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  • CNJ 113 Alive!!

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in Pennsylvania
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in Pennsylvania

Moderator: bwparker1

 #866101  by Schuylkill Valley
 
This came in over the CNJ Project 113's facebook page.
" CNJ 113 was successfully fired up to 100 lbs. pressure today Friday 29th.. We raised the pressure very slowly and were happy to reach this milestone. Once up to that pressure we serenaded the neighorhood with whistle and bell "music". The clean burning ...anthracite was just that, although a little difficult to get used to firing.

There is much more to go to get her completely together and running but she is "alive" again!! "

Len.
 #868421  by mikeexplorer
 
Do you have a link to the facebook page? I tried doing some searches on Facebook but nothing came up.

Mike
 #870057  by Schuylkill Valley
 
The next test firing for 113 will be very soon. I'm not yet sure of the date, but if I find out in time. I try to get up and get video of the event.
Len.
 #1008981  by Tommy Meehan
 
bump

Anybody have anything recent on 113? Word is the locomotive is about ready to run.

Anyone know anything about 113's history? Where it was assigned?
 #1008987  by jrevans
 
Tommy Meehan wrote:bump

Anybody have anything recent on 113? Word is the locomotive is about ready to run.

Anyone know anything about 113's history? Where it was assigned?
Here's a link to new article published on 1/16/2012:
http://republicanherald.com/news/miners ... -1.1258169

Image
The locomotive was originally built for the Central Railroad of New Jersey in 1923. It was used for about 30 years by the CNJ to move train cars around the yard and never carried passengers, although it could have, said project volunteer Russ Horoschak, Minersville.

It was bought by the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Co., now Reading Anthracite Co., circa 1953, and stored in Locust Summit, outside of Ashland, from 1953 until the 1980s when Kimmel's father, Robert E. Kimmel Sr., bought it and moved it to Minersville.

Kimmel said the restoration began as a full-time endeavor in 1999 and took 10 years until they got it to steam. It has taken more than $600,000 and about 60,000 man hours by volunteers. Had the labor not been donated, the total would be close to $1.5 million.
and
The repairs are 90 percent complete, meaning the locomotive is at the point where it's operable and could move under its own power, Kimmel said. He said a steam locomotive makes its own air with a steam-driven air compressor and makes its own electricity with a steam-driven electrical generator.

Kimmel said that in the past year a lot of time went into putting up its appliances, including the air compressor and all the piping. The locomotive had to be jacked up to complete the wheel work.

The finishing touches that are left include adding the insulation jacket, woodwork in the cab, which is being refurbished at Oak Welding, Schuylkill Haven and remaining cosmetics. The final touches won't be added until the locomotive is first operated - just so the committee can make sure that everything is working and it won't have to be taken apart again.

Horoschak said there aren't too many steam engines still in existence that burn hard coal.

Although Kimmel said he was unsure what the locomotive will be used for when the restoration is complete, he's hoping to use it as a mobile exhibit for history purposes regarding the steam-engine era.

"I'd like to take it to Pottsville someday and bring it to Union Station," Kimmel said. "That would be neat, but who knows if that could happen?"