Project Vulcan No. 39

08/28/2026

08/27/2026

We have concrete! All we need is rail now.

08/25/2026

Not related to the Vulcan, however I thought it would be nice to show some of the other things we do at the restoration shop.

This is a 7.25 gauge little engines 0-6-0 that has been in the process of being rebuilt on and off over the past 3 years. It has had a full frame off restoration, bearings replaced, cylinders honed, new boiler, and major cosmetic changes and mechanical changes. This includes an enlarged smokebox economizer, conversion from propane to coal, a fire arch for improved steaming, injectors, and less restrictive plumbing.

This engine used to run at the Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, PA. It was owned by the late engineer Seth Corwin. It was used during "railfest days," as well as educational days where people could feel what it was like to operate a steam engine. It has been in our ownership since 2019, and was the first steam engine to go through the shop.

We are in the final stages of restoration. Other than some minor adjustments, only assembly is required.

08/24/2026

A productive volunteer day at our "engine hangar". We removed the remaining dome off of the water tank, prepared the forward-most dome for paint, and re-welding some poorly done repairs that were done years ago in service. It is now sand blasted and ready for paint. The steam dome is also prepared for sand blasting.

We needed to remove the tar like paint with stripper before blasting, as the blaster just doesnt have the power to remove it. This is very time consuming-however, it is one of the reasons the engine has remained in such stable condition.

We have also finished putting in the remaining ties from the engine to the building, and have made an agreement with one of our neighbors to have his tractor push our engine inside once we are ready.

We have also got the smaller of our two lathes in operating condition.

Interested in what we do? Visit our website at projectvulcan39.com

08/20/2026

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝. 𝐖𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐓-𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐤!

We ordered a small batch just to see how things go. Because of this, quantity is limited. If the shirts prove to be popular, we will make larger orders in the near future.

All of the money from these shirts will be put aside for No.39s eventual necessary boiler work, the largest expense that we will face this on project.

You can order the shirts on our Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/ProjectVulcan39?ref=shop_profile&listing_id=4559073162

Or by visiting our website at https://projectvulcan39.com/

Thank you all for your trust and support.

07/31/2026

Full video coming soon to Youtube!

1 month and 1 week ago, No. 39 came to its new home.

In that short time span, we have managed to get the locomotive free rolling, remove the brake rigging, remove and free up the air compressor, UT and map the boiler, acquire a headlamp, pressure gauge, tri-cocks, and other necessary appliances, as well as stabilize the locomotive from any moisture traps and restore some cosmetic items to exhibit at future shows.

We could not be more proud of the work that we have accomplished in that short time, and momentum will only continue from here.

We have raised $75 dollars in donations so far on our venture. I want to personally thank all of you who have the level of faith in what we are doing to trust us with your donations. While the locomotive will be mostly privately funded, these donations will go a long way and relieve a lot of strain. You all are amazing and all of us helping on the project could not be more grateful.

projectvulcan39.com

Send a message to learn more

07/28/2026

On Sunday, Kurtis, Karsen and Lucas removed the brake rigging off of 39. While being one of the more simple working parts of the engine, we loosely reassembled it off of the engine, took photos and labeled everything, and put it into storage to be cleaned up and straightened out on a later date.

As of now, the locomotive should be completely freed up to roll into the building. All we need to do is lay down the remaining ties and put in rail.

07/27/2026

We have acquired something very special for our locomotive, and we are honored to be the ones who will finally be putting it into good use.

This is a Star Headlight company headlamp based out of Rochester NY, roughly 1890s-1900 era. It is beleived that it has never been mounted onto a locomotive, and been either in storage or as a display piece its whole life, which explains its like-new condition. It is also a nearly identical headlamp to the one 39 had when it was built new from factory.

We are thrilled to have this iconic piece of railroading history one day lead our engine down the line.

07/24/2026

Many of you expressed your concerns in the last post about moisture getting trapped in the sand that was left in 39s sand domes. Here i have shown the base of the dome with all of the sand swept off. While moisture has sat over the years, it should be noted there isnt really a lot to deteriorate inside of a sand dome aside from studs, bolts, levers and some basic surfaces. Of course, the reason we removed the domes are to prevent any further deterioration.
It also helps that for more than half of the engines post-service life it had sat indoors protected from the elements, only moving outside about 30 years ago.
Of any areas to be trapping moisture, I'd rather see it in a sand dome instead of a smokebox or firebox.

07/23/2026

The better half of a century this engine has sat cold, and the sand dome still has sand in it. How cool is that.