Re: Misc questions (Non-political loop content)

40 & 44 were built as soak boilers in 1920 & 21. They were converted sometime in the 30's to superheat. Their valve chests are home made conversions to piston valves but they are still ported as outside admission. The super heaters impact on the loop was that 40 & 44 were more powerful than originally built and their water consumption was much less that a soak engine of the same size. We took on water every 2 trips with those engines and the tender was still more than half full at the time, their capasity being 3000gal.
As much as I hate to sound like a foamer, their Superheating also made for a great appearence at teh beginning and ending of the seasons when it was cold enough to snow. She usually made a steam plume that ran back the length of the train and then some.