El Nehi Wrote:
=======================================================
> Pardon my hijack, but where does this put the RGS
> 20?
>
> Half of one side of the frame replaced, most or
> all of the other side replaced. One course of the
> boiler replaced. Smoke box replaced. Dome
> replaced? Cab replaced (at least all the wood).
> Wheel centers had to be carved away to allow them
> to be repaired. New tires. Half the tender
> replaced. New tender frame. New or different
> appliances. New piping. No doubt the air tanks
> will be new.
>
> Is that restoration?
>
> Well, at least it will run, one day.
Hold on now please check your facts. If you have been properly following the restoration you would know a few simple facts.
About half of the frame rails in total have been replaced.
Yes half of one boiler course has been replaced. So what? 346 has a large boiler course patch so do lots of locos out there. Thats a normal part of a restoration. If they didn't replace it it could not be rebuilt. The steam dome was not replaced. It was repaired, because the ottom flange was out of shape from when she rolled over in 43 and landed on something hard. The smokebox was replaced because it was very rusted out, and hed been patched several times by the RGS. This is also a pretty normal thing 463 has a new smokebox.
I'm not sure what was done to the cab but I think much of it was saved. After all that was once the 25s cab.
The driver center did not get carved out. The cracked spokes had to have the crackes ground out so they could be brazed up.Normal thing.
New tires, well yeah guess how many tires she has had since 1899? Or better how many has 491 had?
Only the bottom and bottom patches/extensions are new on the tender. The frame according to Linn was repaired, straightened and some wood replaced.
Appliances get replaced regularly.
As a good friend once said "pipes are not historical"
The main air resivoir is not economical to use being a riveted type. So yes a new one will be made and it will be placed inside the original to appear correct.
So yes that is a restoration. Some parts of it might be more than others would do but no restoration is the same.
Again please don't go knocking a restoration unless you know whats true.