[PRCo] Re: The Tornado

[John Swindler]

Or try this one
 
http://www.a1steam.com
 
 
The Tornado was a British jet bomber from the 1980s.
 
In the Pittsburgh area, it would be like - no one saved a 3800, so let's build a new one.  (and no, I am not suggesting that be done - there is enough repair work at PTM for several lifetimes)  Perhaps that will help add a bit of perspective.  As Fred and I occasionally commented, you don't have to be crazy, but it sure helps.
 
Cheers
John> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org> From: fwschneider at comcast.net> Subject: [PRCo] The Tornado> Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2009 09:55:59 -0500> > Guys:> This BBC film strip is as far as it gets from the mission of > Derrick's address list. But some of you will smile looking at it. > Enjoy it. But think of this as analogous to someone today building > a brand new Sprague Richmond car from scratch because no one saved > it, only even more expensive.> > For those of us who were there in the old days, this is something > that brings tears to the eyes. And for Fred, who has journeyed "up > the East Coast mainline" behind steam at 75 miles per hour," this > took me back home. As our friend Phil Craig said, "there will > always be an England."> > Here's a video from the BBC on the first run of the newly built steam > locomotive in Britain.> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7865518.stm>> > If, after viewing, you need an explanation, there were A2, A3 and A4 > Pacifics preserved but no A1s. The enthusiasts just rose up and > spent three million pounds (that was about $6 million at a declining > dollar value a few years ago) to recreate the Tornado. But recreate > the really didn't do. The number is one higher than the last A-1. > The name was never used before but in keeping with British naming > conventions, it follows that of a military aircraft. John would > know the specific details. And it isn't exactly like the original > A1s that were retired 40-odd years ago. They had vacuum brakes. > This critter is fitted out with both vacuum and air brakes so it can > haul old or more modern consists. The boiler is welded because no > one still has the technology to rivet one. Actually, no one in > Britain could build a boiler ... it was done in eastern Germany. > You only imagine what it took to get a new steam locomotive certified > to run at 75 mph in Britain today!> > Trains magazine took a survey recently to find out what the Americans > would like to see recreated and discovered we are so regionally > fragmented that it would be impossible to recreate one engine that > everyone could accept.> > Realistically, a lot of what we might like to see is impossible to > build, such as a New York Central "Hudson" because there is no > foundry around today capable of producing a forged steel frame.> > Fred> > > 
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