHAINED AND TURNED LOOSE TO RUN WILD ON HOME TURF!!! BELIEVE!!!

MR501, JOHN SMYTHE 470 RR CLUB

Well said and I'm sure everyone here hopes you suceed. I want you to suceed, man I love steam and I would love to ride behind the 501

But back to the 501. Just a few questions.

Any estimates on the overhaul cost?

Any time frame on the overhaul?

What can we the forum members do to help(money, volunteeer, etc etc)?

Can you please turn off caps lock. Its like your ready to kill us or something.

superwarp1 wrote:Well said and I'm sure everyone here hopes you suceed. I want you to suceed, man I love steam and I would love to ride behind the 501

But back to the 501. Just a few questions.

Any estimates on the overhaul cost?

Any time frame on the overhaul?

What can we the forum members do to help(money, volunteeer, etc etc)?

AT THIS TIME I CAN SEE AN EASY $100K BEING SPENT TO PUT THE BOILER AND MISSING RUNNING GEAR PARTS/AND MACHINE WORK ON SAID ITEMS INTO TOP SHAPE. THE TENDER NEEDS A GOOD AMOUNT OF SEALING UP AND TRUCK INSPECTION ,BRAKE RIGGING, AND A INTERIOR SANDBLASTING AND EPOXY COATING, BEST LEFT TO COMPANY THAT SPECIALISES IN TANK CLEANING SEALING, OUR CHINEESE INJECTORS WILL NEED TO BE AMERICANIZED, NOT PARTOF BOILER COSTS ABOUT $50K MAX FOR TENDER THRU INJECTOR FEED TO BOILER ICAN SAY THAT IN ALL TRUTH FULNESS IT WILL BE CLOSE TO $200K.

TO TIE A TIME FRAME ONTO THIS, IT DEPENDS ON WHERE THE BULK OF THE WORK IS PERFORMED. I SPENT MANY A HOT SUMMERS DAY INSIDE THE BOILER AND WITH A CUTTING TORCH GOING , I WAS DEALING WITH 125DEGREE HEAT SOAK, HEAT STROKE BECAME A THREAT AS I COULD HEAR MY OWN SWEAT DRIPPING OFF OF MY BODY, I HSD PLENTY OF WATER INSIDE WITH ME, IF I STOPPED SWEATING I WOULD BE IN TROUBLE, ALTHOUGH IT WAS HOVERING AROUND 100 DEGREES OUTSIDE , WHEN CLIMBING OUT ,100 SEEMED COLD. I DON,T MIND WORKING IN THE HEAT , THERE ARE JOBS THAT MUST GET DONE AND IT,S NO FUN BEING A SINGLE VOLUNTEER., THE 501 ISN,T A TINKER TOY, MICKY MOUSING SOMTHING , CUTTING CORNERS, MUFFLER CEMENT AND AUTO BODY BONDO WILL NOT CUT IT ANYMORE.WORKING ALONE BY MYSELF EXCEPT FOR THE BIG OUTSHOPED JOBS I WOULD NEED 5 YEARS, AND OPTION OF STALL #4 . I WOULD CONSIDER PAYING INTO A POSSIBLE CONCRETE POUR OF STALL FOUR, WHO WANTS TO WORK IN DIRT? A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS , FRONT END LOADER AND PLENTY OF SHOVELS ,SLEEPERS WHERE NEEDED, ETC AND SOME PRE-POUR PREP WORK WOULD MAKE A GOOD WORK AREA INSIDE, WE DON,T NEED A BIG DIG CONTRACT, IF THE RAIL IS NOT SPONGY , NO NEED TO LIFT IT, HAVING VOLUNTEERS THAT DON,T MIND GETTING DIRTY IS A PLUS. I WENT TO TRADE SCHOOL AND GRADUATED " CUM LAUDE " I,VE WORKED AS A MECHANIC OVER 25 PLUS YEARS, DOING SOMTHING RIGHT THE FIRST TIME IS A HECK OF A LOT CHEAPER THAN HAVING TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN. ENOUGH SAID. MY DISCS MAY LIMIT ME TO WHAT I CAN DO, BUT MECHANICAL/RULE /CODE BOOK , AND TEACHING OTHERS WHO WISH TO HELP WITH PRIDE IN WHAT THEY PRODUCE , AN EASY TASK FOR ME. TOO MANY PEOPLE CAN BE AS BAD AS NOT ENOUGH,DEPENDING ON THE GOALS SET FORTH. EVERYBODY WANTS TO RUN THE LOCOMOTIVE AND BLOW THE WHISTLE, BUT GETTING DOWN AND DIRTY, AND NO A/C.. THIS WILL NEED TO BE RUN BY THE CLUB FIRST,

THE 470 RAILROAD CLUB CAN USE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE MECHANICALLY TALENTED , SELF STARTING AND MATURE ENOUGH TO COMMITT THEMSELVES TO PLAYING A ROLE IN PRESERVING HISTORY FOR OTHERS TO ENJOY AFTER WE ARE GONE, WITHOUT A LINK TO OUR PAST ,HOW CAN WE MAP THE FUTURE? I CAN AT A FUTURE POINT , GET DOWN TO WHAT WE NED AND HOW MUCH. REMEMBER ONE THING ,THE MEC#501 UPON RESTORATION WILL HOLD THE HIGH HONOR OF BEING THE LARGEST, MOST POWERFUL FULL SIZE NATIVE NEW ENGLAND STEAM LOCOMOTIVE TO RUN ON HOME TURF IN DECADES. OTHER STEAMERS COULD OUTWEIGH HER OR HAVE MORE T/E, BUT THEY ARE IMPORTED FROM FORIEGN LINES WHOSE MAIN HEADQUARTERS WERE NOT LOCATED IN THE SIX STATE REIGON CORRECT ME , BUT THE LAST STEAM POWERED RUN , BY A NEW ENGLAND LINE WAS THE LAST NEW HAVEN LOCOMOTIVE USED IN THE DORRIS DAY MOVIE " IT HAPPENED TO JANE " FILMED IN CONN. IN 1959, SUNRISE AT CAMPEBELLO WAS A SMOKE SHOW ,NO STEAM USING THE #519 AT EASTPORT MAINE. MORE LATER I HOPE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTIONS SOMEWHAT.TO YOUR SATISFACTION , MR GARY ?

CSRR573 wrote:Can you please turn off caps lock. Its like your ready to kill us or something.

WHY DOES LARGE EASY TO READ PRINT BOTHER YOU? WHY DO YOU MENTION KILLLL UUUUSSS? RUSS WILL NOT TOLERATE RAILFANS ARMED WITH FIREARMS,PLEASE KEEP VIOLENCE TO YOURSELF OFF RAILROAD PROPERTY. THANK YOU.

i don't think he meant any disrespect, but in computer lingo, all caps is concidered yelling. that's what I assume he meant by "ready to kill us"

You answered questions to my satifaction. Thanks for your response.

Okay then. Please turn off your caps lock, Mechanic.

-otto-

(moderator, you figure out what you want to do with this thread).