USATC S160

Im quite an admirer of the s160s to be honest. Think the are ugly yet beautiful machines compared to a sleek 9f. In minehead atm and saw 6046 on wsr services today. Never seen one in the flesh so to speak until now. Look like very simple locos on work with, not much to them. What they like to fire and drive? Are they economical locos on coal and water

 

For reasons best known to the designers these locomotives had the valve gear laid out on the same lines as the Southern Rly 2-6-0s and 2-6-4 tank locos. That is, for going in a forward direction the return crank leads the crankpin, and the radius rod is in the upper half of the expansion link. However, the final batch built by Lima Locomotive Works had the valve gear re-arranged to the more orthodox layout with the return crank trailing the crankpin, and the radius rod in the lower half of the expansion link. These also had a screw reverser and the rear section of the running board raised a bit higher.

 

Mods, time for a thread spring clean I think - I came looking for news of the USACT S160's?

 

One at Howarth living up to expectations ?

 

Howarth, tha's from Bingley ! Yes, performance has been very good, though we've not had the opportunity to instrument her as yet to quantify.

 

Sorry must have slipped inter foahneh'tic spellin. Happens after speaking to Geordies.

 

My first footplate ride on a steam loco was on an S160 and I almost got thrown off it it was that rough, how they got any coal through the door was beyond me! Not knowing anything different, I went away with the impression that all steam powered machines were the same...and it was only several years later after a much smoother ride on an 8F that I realised that there might be a bit of variation between types!

 

Update on not 1, but 3 S160s!

https://www.facebook.com/568397586883216/posts/1493028327753466/?d=n

 

All of the Nottingham Heritage railway S160s are now listed for sale on TractionAds in their various states of missing bits.

 

That suggests bits of at least 2 ...

 

Who might be interested in one.. NYM ? Churnett ?

 

Never drove one, but fired s160, and WD2-10-0, S160, very lively ride, rocked you up and down as well as sideways, and you had to master getting the coal in the right spot at the same time, if you were on top of it, they were ok, but you had to make sure you didn't let it drop on you, marmite engine, you either loved it, or hated it, WD 2-10-0 I found the WD as a harsh riding loco, very basic , no crew comforts, wasn't a hard engine to fire, but after a day on it, you knew you had done some work, 9F, completely different beast, once you got used to having a shallow bed, and fired it accordingly, it was easier to use, injectors better, and cab lay out far superior. One thing about the S160, it always sounded like it was working hard, and when fitted with that Nathan chime whistle, sounded really good,

 

What lines are hungry for locos? Not the NYMR, I'd have thought - they had one and sold it! Ecclesbourne, perhaps?

 

Would it not be a bit big for Ecclesbourne?
GWSR, WSR, Mid-Norfolk maybe even the MHR for old times sake?

 

Dartmouth SR has 2253 Omaha still:
https://www.dartmouthrailriver.co.uk/trains

 

Great loco in terms of steaming fees, and ability to generate money towards its next overhaul. If hired to the railways that do the polar express it can make considerable amounts.

 

My money would be on Greg Wilson and his fleet of S160s. A spare boiler, parts and another whole locomotive sounds like an attractive prospect.

 

Has anyone thought of converting one to a tank loco?

..... I'll just get my coat .....

 

The EVR is around 9 miles, (according to Wiki) and runs mostly uphill in one direction, so if the KWVR can make good use of theirs the EVR should be able to as it grows.