Special Ed Wrote:
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> Negin Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Couldn't see the photo since it's hosted on
> > Fakebook, but I do have a feeling the RRHMA
> > restoring the locomotive might be a test for
> down
> > the road if UP decides to let RRHMA do the work
> on
> > their historic stuff instead of Ed's team.
>
> The historical equipment would most likely be
> better off. After seeing what happened with 844
> and how well the tea kettle runs. Those tubes look
> pretty good compared to the 844's tubes. Maybe it
> was a good thing that the dear leader couldn't get
> his claws into the 3985. And it's better where it
> is now.

The photos of 844's flues compared to 3985's flues shows
what happens when a railroad decides to hire someone
who had already been fired from 2 other steam railroads
to "improve" their steam program.

You get a person who decides to toss the successful water
treatment program already in place and replace it with
acid, stop doing blowdowns, doing boiler washes on paper
only, and then blaming the results on his predecessors.
Which explains why they had to cut out the bottom of the
844's nearly new firebox mudring and jackhammer out the
crud, not to mention digging and hauling tons of sludge,
mud and crap out of the bottom of the boiler.

Anybody else notice it's been nearly 4 years since 844
last ran, and that it has only run by being pushed by
diesels since it's last "overhaul?"

3985's boiler never had the "benefit" of Special Ed's
fancy oddball ideas, and it's flues show what happens
when science-based and tested water treatment, frequent
boiler washes, proper sludge removal techniques, frequent
blowdowns and other "old fashioned" methods are followed.

Scrapping the nearly new superheater units and telling
the top brass that 3985 needed as much or more expensive
work that 4014 did (8 digits, only to still need a diesel)
was enough to make sure the goal of getting rid of 3985
was certain.