Re: NNG: SRC's Long John Limited

The N&W's 4-8-0's were of the "M" class and were nicknamed "Mollies". 475 is of the era when locomotives were designed with little to no thought given to ergonomics or comfort to the crew. Such locomotives were generally known as "Hogs" or "Pigs". 475 ranks among the most awkward locomotives I have ever run or fired. But she is a wonder to behold, as she wumps her soggy soak exhaust skyward every day. After 12 July hours on that hot old hog, you go home feeling that you have really accomplished something...... you survived to tell the tale.

Hence:

"Mollie The Wonder Pig"

475 was one of the first ones built. She had Stephenson gear and piston valves as built. Unlike most "Mollies" , 475 was never superheated and has spent her last 111 years sucking up lots of water and coal. There are a few Mollies still around, one on display at Abingdon VA, and the two that survived in a Roanoke junk yard. I do believe she is the only 4-8-0 running. The long frame, Baker gear was designed for inboard valve stems and the arm coming out the front of the valve gear (don't know what you call that on Baker gear) has a nice nearly 90 degree bend in it and ties onto the valve stem.

The 'Burg boys converted all the oil holes in the valve gear to soft grease. There are over a dozen grease fittings on each side of 475, mostly on the valve gear. As we use a soft grease with quite a bit of molybdenum in it we refer to it as "moly grease". Mollie likes her Moly grease too......

Satisfied?

And.....NO. I am not sorry I went home to PHX for the winter...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/2017 08:21PM by Earl.