Louis
We don’t have 10 penny nails (interesting that you have hung on to the penny as a unit of measurement!) but we do have nominal 3 inch ones (75 mm or 2⅞ inches) which weigh in at 100 = 16 oz / 1 lb. So, an M-4-A with tender would, in theory, provide enough steel
for 67,137,000 nails. I presume that you would have to allow for loss through oxidation, and wear on parts such as hand rails and ladders, tyres, and other moving parts. In addition, you would have to deduct something for the non-ferrous metal parts, rubber
hoses, glass, paint, grease, etc.
Rupert Gamlen
Auckland NZ
Group - If any of you are good with math, let me ask you
a question. How many 10 penny (10d) common steel nails could be made from a scrapped M-4-A at NWS&W? From the Corbin book, figure the locomotive weighed 512,770 pounds and the tender weighed 158,600 pounds for a total of 671,370 pounds delivered as "scrap
on the hoof" to the deadline in Sterling, IL. I've done the math myself and the number will absolutely knock your socks off.....