The T1 Trust announces plans to build the 4 massive poppet valve cylinders that power the million pound steam locomotive.
Year End review Video released. Check out everything that went on in 2024
We uploaded a recent presentation given by T1 Trust General Manager, Jason Johnson. Lots of good information on where we have been and what is next.
The T1 Trust provided the material for new pistons for the Western Maryland Scenic steam locomotive 2-6-6-2 #1309. This was done as part of a trade where the T1 Trust obtained a cross compound air compressor to use on the #5550
The body of newly cast injector for the PRR T1 arrived from the foundry ready for machining.
T1 Trust announces partnership with Steam Railroading Institute in Michigan and the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad in Cumberland, MD to obtain a pair of 150cc cross compound air compressors to be used on the #5550. The old pumps were sent to Kloke Locomotive works in Illinois for complete rebuild to as built status.
The T1 held an open house in Altoona, PA during the PRR Technical and Historical Society Convention. Even with the rain, thousands came out to see the frame. Our first fundraising dinner was also held and was a huge success raising tens of thousands for the T1.
Frame Update – Sub Arc Welding
Most of the machined components for the T1 Frame is complete. They will be shipped from the machine shop to the fab shop assembling the frame
That is what the T1 Trust is all about. When we started this project 9 years ago, there were many parts that had been lost to time and had not been made in 70 years or more. We have had to recreate these parts and figure it out. In doing so, we try and share what we learned and let other steam operators go in with us to have parts they might need made as well. There are a whole list of parts.
The most recent one is a Nathan 4000C injector. Injectors put water in the boiler at a high rate of speed and pressure to make sure water is taken from the Tender, heated up and put in the boiler. There are manufacturers of injectors for Steam Locomotives such as Strasburg Railroad. They make an excellent selection of injectors that will work on most steam locomotives running in the world. Sadly, the bigger locomotive operators don't have an option for high capacity injectors that put 10,000+ Gallons of water per hour in the boiler.
Working with one of the T1 Trust's donors who owned a complete set of drawings, the T1 Trust went to a high pressure valve manufacturer in Ohio to have them made while also working with some smaller CNC machine shops to make some of the inner parts of the injector. Once we had found our manufacturers, we reached out to the big steam operators around the country and nearly all of them ordered at least one if not 2. With over a dozen orders, this greatly reduced the cost for everyone.
The T1 Trust is talking over the Frame Engineering with Engineering contractor FMW Solutions.