The “4 CENTURIES ’81” Celebration and my Return to Service.
El Paso’s Celebration of 400 years of Eouropean Influence and 100 years since the comming of the railroad.
In 1979, the City of El Paso began working on the 4 Centuries ’81 Celebration. The 4 Centuries ’81 Celebration was a street party in El Paso to celebrate 400 years of European travels in the El Paso Del Norte area. This involved developing different ideas for the celebration. Different ideas were proposed and reported on. A June 19, 1980 El Paso Times Up Front column discussed the possibility of my restoration. On September 24, 1980, a formal meeting was held at city hall about the 4 Centuries ’81 and the discussion of different plans came up. It now or never for my restoration. Several people attended the meeting including Dan Cantania who had been promoting my restoration for a couple of years, Nester Valencia director of the city planning department, Dr. Ed Lenard, former Political Science Professor and local business man, Conrey Bryson, a local historian, Pat Abel, the city’s Historic Preservation Officer, and Leon Metz local historian and Administrative Assistance to Mayor Tom Westfall. While there was little money raised to any of the goals for the 4 Centuries ’81 Celebration this meeting was a turning point in my involvement in the 4 Centuries ’81 Celebration. (September 25, 1980 El Paso Times Colum Up Front Pg. 1B, 8B)
This surge of interest and enthusiasm had a goal of my return to operation to participate in the 4 Centuries ’81 Celebration of the City of El Paso. My restoration to operation was a real learning experience for a lot of the volunteers. There was a difference this time in the people who would work on me. The people this time were not just railroaders but people with different backgrounds and abilities. No matter their knowledge of steam locomotives, they brought a desire to learn about me and how I work.
By the end of September initial conversations with the Santa Fe had begun and they gave a tentative approval to the idea. The Southern Pacific had already expressed a firm “No”. to the idea of me running in the lower valley. Ron Wysynski, an El Paso based engineer for the Santa Fe Railway, expressed that even if I could be brought back to operation my top speed would probably be 30 mph. (Sept. 30 Up Front El Paso Times 1B and 3B).
It quickly became clear that, for my return to operation, a focus of the volunteers was an effort to work on reestablishing federal oversite to use as leverage with the railroads on my return to service. On November 8th, the removal of the insulation surrounding my boiler began and other tear down work was started. My first inspection in several years was only two weeks away. By the end of November my first inspection had taken place. (Nov 9, 1980 El Paso Times El Pasoan’s plan birthday Bash pg. 1B and 2B)
Things moved quickly from there as work on me continued. On December 26, 1980, with the federal inspector Charlie Williams present, my boiler was filled with water and pressurized for a test commonly called a hydro. A hydro or hydrostatic pressure test, is a safety test of pressure vessels. A hydrostatic pressure test involves filling the item to be tested full of water to a designated pressure higher than they operate and make sure that the boiler, air reservoir or other item being tested does not fail. While at pressure, there are other tests that can be performed that can determine my boilers condition and if I was restorable. While the test found a few boiler tube and other items leaking or needing repairs, I was basically sound and the work could proceed. David Scruggs. an IT employee of Border Steel and the volunteer project coordinator for 3420s restoration, was quoted as saying “We have an engine.” Staff members from Wyler Industrial were involved in the test. (Engine Overhaul Picks Up Steam El Paso Times December 27, 1980 Pg. 1A)
With the hydrostatic pressure test completed, work continued on my mechanical restoration. With the determination that I was a viable restoration project, the focus turned to some of the other issues to accomplish in my restoration. One of other steps was getting the City of El Paso to establish a board to oversee the project. On the 10th of February, 1981, the city passed Ordinance 7120 which created the El Paso Historical Railroad Board to oversee my restoration. The creation of this city board did change my ownership. The first members were David Scruggs, Debbie DeAngelo, Dr, Edward Lenard, Chris Stark, Dan Catania, Reynold Blight and Kate Waugh. With the legal issue out of the way it was time to finish the work. (El Paso Times February 11, 1981 Pg. 5 Up Front by Ed Foster)
I was removed from my display site in March 22, 1981 and taken to Wyler Industrial Works at 711 St. Vrain St. I was parked on East 6th Ave. where most of the work would take place. Paul Berry and the rest of the Wyler staff were instrumental in the efforts to return me to operation.One requirement before I was able to move to the spur at Wyler Industrial Works was that my tenders’ cast iron tender wheels would be replaced with steel ones. The cast iron wheels are more prone to fracture and other issues. The Southern Pacific mechanical forces brought out a service truck and replaced the wheels at my former display site. This work was completed in a day. On Saturday, March 21, 1981, the efforts to prepare me to move were complete and the volunteers were ready to move me. After almost 25 years, I needed to move 300 feet to get to the display site to the live track in the Santa Fe yard. This included a very tight turn to accomplish this move. The plan was to use sections of “panel tracks” to move me from the display site to an active track. The preassembled sections of panel track were laid behind me and I was winched across the panel track. The track had I just left was then leap-frogged behind my new location to get me to the Santa Fe yard. (El Paso Times March 21 pg. 1B)
There were a number of people whose “day off” started at my display site at 6:30 am. These volunteers who showed up were critical to the success of my return to active railroad tracks. A critical volunteer was Southern Pacific Roadmaster, Martin Svatek, who volunteered time with my move. He helped volunteers understand many aspects of labor-intensive track work including driving railroad spikes, aligning two sections of track, and attaching the two rails with the angle bars and proper bolt pattern. Raynold Blight, a retired Controller, who worked track during the summers while going to UCLA quickly returned to his past skills working track. Welder Alanzo “Peewee” Herrera also quickly picked up the art of driving spikes. Pablo Medrano of Southwestern Crane & Rigging, backed up a 20-ton tractor to tow me over the new track. Bill Day, of the City of El Paso’s Department of Parks and Recreation, Lorenzo Herrera, Pat Abel, Dwight Culver, Perry Cunningham, and Harry Morris were among those who also lent their efforts in moving me. As Saturday, March 21, 1981, progressed, the wind picked up and sand joined in, yet the volunteers continued their work. Late in the afternoon, I was now on Santa Fe trackage. (El Paso Times March 22 Pg. 1A, 1B, and March 22 Column Up Front Pgs. 1B, 3B)
On March 22, I was once again on the move, this time being towed by a diesel locomotive. The Santa Fe turned me on their turntable before sending me on my way to Wyler Industrial at Sixth St. and St. Vrain. To accomplish my move to Wyler, the Santa Fe moved me to Southern Pacific trackage and then the Southern Pacific handed me to the Missouri Pacific Railroad to move me to Wyler Industrial.
On Sunday, July 5, 1981, I was fired up or operated for the first time, just a week before the 4 Centuries ’81 celebration.While various systems of mine were being checked over the Missouri Pacific’s switching crew approached with a covered hopper of flour for a nearby bakery. As they approached a whistle/horn battle ensued. After the switch crew reached me, the decision was made to use me to spot the car at the bakery. I spotted the car and then returned to Wyler industrial. My first unofficial stretching of my legs was to spot a car for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. This track was of historical importance to El Paso. It was along this track that the U.S. Customs house was placed and the Texas & Pacific, El Paso & Northeastern, and Santa Fe all interchanged international traffic for many years.
On Thursday, July 9th, I left Wyler I headed to the Dallas Street or Downtown yard to pick up the El Paso steam derrick and its tender and a National Railways of Mexico diesel. El Paso’s Union Depot was not only a partnership between US railroads but also the railroads that operated south of Juarez. Southern Pacific Road Foremen of Engines, Jim Efaw, was my engineer for this and many other of my moves on the Southern Pacific. Chris Stark was my Fireman. The day had an afternoon shower and that did not deter the 3000 people who came to see the event. By 6:30 pm Over 1600 people had visited the display car the Santa Fe railway had brought to the Celebration.(El Paso Times July 10, 1981 pg. C-1 El Paso’s Birthday Gets Rolling by Tamara Chapman)
At 7:30 pm, with Mayor Johnathan Rogers riding over my front coupler and two alderman David Escobar and Dennis Wagner on each of my front foot boards, we came out of the Bataan Trainway to start the 4 Centuries ’81 Celebration. Mr. History also known as W. H. Timmons and Dr. Ed Lenard presided over the recreation of the Golden spike ceremony. While Texas Speaker of the House Billy Clayton and Mayor Rogers drove two of four golden spikes most eyes were reported on me. With the conclusion of this ceremony, the street party began. (A Sequel in Steam)
While the paper reported that twenty-two volunteers had put in over 6000 hours into my restoration to operation, other sources show that over fifty different people were involved in my restoration!
After “4 CENTURIES ’81” Starting a new Adventure!
After the success of 4 Centuries 81, many of the volunteers took a well-deserved break. After the break they finished installing my boiler jacket. Also, during this time Chris Stark was able to get some old locomotive train number boards from some recently retired diesels.By the end of September arrangements were being made to move me in early 1982 out the Public Water Works off of Fred Wilson.Also, during this time, it was realized that there was no formal organization for the volunteers that are supporting me. To rectify this situation the decision was made to form the Southwest Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society. On December 19, 1981, I was fired up and laced on stationary Christmas display for the G. I. Forum and the Armijo Center. (El Paso Times Sept. 30 1981 corrections, Dec 20, 1981 pg. 10)
In the first part of 1982, I was moved to the city water works property near Fort Bliss National Cemetery. With this move a collection of historic railroad equipment began to grow as I towed the first pieces including the dining car and Southern Pacific caboose 1062 to our new storage site. The year 1983 would become very busy for me. The April 2nd edition of the El Paso Times, showed me pulling the Southern Pacific caboose 1062 and Dinning car loaded with passengers near Fred Wilson along Biggs Field in an effort to publicize the group and its efforts. On August 16, 1983, the city accepted three more freight cars that the Southern Pacific donated for a future El Paso railroad museum to the City of El Paso’s collection, a flat car SPMW 5683, SP box car 115497, and SP tank car SPMW 6512. (City of El Paso resolution 19-623). The city on August 23rd, also passed ordinance 7634 changing the makeup of the El Paso Historical Railroad Board to two appointments by each City Council member and the fifteenth member being the President of the Southwest Chapter of the R&LHS. On September 10, and 11, 1983, I was on display at the Amigo Air Show.
“Going Home”
While the collection was growing, efforts were also underway to find me a better home.On July 26, 1983, the city entered a contract with Phelps Dodge Refining Corporation to store the growing collection at the refinery. I now had a great home with another dedicated partner. (City of El Paso resolution 19-563) In a newspaper article about my trip to my new home, “This old train used to belong to phelps dodge. It is sort of like coming home.” said the copper refinery plant manager Bill H. Spoon. I had traveled 12 miles in 2½ hours to reach the refinery and along the way many people not only noticed my travel and acknowledged my passing with waves smiles and honking car horns.
In June 1984, I made my last appearance on the Southern Pacific high iron. In 1984 New Orleans was hosting a World’s Fair. To help promote the event the Southern Pacific hosted a steam special from Portland Oregon to New Orleans and back. This train operated thru El Paso in both directions. When Southern Pacific 4449 was returning to Portland Oregon from New Orleans, I was allowed to double-headed from Alfalfa Yard to the El Paso Union Depot. This was the first time two former Southern Pacific steam locomotives had double headed since the end of steam on the Southern Pacific.
This was not the first time 4449 had been in El Paso. 4449 was accepted from the builder Lima and set up at the El Paso General Shops. Also, for part of 4449 service life on the Southern Pacific, 4449 was assigned to the Rio Grande Division of the Southern Pacific which comprised of the former El Paso & Southwestern properties.
I suffered a blown blanking plate in the smoke box that disabled me. The 4449 pushed me the rest of the way to Union Depot. After a display at Union Depot, I was taken to the diesel shops. I was repaired at the Southern Pacific diesel shops and returned to the copper refinery without incident. Karen Marston said the speed on the diesel’s speedometer said 30 mph on the way home.
After this run I did this appearance with 4449. I would not have another public appearance until May 1985 and the National convention of the R&LHS. During the several months between the public appearances, the volunteers took on several projects. One of these projects was the removal of all of my fire brick. In the spring of 1985, phelps dodge paid for the brick in my firebox to be replaced and Cesar Rena a refinery employee, did the brick installation. Phelps Dodge also paid for the casting of new forms for the Automatic Dampers.
Another project that was undertaken was the polishing of my side rods. In March of 1985, Robby Peartree, then a 13 year-old kid, was determined to start volunteering in the effort of my preservation. The refinery had a policy of no one under 18 in the plant but his father got the guards to allow his two sons to enter if they stayed in the car. They did that until their father realized that the plant manager Mr. Bill Spoon was making his Saturday rounds and stopped by the locomotive. Mr. Peartree explained his oldest son’s passion for trains and Mr. Spoon hesitantly allowed the two kids out of the car. They spent several hours using a 5 ton jack to skip my drivers so that my rods could be reinstalled and Mr. Spoon decided to make an exemption to the policy. This day would have a great impact on both the Peartree family and myself. Whenever Mr. Spoon made his Saturday rounds in the plant, he usually stopped by the locomotive to see what was going on. The guidance of many different Phelps Dodge (now Freeport McMoRan) employees over the years particularly those of the Construction and Repair Department, usually referred to as C&R, would give many valuable lessons to many of the volunteers.
The first weekend in May 1985, I operated in the copper refinery for the R&LHS national convention that year held in El Paso. On Thursday May 2nd, just prior to this event, a donation of 1000 gallons of number 6 fuel oil was obtained from Standard Oil and a local slump company was kind enough to provided its transportation. The oil was loaded hot (It flows at 150 F) and transported to the refinery when the unloading began. The driver and Chuck Peartree had it well at hand and over 800 gallons into the tender when a fuel hose blew and sprayed the fireman’s side of the tender covering the oil tank and the S, O, U, and T of the Southern Pacific lettering. Fortunately, no one was hurt but the tender was in serious need of a wash. On Friday evening May 3rd, while the R&LHS membership meeting was underway discussing RR historical progress in El Paso, another effort was underway to remove the oil from my tender. Several people showed up to clean the tender. Making the lettering readable was a top priority.
Supplies were secured from the Freeport McMoRan warehouse including buckets, brushes, and soap. After several hours of hard scrubbing the tender was in a more presentable state. On Saturday morning while the approximately 70 guests went to see El Paso & Southwestern #1, and other sites, several volunteers who went home only a few hours ago were back to fire me up for the day’s operation. Tender cleaning continued until the guest arrived. After the arrival of the quest, a picnic lunch was enjoyed under the trees that were by the old administration building. Afterwards, I ran back and forth on tracks seven and eight in the refinery with former S.P. caboose 1062. This is the event I gave Mr. Gerald M. Best his last ride. He was a noted railroad historian who did a lot of research into railroads in the US and Mexico, three weeks after the event Mr. Best would pass away at his home.
During this back and forth running they assigned Robby to monitor one end of the caboose. Fred Greer came by to visit him. And while they were chatting Fred mentioned that when the locomotive whistled off, he needed to respond with the caboose whistle. Well the next move was a forward move and Robby heard the two toots and then repeated them with the caboose whistle as instructed. That must have caught the engineer off guard because the result was that we did not move. After a few moments Fred said something to the effect, I guess you should not do that again. Robby gathered that he had a lot to learn about what was going on. Fellow El Pasoan, Don Kerfoot wrote a great piece about event and his experience helping the chapter with this event and flagging a crossing in the newsletter for the Rocky Mountain Division of the National Model Railroad Association. Years later volunteers were still cleaning oil off of my tender.
This Photograph of 3420 performing photographic runbys at the 1985 R&LHS convention held in El Paso Texas. This was the last convention for noted R&LHS member Gerald M. Best. Photograph by Robby Peartree.
On July 13, 1985, I operated for a promotional event for the Texas Sesquicentennial Train that was to travel across the State of Texas but never did happen. Was to head to Van Horn pulling a three-car passenger train for a week of activities. This included a “Train Robbery” where they were going to lasso my stack. One day I would head I was to Pecos Texas to turn on the Pecos Valley Southern Wye track. While in Van Horn I was to meet the rest of the Texas Sesquicentennial train coming from Fort Worth. I would then double head back to El Paso with the former Texas & Pacific 2-10-4 #610. The Pullman Car James Watt which now resides with me at the copper refinery was to be the El Paso Car on the train. Unfortunately, this trip never happened.
During this promotional event, Mr. Alex Eason and I were reunited. He was a former S.P. Engineer and he had operated me in the 1940’s and 1950’s. He said I looked like I did in 1940. Alex also took the time to inform others many different things about railroading including the definition of a train as being an engine, cars and a caboose with markers.
After 30 minutes of operating there was a ceremony remembering Chris P. Fox. Mr. Chris P. Fox was a former county Sheriff and local amateur historian. Andrew Briscone III, president of the Texas Sesquicentennial Express, Inc., dedicated a portrait of Mr. Fox in front of me. I also gave his ashes one last ride.
From July to October in 1985, I operated in the refinery on many dates, this time to help train new volunteers on my operation. Mr. Eason has been assigned to many of the same jobs as I was in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Now many years later, he felt it was important to make sure the next generation was operating me in a safe manner so donated time to educate the volunteers. Mr. Eason’s health was such that he would not personally take the controls but he would watch and critique the volunteers. His insights and experience were a great benefit to the volunteers.
On July 20, 1985 was the time Mr. Eason came out to work with the volunteers his wife noticed a change in his behavior. He loved railroading and he missed the railroad. His wife usually had a hard time getting him out of bed. On this first morning he woke up to find him already up and shaving. They arrived early and started he started teaching the volunteers after the I was ready to go. I was operated back and forth on track two to the end of track by the ball park within the refinery. As I first did a reverse move off of track move Mr. Bill Spoon told the new chapter President Karen Marston that while Chuck Peartree did a fine job backing out but the refineries fork lift beat the train to the end of the dock.
As the day progressed the volunteers became more skilled and confident. Just like new drivers of an automobile they were getting a better feel for my power and braking abilities and how to apply it. Mrs. Eason arrived midafternoon to take him home. On the drive home Mrs. Eason asked Alex what did you have for lunch. Alex then thought back and said “Lunch? I do not think we stopped for lunch.” In the end Mrs. Easton was very happy with his reaction to going out to work on the locomotive. Her one request is that we feed him lunch. Speaking of lunches Alex used to pack two sandwiches when working a switch job, he packed a deli meet (what was on special) sandwich and a peanut butter and jelly on pumpernickel.
Between operating days other former Southern Pacific employees also trained the volunteers on various issues that involved my maintenance and repair. Retired S.P. pipe fitter Bill Morris was busy telling stories and teaching volunteers about pipe fitting. One event Mr. Morris, and a group of volunteers were working on replacing the pipe between the engineer’s injector and the boiler check valve. The resulting parade caught the attention of the C&R staff. Everyone came together and the pipe was replaced in a few hours. Other times Bill Morris spent the time to teach the new volunteers how to lap valves and use soapy water to find air leaks to be repaired. If a valve or union needed lapping, he showed them how to make those repairs if they did not know. Austin Chrysler also worked on several projects including my boiler blow downs. This unique knowledge was immensely valuable to the volunteers and this knowledge is something that is quickly disappearing as time passes.
Photo of Alex Eason talking to David Sruggs just off camera by 3420 in 1985. the hose in the background was used to bring 3420 up to operating pressure. Photo Robby Peartree Collection.
During a boiler wash, one of my boiler wash out plugs was being particularly stubborn at coming out. Dr. Laurie Barfitt and Robby Peartree were working on removing the plugs and she made a comment that if he could remove the washout plug, she would give him $3! Robby went for the biggest cheater bar he could find and used all 130 lbs. of his body weight to loosen the plug. While he bragged about getting the plug out, he did not want the money because he used the cheater bar but Laurie paid him.
A pattern developed for the fall of 1985 as the refinery would make room for me to run on a weekend I would be fired up for a day and the volunteers would gain experience operating me and learn how well their recent repairs had worked. They then continue to make adjustments and move forward. I was fired up on September 2, Sept 28, and Oct 11. Each time was a learning experience for all.
The Last Two Times that I HAve Operated Under Steam
October 20, 1985, I operated for the dedication of Jack Bell Park in the refinery. In 1983, Phelps Dodge could not come to an agreement with their union and the union struck. Union strike was a long bitter campaign and lead to the removal of the union. The park was created in 1985 for a place for employees to peacefully relax. I operated for the dedication of the ball park until the fuel oil I had ran out. Before my fuel ran out I gave out approximately 600 rides to 400 attendees. My fuel just so happened to run out while Jack Bell (President of phelps dodge, with Chapter President Karen Marston instructing him) was at my throttle. I had enough steam in the boiler to unload passengers and head to my storage place then on track two by the Met Lab, Casting Department, and Construction and Repair. I operated one more time on December 28, 1985, before our FRA inspection for my planned trip to 1986 World’s Fair in Vancouver B.C.
The Years Since
In 1986, the volunteers were busy preparing me for my trip and many things were worked on. Starting in the fall of 1985 and into the spring of 1986 my air compressor was rebuilt by Kenneth Schloemer. This involved removing the air compressor and going thru the over 160 named parts to the compressor. phelps dodge rebuilt the dynamo, and made many other contributions. It was also five years since my return to steam and it was time for my five year inspection. My air tanks were removed and hydro tested, my boiler interior was inspected and the boiler was hydrotested and the interior inspected again. A lot of work was performed in a short amount of time.
This time the inspection was not going to be done by Charlie Williams as he had retired. Charlie Started helping the chapter volunteer with the inspection and maintenance of the locomotive. The new El Paso motive power & equipment inspector and an inspector from Fort Worth inspected me. Charlie Williams was supposed to be there to represent the chapter but his mother-in-law passed away and he had to deal with this personal issue. The inspection took place and an issue that they believed to be a crack behind my steam dome caused them great concern. To their credit they did not instantly stop the inspection. They continued to the end and informed the members that they needed to make calls on the issue that they were concerned about. They tried to reach Charlie and another retired inspector without success. Deciding to error on the side of safety they wrote up the crack that they believed that they had found. That night they delivered the bad news to a volunteer party that they had been invited to attend. After delivering the news they asked if they were still invited and the answer was yes. This issue prevented my attendance at the World Expo ’86. The S. P. supplied flat cars to transport me to Vancouver were already in the refinery when this issue came up.
At the time of the 1986 inspection none of my mechanical records prior to 1980 were known. This lack of knowledge of my past and lack of training and experience for the inspectors made this a difficult task. They approached the difficult situation with great professionalism and they did their jobs in a bad situation created by bad circumstance. This inspection did have a national impact. The Southwest Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society was unique in the R. & L. H. S at the time that it was actively trying to operate railroad equipment.
This inspection results were a great disappointment for my volunteers. They had worked hard to get me ready for this trip to only not have it happen. While there was disappointment they did not give up on my return to operation. Work on me for my eventual return to operation did continue. My Boiler blowdown valves seats were welded back up and new valve stems installed. Superheaters were tested and many other parts and projects were worked on. But even sitting I have things that still need attention.
My timing was out when I was in reverse. During this time my valve timing was adjusted. This started with books being read on Stevenson valve gear. Observations were then made including watching the valve timing thru the inspection holes above the valves. Measurements were taken and calculations preformed and checked. Monsignor Peters did a lot of this work including the calculations. Chris Stark now living in Lancaster California also did a series of calculations. The results showed that the fireman’s blade for reverse needed to be adjusted. This involved blocking the eccentric and disconnecting the bar and adjusting its length in a foundry.
Projects were first researched before they were tackled whenever possible. This included a crack in the boiler. A plan was devised to weld up the crack and install new rivets. Riveting was a concern as a skill set the volunteers did not have. A member’s mother had been a riveter during WWII. When approached about helping us with the riveting the volunteer learned that their mother had a hot rivet land on her bare neck and burn her. This was not a pleasant experience and given the past she preferred not to help us with this task. We found other information on riveting that helped us with this part of the repair. In January 1990 John Brawn from Durango, Colorado was brought down to grind out the crack and weld up the area and preform the riveting. A few rivets were removed to facilitate this work. On a Friday I was moved from track two in the refinery and onto track one and pushed into the construction and repair building. My tender was disconnected and I was inside for the first time in years. That Friday night repairs began. They continued into Saturday and Sunday.
On Sunday it was the day the rivets that were removed were replaced with new rivets. The first thing to be done was get everything ready. New rivets were heated in Furnaces and prepared to be driven. They were then carried in a steel pale filled with hot charcoal to the top of my boiler to be inserted. Once this repair was completed my tender was reattached and I was moved to back to track two.
In the late 1980’s the city decided to sunset the El Paso Historical Railroad Board despite their appointed member to the board and property to be overseen. The members were not notified and they continued to hold meetings not knowing the board no longer existed. The solution was to form the El Paso Transportation and Industrial Archeology Board under the Suzy Azar Administration. While the legal framework was set up a quorum of members was not appointed before the change of administrations.
My Front tube sheet
I was invited to attend the Rail Fair ’91 at the California State Railroad Museum. To attend this, I needed a boiler inspection. During the effort to better understand my boiler the volunteers had taken ultrasound thickness readings of my boiler barrel. The readings were confusing as they showed its thickness was thicker than originally constructed. Robert Franzen then of Diversified Rail Services, determined that my front flue sheet had been welded directly to the boiler shell. This was done by the SP mechanical department but in the years since the knowledge of how this was done was lost. The new FRA inspectors were shown the issue of the front welded tube sheet and the inspector wanted proof that the weld meet safety factor of four requirements of the steam regulations. Since that inspection it has been revealed that the Norfolk & Western attached tube sheets in a similar fashion on locomotives starting with certain classes before WWII.
The front tube sheet attachment to the boiler shell. The current weld and the reviously riveted remains of the previous tube sheet are visable in these three photographs taken from the smoke box. The superheaters are visable in the two end photographs. The plate that was reaplced in 1984 after the double header with 4449 is visable in the center photograph. These three photographs by Robby Peartree in the 1990s.
In 1995, the people looking scouting for the movie Lonesome Dove looked at me for the role of the locomotive in that movie but because I did not operate at the time the role went to another locomotive, Texas State Railroad 201 formerly 316 from the Texas & Pacific.
Other repairs continued. My water tank on my tender was inspected and it was found that years of water, rust and time had taken their toll. The tank was sand blasted and baffles repaired. This work was donated by Freeport McMoRan. After initial repairs were made to the tender water tank, the tank was filled with water and more issues were found. The new leaks were repaired and tested.
In 1996 the metallurgy lab from El Paso Natural Gas came out and preformed field metallography and hardness testing on the front tube sheet weld. This was done to help determine the condition of the weld. During this testing then city representative Dusty Roads came to the refinery to thank the lab personnel of their efforts.
Periodically it is important for me to be moved to help keep my bearings free. This has usually been another adventure. It begins with inspecting and cleaning my driving box journals. I am them oiled including oil into my valves and pistons. Once this is done then I can be moved. One time they moved me from my then storage place on track 1 to exercise me. I was there with a Caboose and the box car and we all went for the ride. When it was time to go, the engineer placed the diesel in notch 1 out of eight. While he was not expecting anything to happen, instead we begin to move and easily at that. Once we crested the hill, we start pushing on the downhill side and he was starting to apply the brakes so we do not start to go too fast. He was quite surprised how easily we moved. Years later they set me by myself on a slight grade and to once again to their surprise I decided to go see where the bottom was. They quickly stopped me. What can I say, I like to travel.
In the years since work on me has slowed as the volunteers get older. The city once again sunsetted a board, this time the El Paso Transportation & Industrial Archeology Board without putting city property in other oversight. One event that has taken place is Freeport has placed me near the ball park where the public can see me during a week end. These displays have taken place several times including 2004, 2008, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
On Saturday November 4th, and Sunday November 5th, 2017, they held train show at the copper refinery. On the 5th, the first three people to the cab asked to see the plaque on the water cooler. This surprised Robby Peartree who was in town to help with the show. This plaque carries the names of the SP employees who placed me on display by their seniority but the plaque was not advertised to them. The three quickly found their fathers name. It turns out their father was W. B. Prothro, the first name on the plaque. They also said their father talked about the shoes and wedges and they were curious what those were. Robby dropped down and showed them the shoes between the frame and my driving boxes and the wedges to adjust the driving box and the driving wheel assembly relative position to my frame. This public display was a lot of work but it makes it all the hard work worth it when you see smiling people and can bring back great memories and educate the future generations about El Paso’s railroading past. And that is what I am here to do.
This photograph of Southern Pacific 3420 and Southern Pacific 4449 was taken by Jack Neville on June 12, 1984. The two locomotives operated together from Alfalfa Yard below the copper refinery to El Paso Union Depot.
To learn about Southern Pacific 3420 years on the railroad: About 3420 My years on the Railroad
To see the list components that the Southern Pacific considered important enough to compile into a list for 3420 see: Descriptive Record of 3420.
To find out where many of these parts are located on 3420 see. My Basic Parts