Re: Locomotives #40,#44 And #111

Hi Mike,

I believe that either Lindsey or Don told me the same thing, that the 111 was the largest of the three.

I heard the same story about the 44 being laid over and the builders pics of the Locomotives prove out the steam chest replacement. I believe that the 40 and 44 were delivered as the 50 and 54 from Baldwin.

The 40 when it was in Central City had a "Kansas City Rake" to it. The locomotive squatted severely backward toward the tender. Some measuring was done and it was discovered that the spring hangers were not properly placed by the shop crews in Central America.

The crew at Central removed the spring hangers and then placed them in their proper positions. The 40 still squatted backward.

It wasn't until the 40 was loaded on a truck and moved to Silver Plume that the locomotive straightened itself out. I don't know if it was a combination of the boomers used to hold it to the flatbed truck, the ride over or just being wiggled right. The boiler sat flat like a boiler should instead of looking like it was going up hill at a dead stop on (fairly) level track.

Both locomotives were great to fire and operate but personally I liked the quirks of the 44 better. It had balky injectors and could really be a bitch to fire, but when you understood her she was really a lady.

I remember what one of the old heads told me early on in Central City:

"Kid, (you were always "Kid") you gotta remember that a steam locomotive is just like a woman. If you treat her right she will take care of you. If you don't, she'll make your life miserable." (colorful expletives edited for a family audience).

Maybe that's why I liked 44 best.

Rick