Re: NNG: "Tornado" Steams

From what I read about the Tornado project was all British railfans doanted the equivalent money of a pint of ale each week. Think about it, if every railfan / gearhead in America were to donate $5.00 each week a lot of money could be raised.

None of the A-3 Peppercorn class survived the scrappers, thus the reason for building another. Following the same idea would we build a New York Central Hudson or maybe a Espee MT4 Mountain? If we were to build a replica of one of the larger standard gauge engines one thing to consider is just where would it be ran once we finished? Our railroads are busy with frieght traffic and though I don't want to mention their name their not open to have somebody elses steam locomotive on their track. A good example would be Cotton Belt 819, a truly great engine that has been idle for quite some time.

Something that would be very hard to do would be the one piece frame and cylinders that General Steel Casting did during the 30's and 40's, our steel industry is nothing like it used to be but maybe have it done overseas by the Japanese. Do the Chinese still offer airpumps that are copies of Westinghouse?

Somebody once quoted American steam locomotives were designed for a 100 year life span, if so then maybe we should build another K-36 as the existing ones are now 80 years old and have had the you know what ran out of them.

Stop smoking and drinking and send me your money! Just kidding but maybe we've started something good...........

-little stanley