# Running the 1877 Rogers - 1:1 Live steam



## David Fletcher (Jan 2, 2008)

Chaps,
For the last week I've been in Christchurch New Zealand doing some Architectural Review work for my job. I took the Friday and the weekend as some free time and had a bit of a road trip all on my own - had some great adventures over 3 days! Rescued an injured Native Eagle, panned for gold and finished up at the controls of the 1877 Rogers 2-4-2, restored from a rusted wreck dumped in a River in the 20s, now fully operational. I've written about this remarkable locomotive, K-88 - 'Washington' and it later brother, K-92 on my web site back in 2003, including the building of a 1:24 scale electric model. Till now however I'd never seen K-88 in steam:

http://4largescale.com/fletch/d13.htm

So yesterday, on my last day in New Zealand, I spent most of the day at the Museum riding in the cab of ol K-88. The staff really looked after me, and I pretty much rode in the cab the whole time. Just before mid-day we uncoupled from the train to run the loco light up to a switch and back to a siding to coal up the loco, and the engineer invited me to the engineer's seat. I moved the loco pretty slowly away from the train, didn't want it to run away, and was cautious to keep my hand on the straight air brake - there were people milling around afterall (and I didn't want to throw the brake wide open when I meant to close it!). I did get her to bark and feel the motion on the Johnson bar when we got a bit of speed up further up the yard. Then rolled her back to the coal wagon, mostly coasting downgrade. It was a short but sweet moment, enough time to feel her talking through the Johnson bar and throttle. The Stephenson valve motion tends to rock the bar a little as it runs. 

I've drawn the loco up in original livery and wagontop boiler (as-built style) for my book late last year, and will put several detail photos in from yesterday, note that the style of the loco as painted today is not the 'as built' style. I had previously planned to use a couple of the photos from the 2003 visit, but yesterday's photos are way better and I have 200+ to choose from!

Here are a couple of General photos. Hope to get back sometime - but the last time was 2003 and didn't see her in steam then...it may be a while again....!
Doing several of the 5km round trips with train in tow was awsome from the footplate. I've so much wanted to see this engine in steam for so long, and actually got to drive her for a bit.




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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow! It's one thing to restore a locomotive to a beautiful but static display from a rusted out, mud encased wreck but to have it restored to operable condition is amazing! She's a beauty and you got to get behind the throttle! Thanks for sharing this with us. What a wonderful experience (and rescuing an eagle to boot!)


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Dave
"I took the Friday and the weekend as some free time and had a bit of a road trip all on my own - had some great adventures over 3 days! Rescued an injured Native Eagle, panned for gold and finished up at the controls of the 1877 Rogers 2-4-2, restored from a rusted wreck dumped in a River in the 20s, now fully operational."

Not sure how you are going to be able to re-establish yourself into the mundane routine after such wonderful adventures. Really like you RR outfit, firing and driving with style! Interesting color scheme on the wheels and arches. Fantastic efforts to restore and keep in service a piece of RR history.


Made the start of another work week engaging....


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

She's a real beauty David!! You're a lucky man to be able t run her, even for a short time! 

What can you say about the color of the boiler jacket?


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

David, 
So, how is Christchurch doing. 
Like most news stories, it drops of our local radar as soon as the next major story comes along. 
The 2-4-2 looks very nice, BUT it is a somewhat strange wheel arrangement when you look at it. 
Practical in that the firebox has nothing under it, but obviously history decided to move on to bigger and better types. 
So, is this the next Accucraft model to come?? 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

Absolutely beautiful, a work of mechanical art! 

Thanks! Robert


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

David,

Great picures! Sounds like you had a great time!! Half a world away, we were riding behind steam trains this weekend, too. Introduced my nephew to Norfolk and Western 4-8-0 #475 at the Strasburg Railroad.


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## David Fletcher (Jan 2, 2008)

It sure was one of those rare weekends. 

The eagle by the way was I believe a large wegde tail, not sure - it was a huge bird. Had come down to the road to eat a possum road kill when I came past in the car and just as I wizzed by, the bird took off and flew straight into my car, bounced off the corner of the windshield with quite a loud bang and went into the road. I stopped and backed up to see if it was OK or needed help - it seemed to either be dead or out cold. Wrapped it in my jumper and drover onto the next town about 10 miles. Getting there the Eagle was awake and was doing OK. I think it was just stunned. Nothing broken, they let it fly off. Had I left it however it probably would have been run over. 

The Rogers all gold wheels from the 2002 restoration, was a small misinterpretation of historical notes on the loco stating the 'wheels were gilded' (as in gilded with linework, not the whole wheel guilded). They know this, and its likely to see new paint in a year or so upon strip down for the 10 year boiler check. 
The Russia Iron paint used is not a bad colour - actually the colour is really good, its just a couple of shades too light, but its a good tone of grey. Against the whole loco, I think its a good effort and does the job nicely. 

The heritage issue that comes up with any restoration, is what era to restore to - In this case they attempted an early era style. But the original boiler was a Wagontop and fittings were different. The Belpaire boiler on her today is related to the reboilering of the locos around 1900. As much as I love early colours and Russia Iron, the loco really is pretty close to a 1900 era restoration and as such sadly the Russia Iron and colours were gone by then. If they however followed US practice- Rogers were building locos with Belpaire fireboxes in 1900 - look at the Rogers 4-6-0 that ol Casey drove to his glory in April 1900, black locos with planished Iron boilers were very standard at that time. But probably not in New Zealand... 

David.


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## harvey (Dec 30, 2008)

Hello David, a great collection of photographs. I didn't get to see this one in January, but see her sister engine down near Gore.
We hope to go back to Christchurch sooner rather than later to see how thing have been repaired. Hopefully we can also ride #88.
Thanks again.


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## Dick413 (Jan 7, 2008)

that is awesome!!


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