Trains LIVE — In the Nevada Northern shop

Trains LIVE — In the Nevada Northern shop

By Bob Lettenberger | July 12, 2023

When Google and Siri can't help restore a steam locomotive you do it the old fashioned way

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Trains LIVE — In the Nevada Northern shop — 7-12-2023 — There is a rich tradition being carried out inside the 1907 enginehouse at the Nevada Northern Railway Museum in Ely, Nev. Here mechanics work to restore locomotive No. 40, a 1910 Baldwin 4-6-0. The engine is a National Historic Landmark and an official Nevada state symbol — the locomotive of the state. Just how that is done is not information that you can simply find by asking Alexa or Siri. It can only come from the shared knowledge that is passed down through the generations.

Our conversation today features 20-year-old Lennox Purinton, Nevada Northern shop foreman, along with Mark Bassett, museum president. Join us as Purinton and Bassett talk about No. 40’s restoration and how they develop the knowledge needed to bring a 114-year-old steam locomotive back to life. As Purinton explains, this is something you just have to get in there and do.

This is Trains LIVE — In the Nevada Northern shop.

Two men in overalls working on a steam locomotive part.
The best way to restore a steam locomotive is the way that gets the job done. Nevada Northern Railway Shop Foreman Lennox Purinton (left) and Master Mechanic John Henry McDonnell use past knowledge and some experimenting to get it right as they restore locomotive No. 40  Steve Crise

Trains LIVE is a regular video segment, recorded live and unscripted from Kalmbach Media. The series began in July 2022.

Trains LIVE features Bob Lettenberger, Trains associate editor, Kalmbach Media staff, and guests talking about railroads and trains in a casual, behind the scenes format. On Trains LIVE we will ask the questions you would like to ask and take you into places not normally open to the public. Trains LIVE also takes you on the road to museums, trackside locations and other railroad-related venues. It is unscripted and presented every other Wednesday at 2 p.m. Central time.

If you have questions or comments, please log-in and leave a comment in the area at the bottom of the page. We will attempt to answer questions during future episodes.
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