Victory (of sorts) Over the 800,000 Pound Beast!
When we coupled in to the Museum’s Frisco steam locomotive #4501, we never dreamed it would take nearly a year to move it the final 1,600 feet to its permanent exhibit track. After all, the 1942 Baldwin 4-8-4 had traveled effortlessly from Dallas to Frisco during the big move in 2013. But, as the big locomotive was being slowly pulled around the long curve on the Museum’s lead track, we saw daylight under driving wheel #2 – not good.
That was December of 2022, and that was also when we learned just how non-compliant a piece of railroad equipment can be despite its graceful and impressive presence. The #4501 is sort of the favorite son at the Museum. Beyond its beauty and functionality, the locomotive represents the pinnacle of steam on the Frisco, and is a favorite in a community that derives its name from the line.
That day was the beginning of a crash course on steam locomotive running gear and track dynamics. We had immediately stopped to assess the situation and reached a group consensus to persevere. We slowly crept along another few feet, only to have driver #2 climb the rails to within a 1/4” of derailing. It simply wasn’t falling in line with the other three driving wheels. But why? We had done our homework. The 4500-class engines were designed to negotiate 20-degree curves. We were on a 15-degree curve with 1” of super elevation. Nevertheless, the beast said “no”. We tied it down and went home to fight another day.
Frisco 4501’s #2 driving wheel is seen here perilously close to falling off the inside of the rail on the engineer’s side. In fact, it did so on at least four occasions, necessitating the use of a re-rail frog.
The other side of the same driving wheel is seen here with its flange riding on top of the rail on the fireman’s side. Driver #2 was out of alignment by at least ¾”, even on tangent track.
Obviously, derailing the 4501 was not an option. If driver #2 derailed, we could handle it. But if one or more driving wheels followed suit, we had a big problem. The locomotive was sitting on a long curve with a labyrinth of tracks and turnouts on one side and Stewart Creek on the other. We also noticed it had pulled the track out of alignment, trying to straighten out the curve by four inches. Some of us are old enough to remember the 4500 turning a rail over on its side when being moved from the Tulsa Zoo to another display site in 1984. That proved to be very costly despite being accessible to cranes.
We were able to work around the 4501 for most of 2022, but it became a fixture behind the Frisco Discovery Center – majestic and defiant. All the while, we consulted the experts, searched our technical archives, and tried in vain to contact the roundhouse workers that had long departed this earth. We were sure they had some simple antidote, or at least would snicker at our predicament.
The Museum’s set of re-rail frogs came in handy several times during the slow, arduous move of 4501. Driver #2 on the engineer’s side is being coaxed back in alignment here, as the wheel rides over the apex of the frog.
On a couple of occasions, driver #2’s flange on the fireman’s side forced a kink in the rail rather than riding up. As a precaution, we double spiked the inside of the last curve to prevent the rail from turning over.
The experts provided great assistance, and we addressed every item they suggested. These included inspection and lubrication of the driving wheel self-aligning mechanism, backing off the journal box shoes and wedges, measuring lateral clearance of the rods, lots of oil & grease, inspection of journal box to frame pedestal clearances, servicing the Hennessy lubricators, and relaxing the gauge on curves. Each work session was followed by an attempted move in the direction of 4501’s ultimate destination at the foot of Exhibit Track 5. Each attempt yielded incremental positive results, but driver #2 was still not willing to move from an extreme lateral position to the left – only an inch perhaps, but not in favor of a left-hand curve.
Not willing to go down in defeat, our dedicated crew pressed on. We were able to get the locomotive to tangent (straight) track, but not without driver #2 climbing and sitting back down several times along the way. Finally, we came up with a more aggressive plan that had a comfortable degree of risk based on the knowledge we had gained.
Slowly, but surely, we spent the next several weekends of the new year coaxing the 4501 along, sometimes measuring progress in inches. Fortunately, it negotiated switches without incident, but curves were problematic at best. Driver #2 derailed at least two times, requiring the use of re-rail frogs. The frogs were also used to force the driver back in alignment to prevent derailment. There were three occasions where the driver followed curves but started to turn over the rail. One such area had the inside spikes pulled up over 2 inches. That area was double spiked before another move was attempted – some 250 feet.
Here’s another dramatic view of driver #2’s flange riding on top of the rail on the fireman’s side.
A member of our crew, Steve Fass, shovels ballast in preparation for installing a re-rail frog.
To wrap up this saga, #4501 was finally moved along the last curve on its route on Saturday, March 2. Following one derailment and re-railing of the balky driver, the wheel set traveled the remainder of the curve with one flange riding atop the rail, and the other side with the wheel on about half the rail head. It finally settled back down once the locomotive entered the last 150 feet of straight track where it would reside. It is now on permanent display and majestic as ever. We use the word "permanent" as a nice way of saying “not again in our lifetimes”.
On March 2nd, the final curve lies ahead of 4501. Driver #2, with its flange on the fireman’s side riding atop the rail, moved slowly and carefully along the 15-degree curve, setting back down once out of the curve.
Frisco 4501 has just arrived at its final exhibit location at the foot of Track #5. Our engineer, Steven Wainscott, eased the big Northern 4-8-4 to a stop, while Dick Thompson placed a chock behind the wheels.
Our sincere thanks to the steam gurus out there who imparted their collective knowledge, including Scott Lindsey, Doyle McCormack, and Clem Harris. We never quite solved the mystery of driver #2, but our dedicated crew was victorious! Somewhere in the dust and dirt of Frisco’s Springfield, Missouri shops lies the answer, but we’ll leave that for the next generation. We’ll place a note in the files and move on to the next task at the Museum!
Museum Hosts Largest Field Trip Ever
We knew it was coming, and we braced ourselves – over 350 7th Graders from Frisco’s Pearson Middle School - all at one time! Planning and preparation began last summer when our staff met with FISD social studies coordinators and teachers. During a series of meetings, we updated educational content and developed a flow plan for 12 stations within the Museum. It was tailored to larger enrollments than our 3rd Grade programs. Fortunately, several other middle schools had attended prior to the big day, which helped us refine the experience for Pearson.
Seventh grade program volunteers and staff members pose just before the arrival of Pearson Middle School students. We are very grateful for their extraordinary efforts to deliver quality instruction throughout the Museum’s historic collection of trains.
So, when seven school buses rolled up on Friday March 1, we were ready. And we are proud to report that the day went off without a hitch. This great accomplishment is due in large part to our loyal, hard-working volunteers that rose to the occasion. Realizing the importance of providing a quality experience and meeting the challenge of serving so many students, they showed up in numbers.
These successful programs are the result of much planning and preparation last summer. They provided individual instruction for each of the 1,316 seventh graders from several middle schools that attended this spring. Every student participated in small-group presentations followed by Q&A at each station. The history and technology of the railroad was woven into each lesson, with the state curriculum standards carefully addressed throughout.
Museum Volunteer Mike Bracken teaches Advertising Texas, a program attracting settlers to rail sites in the 1800s in the Museum’s 1925 Pullman Sleeping Car “Glen Nevis”.
Museum Volunteer Rick Reinacker teaches Commerce Rides the Rails, a program on economic growth and prosperity in Texas following the arrival of rail lines.
Pearson’s field trip to the Museum wraps up FISD’s 7th Grade programs for this academic year. We look forward to next year when many of the district’s 17 middle schools return. In the meantime, there are plenty of FISD third graders scheduled for the remainder of this year, as well as higher grades from other districts.
We love smiling faces! Our 7th grade field trips are just as fun and entertaining for FISD administrators and faculty as for the students. Pictured here (left to right) are Tiffany Marshall, Patience LeBlanc, and Heather Pfohl.
Students prepare to board the Museum’s 1920 Cotton Belt “Drover” Caboose with Museum Volunteer Rick Reinacker. Rick also designed and built the Museum’s interactive telegraphy station, which converts Morse Code into text for students.
Our sincere thanks to our volunteers and staff, as well as everyone at FISD for making this our best field trip year ever!
Shortlines… Museum News in Brief
Museums Advocacy Day 2024
The Museum of the American Railroad attended the American Alliance of Museums’ (AAM) annual Advocacy Day for the fifth consecutive year. Held in Washington, D.C. on February 27, advocates from around the nation met with their representatives in Washington in support of continued funding for museums through important agencies such as the Office of Museum Services, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Park Service. Seen in this photo of the “Texas Delegation,” Bob LaPrelle and Kellie Murphy join others from around the state to meet with lawmakers and staff to advocate for funding and increased awareness of the importance of museums to communities.
FP-45 #107 Gets Makeover
The Museum’s EMD FP-45 diesel-electric locomotive #107 is currently being shopped for exterior refinishing. Work will include preparation and painting of the unit back into the original “as delivered” Santa Fe passenger scheme. Along with paint, earlier accessories will be replaced including the gyra-light (an oscillating warning light), placement of the correct horns on the cab roof, and reinstallation of front classification lights – all part of the unit’s configuration during high-speed passenger service.
Built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in December 1967, FP-45 #107 was assigned to Santa Fe's premiere Chicago-Los Angeles Superchief until the advent of Amtrak in 1971. It was reassigned to freight service where it served another three decades, introducing the Super Fleet brand through the reintroduction of the passenger inspired Warbonnet paint scheme. FP-45 #107 was a gift of BNSF Railway in 1999 following retirement.
Who You Gonna Call?
There have been some strange occurrences along Main Street in TrainTopia. Not to worry, Ecto-1 came to a screeching halt right in the middle of the intersection to investigate! Folks are gathering outside the theaters after unexplained sounds, slime, and sightings. Let’s hope the whole place doesn’t end up with melted marshmallow everywhere!
Visit TrainTopia to see the Ecto-1 (in miniature) complete with flashing red & blue lights. It’s the next best thing to the big screen! Our thanks to the TrainTopia crew for their continued creativity and thwarting any paranormal activity!