Official MEC #501 Steam Restoration Project Thread

[themechanic]

I HAVE SOME PHOTOS FROM A RAILFANS DAY SOME 25 YEARS AGO. THE SWITCH THAT IS IN ITS CURRENT LOCATION ,WAS NOT THERE 25 YEARS AGO. COMMING UP FROM N.CONWAY TOWARDS MEC MAIN LINE, A BYPASS TRACK OF SOME LENGTH ,A NUMBER OF TRACKS ALL WERE SWITCHED AT THE ROUTE 302 END OF THE INTERCHANGE. THE 501 WAS BROUGHT TO N.CONWAY OVER THE SWITCH THAT WAS AT THE ROUTE 302 END OF THE YARD. IT WAS A EASY NO SCREECH, TURN OUT. THE CURRENT ONE IS A TIGHT TURN AT THAT, 8 DRIVERS CREATE A LONGER WHEEL BASE AND REQUIRE A LITTLE MORE , NEED FOR BEING ABLE TO NOT REQUIRE RE-RAILING FROGS . I KNOW MATT TOLD ME IT CAME INTO N.CONWAY OVER THAT SWITCH , BUT THE SWITCH BACK THEN WAS IN ANOTHER SPOT. I GOT THE PHOTOS. WELL ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS, OR DO WE ORDER LOTS OF LUBE?

[themechanic]

themechanic
I believe you when you say the switch at Mt. Junction has moved around. I have never seen a layout of the Intervale yard but was told there were about 3 to 4 tracks that the BM and MEC used when switching out freight and what not. I know at one time the actual Conway branch dead ended right at the Intervale station with a switch just to the south of the dead end connecting it to the MEC track but I also though the current connection was always there as well.
If you think the curve at the switch is to sharp for the 8 drivers to make that turn; there is plenty of room in that area for the CS track crew to make a smoother curve for an engine that size, however if you are saying that yes the 501 will be running again I suggest that you get to gather with the CS and talk about relocating the switch so the curve isn’t so tight because they may charge the club for labor, supplies and whatever else may come up with that project.
So when do you hope to get the 501 moved into stall 4? Currently the 1055 is in that stall but not sure how long its going to stay in there.

I STILL CAN,T FIGURE OUT WHY CSRR NEEDED TO MOVE THE SWITCH IN THE FIRST PLACE. FOR ANY GIVEN APPLICATION THERE ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT COMPONENTS THAT COMPRISE A SWITCH SET
A #10 SWITCH HAS A FROG THAT SEPERATES THE RAILS 1 FOOT EVERY 10 FEET OF TRAVEL. A #20 SWITCH SEPERATES THE RAILS 1 FOOT PER 20FEET OF TRAVEL THE LOWER THE FROG NUMBER THE SHARPER THE CURVE THE RULE OF THUMB WAS ALLOWABLE SPEED OVER THE SWITCH = 2xTHE # OF THE SWITCH.ALSO THE LOWER THE # FROG THE SHORTER THE LENGHT OF THE POINTS, AND THAT TOO DEPENDED ON THE STANDARD LENGHT OF JOINTED TRACK 33 FEET OR 39 FEET I,M SURE BY THE SEAT OF THE PANTS KICK I FEEL AND THE SQUEAL OF FLANGES , SOMTHING IS OR WAS OUT OF WHACK . ANYWAYS I GUESS ONE DAY WE WILL KNOW. I,M SURE THERE WILL BE A LOCOMOTIVE IN EVERY STALL , THAT CAN,T BE MOVED , NOW THAT THE PROMISE OF WHEN #7470 IS BACK IN SERVICE , THE #501 WILL GO INTO THE ROUNDHOUSE. I AM GOING TO WITHHOLD FURTHER COMMENT ON THIS.

[b&m 1566]

You know come to think of it, the switch at Mountain Junction can't be any sharper than the switches in the N. Conway rail yard. If the 501 can move around with no trouble in the yard, I'm sure it would be able to make the curve at Mountain Junction.
One of the reasons the CS probably relocated the switch might be for the reason that they had, or do have future plans to run to Fryburg, ME. Instead of running a train an extra half mile to make the switch down near 302, it would be quicker to just have the switch installed right when the two lines start running side by side.

[themechanic]

well sounds like your problems are with your management and not railfans. I have been in the railroad industry for many years and I think you and your key board need a VACATION now that we all have a pretty good idea what's going on up there !!

Railfans have dropped several thousand dollars , into a donation box , i set up near the #501 ,over a three year period. i used to change the money into a check and present it at the monthly trustee meetings, then presented it in cash at one point , and i felt it represented visually that a lot of folks ,were responsible for a very thick wad of cash , a lot of pockets and pocketbooks were reached into, getting down off the engine to answer railfans questions, and you know a hand shake , smile and a thank you , for letting some proud dad pose his young son on the front of the locomotive , somtimes the wanted to have their child hold one of my big wrenches , hey it made a memory for them and it resulted in a nice $20 going into the box. Some folks would inform me that they tried to ask a employee some questions and got the " BUFF OFF " treatment. I advised them , that they won,t get that here, and they were welcome anytime to ask away. Russ the owner loved to blast me out for letting a die hard steam fan sliop under the wire for a close up shot with the camera of both of us. , Rus didn,t know my friend is a Mas State Police Tropper from down the Cape Cod area. The cop heard Seybold light into me in the gift shop, rather than disobey an order to explain the tounge lashiong , i gave the State Trooper his vehical description and lic .plate #. . That cop was pissed off at Russ over that stunt. The cop took a photo of it somewhere .ran the plate , everything, I saw my friend the Trooper a year ago, first thing out of his mouth , we are waiting for him, said a bunch of swears and somthing about him taking a different kind of photo of Russthey must have russ on a wanted poster in some locker room at a S.P. Barracks. Please don,t speed while on cape Cod. .

[b&m 1566]

Railfans have dropped several thousand dollars , into a donation box , i set up near the #501 ,over a three year period. i used to change the money into a check and present it at the monthly trustee meetings, then presented it in cash at one point , and i felt it represented visually that a lot of folks ,were responsible for a very thick wad of cash , a lot of pockets and pocketbooks were reached into, getting down off the engine to answer railfans questions, and you know a hand shake , smile and a thank you , for letting some proud dad pose his young son on the front of the locomotive , somtimes the wanted to have their child hold one of my big wrenches , hey it made a memory for them and it resulted in a nice $20 going into the box. Some folks would inform me that they tried to ask a employee some questions and got the " BUFF OFF " treatment. I advised them , that they won,t get that here, and they were welcome anytime to ask away. Russ the owner loved to blast me out for letting a die hard steam fan sliop under the wire for a close up shot with the camera of both of us. , Rus didn,t know my friend is a Mas State Police Tropper from down the Cape Cod area. The cop heard Seybold light into me in the gift shop, rather than disobey an order to explain the tounge lashiong , i gave the State Trooper his vehical description and lic .plate #. . That cop was pissed off at Russ over that stunt. The cop took a photo of it somewhere .ran the plate , everything, I saw my friend the Trooper a year ago, first thing out of his mouth , we are waiting for him, said a bunch of swears and somthing about him taking a different kind of photo of Russthey must have russ on a wanted poster in some locker room at a S.P. Barracks. Please don,t speed while on cape Cod. .

Well sounds to me… trouble fallows you where ever you go. I know quite a few of the CS employees from just hanging around the place when I'm up there and never once have I been rudely treated by an employee. Of course your going to get yelled at when you cross a line your not suppose to cross regardless if you have worked on the 501 or if your part of the 470 RR Club. It's not your property and there are rules you have to fallow. Keep pulling stunts like that and you'll ruin it for everybody. I can't speak for everybody but I like to be able to walk around the N. Conway rail yard looking at all the relics. Tim who is the Fireman for the 7470 let me and my girlfriend into the 4266 this passed summer; if you obey the rules and not walk around the place like you own it you'll be surprise at some of the things they'll let you do if you ask in a respectable manner.

[244INMYPANTS!]

Mechanic,
I rarely post on these boards and use them strictly to learn more about the railroad industry, past and present. I'm not sure what your agenda is but please leave it at the door. There is enough controversy in this world to begin with, we do not need anymore. Railroading is something pure and even awe inspiring. To look at a piece of machinery like the 501 and think how far man has advanced. Even more though railroading is about people. I am young but in my limited railroad experience I have met some characters. The 501 is important no doubt, but the men who ran and maintained her are just as important if not more so. One thing is for sure though, when I am sitting high in the locomotive cab and a young boy or girl waves and smiles, wow, talk about history. I think every once in awhile we need to remind ourselves why we love trains as much as we do. Railroading does not need politics.

[BayColony1706]

I had just a quick question about Locomotive 501- When did she arrive onsite at CSRR? Also, what year was she built?

[viewfinder]

Just about everything you ever wanted to know about the 501,,, Keep in mind the 501 is not actually under steam in the linked page and Jim Boyd photo. http://www.steamlocomotive.info/vlocomo ... isplay=844

[b&m 1566]

Boy the 501 sure did look a lot better in the 80's than it does today. How has an engine that is supposedly being preserved, look worse today than it did 15 to 20 years ago? (Frustration question, no need to answer it) I sure hope one of the stalls opens up sometime this winter or next summer to move the 501 into the roundhouse. Time is ticking away against this locomotive.

[Ben Mc Cabe]

Hello,

I hear all kinds of talk about this #501 project. What can someone tell me about it? Thank You.

[superwarp1]

Read back a few pages and you will get a boat load about 501

[Ben Mc Cabe]

Hello again,

I hope I found the 501 page, some dude Gary said I'd find a boat full of stuff on 501. Thanks for the tip, my friend. Who's The Mechanic?
If this person is serious about repairing the Old Gal, why did he stop posting? I'm Ben Mc Cabe from Portland, ME. If this Mr. 501 Guy is around , make yourself known again. I wish to learn, not argue. Nothing is solved being rude. I've found out that you are very skilled and did quite a lot of tasks on the 501. Hope to hear you reply, Thank you.

Yours,

Ben

[ThinkNarrow]

Let's be a little more charitable. I think what our North Conway correspondent is telling us is that they had some very unfortunate experiences with the prior contractor who worked on 501 and are now "once burned, twice shy." Further, while strict numerical analysis may say that 7470 and 501 are nearly equivalent, there are important differences. Finally, it is clear that this fellow really loves these engines and get really worked up when discussing them. His latest point is pretty clear and informative, and we should encourage him in that direction.

[The MECnanic]

Let's be a little more charitable. I think what our North Conway correspondent is telling us is that they had some very unfortunate experiences with the prior contractor who worked on 501 and are now "once burned, twice shy." Further, while strict numerical analysis may say that 7470 and 501 are nearly equivalent, there are important differences. Finally, it is clear that this fellow really loves these engines and get really worked up when discussing them. His latest point is pretty clear and informative, and we should encourage him in that direction.

Thank You for your comments. You read between the lines very well. #501

[#7470]

I agree with you whole heartidly MECnanic. By the way, did you get my e-mail i sent you about the 501?