Moving Steam engines and other equipment
Author: J Mann
Date: 09-29-2015 - 12:06
I find it interesting that so many people think that just because the UP or other mainline railroads are resistive of moving equipment on their railroads that the equipment can never be moved. Just recently the Reading 2100 was moved across the country by rail. It wasn't the only one. There was a couple of CP engines, 1238 and 1286 plus the C&O 1309 all moved by rail over the past year. They were all loaded on heavy duty flatcars for the move. I agree that it's not as simple and cheap as just coupling up and rolling on their own wheels but it can be done. As with everything in life it's all comes down to money. Just a list of costs to remember for a rail move:
Flatcar rental
Deadhead move(s)
Loaded move
Cost of a certified person to tie down the load and certify that it's ready for interchange.
Loading cost: be it cranes, side loaders like the 1309 guys used or house movers using I beams and jacks (I've been involved with the cranes and house movers options on different moves).
One of the problems I think everyone also has is that they want the railroads to do a hospital move for free. If you add up the costs of moving equipment by truck or flatcar and see if the mainline railroad would be willing to do a hospital move for the same price they may listen. The worst they can say is NO.