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Hello, please listen to the whistle at the very beginning of our October 2023 video update, as the whistle you hear is the exact one we will be using. We mounted it to one of our member's steam tractors to blow it. And we agree, it sounds great!

@@AmericanSteamRailroad I know what you are talking about. I just watched the beginning of the October 2023 update video & the whistle was heard.

Greetings, no need to worry about whistle wear, as Rizzoli Locomotive Works built our whistle brand new from original Reading castings and blueprints. The are great people to work with!

Hi, thank you for your interest and question as to why wood is used to prevent metal to metal contact and wear. While you bring up very good points, there is an additional factor that comes into play, and that is the crush factor. The oil bunker filled with oil will weigh upwards of 24 tons, and hard wood such as White Oak and Cherry offer the crush resistance strength required, and with proper treating will last 15 to 20 years. If you study older tank cars, you will also see wood used between the frame saddles and the tank as well. Since we know wood works and is accepted railroad practice, we decided to use the proven way.

@@AmericanSteamRailroad Thank you very much for that. Properly treated wood will last a couple of decades. Unfortunately I have dealt with applications left go for closer to a century and the damage was significant. Ever since then I have weighed the classic practices handed down by the forefathers with potential newer solutions for the sake of those yet to come.

While we do have the 2100's dynamo, we may be interested in obtaining a second one. Please send an email to contact@americansteamrailroad.org if you want to discuss this further, thank you.

Hi Laura, while we would like to provide a date to everyone, we still need to raise $145,000 to pay for the items and professional services needed. What we can say though is that with the $145,000 we can have the AFT 250 (2100) completed in 12-15 months. Please encourage all to donate, join, or shop in our online gift store. Thank you. www.americansteamrailroad.org

Hi Laura, good question! We can be finished by next fall if we get the $145,000 raised from donations, new members joining, or sales from items in our online store. Please consider making a purchase today! www.americansteamrailroad.org/shop/

Hello, we have not heard anything with regard to the 4449, please reach out to them at www.4449.com.

Hello, the 2101 is owned by a different organization, the B&O Railroad Museum, which is performing a cosmetic (display) restoration. When considering a return to operation restoration, other factors need to be considered such as (A) what will the costs be; (B) where can it be run; and (C) can it generate enough money to support its operation, among other items. We had the opportunity to get the 2100 under a lease agreement, so that is the locomotive we selected. Thank you for your interest!

@@AmericanSteamRailroad thanks for the reply.

Should an opportunity arise that can logistically be done, and is financially viable, ASR will do everything possible to make a meeting with the 2102 happen.

Hi Dave, one of our members also mentioned this, and while we won't say "never", it would hold water which could lead to corrosion issues as well as take some additional time to create. We would also need to have to do some redesign of the dipstick and filler hole as they are located on top. Thank you for your interest and support!

It will have its 6 chime

Now there is a new thought we hadn't had yet! Thank you for your interest!

Yes, the 2100 will be setup for guest whistles, however our plans for the AFT 250 is to only use our new Reading 6 Chime that was generously donated by one of our members. Thank you for your interest!

Hi Chuck, thank you for your encouragement! Please understand those that buy items from our online store, donate, or join as a member are just as vital to the restoration as those of us that "twirl a wrench" each Saturday, as all of this costs a tremendous amount of money. Thank you! www.americansteamrailroad.org

Hello Jacob, we sure do hope the 2100 is still being operated in 2076 to celebrate America's 300th anniversary, that is why we encourage younger people to join and be members! Thank you for your interest.

Hi David, should an opportunity arise that can logistically be done, and is financially viable, ASR will do everything possible to make a meeting with the 2102 & 2124 happen. Thank you for your interest.

@@AmericanSteamRailroad I wish you the best of luck getting 2100 back on the rails! I do hope a reunion with AFT 1 is also possible.

Hello! Thank you for your encouragement. Back in 2018 ASR made the decision to provide monthly video updates to the general public, as well as mailed quarterly newsletters to our membership providing updates to the restoration and what the donations had funded. The newsletters mailed to our membership provides additional details and photographs of the work performed, plus interesting T-1 stories and profiles of our members. I hope you considering joining! www.americansteamrailroad.org/join-us/

Thank you Harry, you all "across the pond" have completed many impressive restorations as well, we enjoy seeing all the great work ongoing in England as well. Thank you.

Thank you for your encouraging enthusiasm! We know 2716 will be going to oil as well per their web site. For a traveling steam locomotive, it opens up additional opportunities and has a lower cost. Thank you for your interest!

@@AmericanSteamRailroad thank y'all for responding and doing the Lords work bringing steam back to operation

Hi Ethan, should an opportunity arise that can logistically be done, and is financially viable, ASR will do everything possible to make a meeting with the 2102 (and 2124) happen. We will be getting your staybolt sent out this week, we just had to get the number stamped on it. Thank you for your support!

@@AmericanSteamRailroad Support’s all that’s deserved. Best of wishes!

Hi! Should an opportunity arise that can logistically be done, and is financially viable, ASR will do everything possible to make a meeting with the 2102 happen.

Yes, we purchased the ex-NYC baggage car no. 9110 back in 2017. This car needs approximately $75,000 in work, and $50,000 to outfit. Thank you for your interest!

Greetings, we will be applying for grants to have the booster restored (approximately $40,000), and would install it soon thereafter. As the T-1 has 68,000 pounds of tractive effort without the booster (as compared to 64,100 pounds for the NKP 765 which we all know is a very capable locomotive), we have plenty of power for the trips we are planning for the next several years. Thank you for your interest!

The updates are usually a month behind. July's update will likely come out some time in August.

Should an opportunity arise that can logistically be done, and is financially viable, ASR will do everything possible to make a meeting with the 2102 happen. Thank you for your interest!

Hello! Thank you for your good questions, I have replied below for you: 1) The 2 cylinder booster engine runs off of steam, so no changes need made for it to operate whether the 2100 is coal or oil fired 2) Yes, we have several members and donors with a variety of other steam whistles. We will pipe the 2100 to allow for guest whistles, however while being operated as the AFT 250 we are only planning to use the brand new Reading 6 Chime that was generously donated by one of our members.

Hi Billy, Yes, Jenny is a great friend to us here at ASR as an organization as well as to many of us personally, and a wonderful spokesperson for railway preservation!

2102 does have her booster (I hope 2100 gets hers back)

Not a member of the society but 2102 does have her booster, if you look up the video of the engine nearly stalling while going to Jim Thorpe they use it to give it the extra power. But I’d imagine once they get 2100 running and have the time and funds they will add the booster back to it to also allow them to do longer trains and tackle more steep grades

I can answer one of those, yes 2102 has her booster and it is Operational, usually used when heading out of Jim Thorpe

Hello, we will be applying for grants to have the booster restored (approximately $40,000), and would install it soon thereafter. As the T-1 has 68,000 pounds of tractive effort without the booster (as compared to 64,100 pounds for the NKP 765 which we all know is a very capable locomotive), we have plenty of power for the trips we are planning for the next several years. Yes, the 2102 does have her booster, and it was restored to operation at the time of the latest restoration. Thank you for your interest!

Should an opportunity arise that can logistically be done, and is financially viable, ASR is open to visiting any location. Thank you for your interest!

I think they already said that they would really love to reunite hello with her sister

Hello! Should an opportunity arise that can logistically be done, and is financially viable, ASR will do everything possible to make a meeting with the 2102 happen and do performance comparisons which would be very interesting indeed! Should the UP have an interest in having the AFT 250 visit their railroad, ASR would gladly discuss the possibility with them. Thank you for your interest.

@@AmericanSteamRailroad cheers guys and keep up your efforts can’t wait for the next update.

@@AmericanSteamRailroad everybody involved with 2100’s rebuild have done a beautiful job on it so far very excited to see what she is going to look like when it is all done! Thank you for bringing her back to life!

Yes! Also, more railroads would be interested when a steam locomotive burns oil. Of course, some “know-it-alls” always be smart alecs and ask “where are you going to run it?”.

Greetings! Yes, there were many factors that came into consideration for our decision to change to oil, including the ones your mentioned. Please read our press release for additional details: www.americansteamrailroad.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ASR-2100-Press-Release-Tubes-and-Oil-Conversion.pdf

Hello, the product is called Copaltite, and it is specifically designed for steam connections.

Greetings, thank you for your support. We look forward to bringing additional information on the scientific engineering that is going into this design to obtain the best performance and efficiency that the Wootten firebox can deliver.

Hello, and great question. An oil fire does not need as much draft as a coal fire, and with advances in more efficient designs made to the blast nozzle and a reduction in back pressure the sound does change somewhat. Not to say an oil burner doesn't have a commanding chuff when working hard, as 3751 and 1522 have proven.