Kelly Anderson Wrote:
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> I understand that when N&W #1218 started
> her initial restoration by NS in the "80's, that
> the driver tread diameters varied by 7/8". I'm
> pretty sure though, that wasn't by design so
> much as it was a result of N&W's poor main-
> tenance procedures.
IIRC, N&W's maintenance procedures were in general among the very best —
Designed to wring every ounce of performance possible out of their fine fleet of locomotives. But it's also quite likely that during the last year or so of steam operations that less-critical servicing such as tire turning was discontinued to cut expenses as the engines ran out their final few miles before being scrapped.
- El Abuelo Histœrico, Greengo y Curmudgeoño de los Locomoturas Viejos y Verdes,
aka Der Grossväterlich DünkelOlivGrünDampfKesselMantelLiebHabender