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Tuesday, February 7. 2012CTS 4223 Update - February 4, 2012 Wainscotting Work continues. Perhaps the most visible and exciting thing to happen was delivery of new fabricated panels for the interior of the car. Eric Lorenz went to work quickly to start installing them. These are the panels which go below the windows and are pre-painted the correct interior color. Why now? Well, the puzzle of the car construction as designed by the builder requires these to be installed, to allow window post caps to be installed in the interior, to then allow installation of the window tracks, and ultimately the windows.  Finished Windows Alex Randow began the day stripping masking from many of the sash which have by now been cleaned and clear coated.  Back to Cleaning Alex pitched in on a few other tasks then went back to never ending job of cleaning the aluminum frames on still more sash. Tuesday, February 7. 2012Wood Shop Update - February 4, 2011 Planning Gwyn Stupar, Victor Humphreys, and Greg Kepka are working on a project to produce new cab windows for Norfolk & Western 2050. We initially tried to trace the frame outlines on flimsy cardboard, used those to create working drawings, and now this crew is tracing and cutting thin plywood templates. After those were made, they climbed up on the running boards and into the cab to confirm size and shape. The result is some minor edits to the drawings, which should make these window just right.  In a Jamb Buzz Morrisette has made all new jambs and sash trim for the 14 new windows he is making for caboose ATSF 1400. He painted the red finish color on all those pieces and on most of the new sash.  Clearly Then Buzz and Frank Sirinek cut twenty eight pieces of glass for the project and washed and cleaned those.  Sharp Buzz is looking over a new machine recently donated and added to our shop arsenal of tools. It is a mechanized saw blade sharpener, I think able to take up to 20 inch diameter blades, and it has several settings to allow it to file different positive or negative hook angles on the teeth. Anyone want to give it a run? Sunday, February 5. 2012Steam Department Update 2-4-2012Progress in the Steam shop continued steadily over the last two weekends. Jeff has continued the shop reorganization to the point that many of the large parts are now arranged on the East side while still allowing plenty of space to work on the super heater flues when they return. He is now moving on to the machine shop which, when complete, will free up a lot more space around the wheel lathe. Bob and others made use of the space around the wheel lathe to work on getting this operational. The McCabe was refitted to its modified timbers, which allow it to be lifted on the pallet jack. Thanks to Bob Kutela for his help and use of tools for this. The modified timbers will allow us to move this machine, although moving what we estimate at about 6 tons will never be easy.
The trouble with this machine is that it needs a lot of space around it when it operates but is used only infrequently. However, what it does, in smoothly bending heavy boiler plates, is critical It was used last weekend in a first test for bending the new corner patch for 1630's firebox. This successfully demonstrated that we have the dies of the machine correctly set up to make the critical curve.
On 1630 substantial progress was made on the boiler cleaning. · Having successfully tested the breathing system and sand blasting equipment, the next major job was to minimize the flow of dust into the shop. The last time this was done the locomotive was pulled outside but we certainly do not want to wait for Spring to do this !! · Collin and I closed up the boiler with tarpaulins and set up ducted extraction from the chimney. With fans on the footplate we can establish a flow from back to front and "most" of the dust is pumped out of the door.
· The first blasting was very successful. We largely cleaned the critical firebox top and side seam areas in about 20 minutes. Glad to say it all looks good and free of any sign of cracks so far.
· From this exercise we learned that the blast medium we were using works well, so we can order in a large quantity for next weekend. We also learned that, while the ducting works pretty well, the missing firebox corner creates a significant leak that will need to be plugged next weekend. Collin was very comfortable in the boiler with the new breathing system ..... the rest of the team, outside in the shop, were less comfortable than he was!!. · Cleaning of the boiler interior can now be moved forward quickly. Getting the super heater flues back from sand blasting is proving problematic. They have been ready since New Year. Snag is that they must not get wet and need to be collected weekdays or early on a Saturday morning. Each time we have set up a crew to take the truck on a Saturday, the weather has turned cold ...... and the truck does not operate reliably is really cold weather. In other areas a good deal of machining was progressed for 428. I am now away on business for two weeks so no update next week. However, as the trip is to the UK, I may actually see some working steam next weekend. Nigel Bennett Friday, February 3. 2012Wood Shop Update - February 1, 2011 Weatherstripping I resisted titling this image with the ubiquitous WINDOW caption. But Roger Kramer is installing weatherstripping on some of the nearly finished shop made windows for the GLEN SPRINGS  Photos Henry Vincent is project manager for our proposed model railroad display and he cannot wait to get to work. He has hand made frames for many of the pictures from the layout in Milwaukee and they now provide 'shop art' in our new addition to the shop space.  Painting Some view painting as a necessary evil at best, but it is a critical step to restoring and preserving equipment. George Clark is painting the first coat of finished orange on new siding for Lake Shore Electric 810.  Repairs Henry Vincent is discussing a repair to a baggage wagon tongue with Victor Humphreys. It looks they are enjoying this too much for words.  A Chiseler Last weekend Jon Fenlaciki caught me in the act of fitting new mortise and tenon joints, paring wood carefully by hand with a chisel. Not really news, but here I am - guilty as charged. Friday, February 3. 2012TMS Project Update - February 1, 2012 Truck Work Gerry Dettloff works on fabricating new rods for the rebuilding of the truck on TM 972, and my camera tagged this image as number 972! Work continues on a regular basis for this truck. Most of the dismantling is done and now the hard part is to fabricate pieces to reassemble it.  Pins New ground for us is to fabricate and heat treat the hardened pins needed to replace time worn pins in the truck assembly. Gerry is set up to cut some new rod, and Rod Turner has a new small furnace for doing the required heat treating in stages. Very impressive for our restoration specialists! |
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Comments
Sun, 07-27-2014 23:15
In looking at the general exterior condition of the Dynamometer Car you would think that it was a total wreck. It is wonderful that it is operational [...]
Fri, 07-25-2014 20:14
I had a blast riding in X-5000 on Sunday during Diesel Days. Brian was great to talk to. It was cool seeing the comntrol board work. I can't wait for [...]
Fri, 07-25-2014 16:47
Shane, Clean rain water is certainly possible. The snag is that you would need a BIG collection and storage system. We are using around 8000 [...]
Fri, 07-25-2014 16:42
John, Yes. Sadly the tender is in poor shape. She should go under cover as part of the new barn project. There will be much discussion around [...]
Thu, 07-24-2014 21:38
Hello Richard In reply to your question concerning RI 2702. The museum is studying the acquisition but no decision has been yet made.
Thu, 07-24-2014 21:29
Hello Chris The 2702 is under study by those interested at Irm. Unfortunately, the possible acquisition boils down to $. First ,who will support [...]
Thu, 07-24-2014 13:01
Hello, is there anyone that I can contact in the Diesel Department about volunteering? I am studying mechanical engineering and I would love to get [...]
Thu, 07-24-2014 00:01
I will commit something to 2702 if I see a specific fund for it. Supposedly the owners made an effort to keep it original, other than removing seats. [...]
Wed, 07-23-2014 19:54
Hi Nigel, I have some suggestions to enhance the experience of steam railroading for museum visitors: 1) In September 2002, I visited on the [...]
Wed, 07-23-2014 00:17
while watching the Diesel Days parade, i noticed a detail on UP 1848 that stood out to me. it was its cab number, i could tell it had a previous [...]
Mon, 07-21-2014 17:48
The hydraulic drawbar on X-5000 works. Its operation was determined Saturday evening and successfully used all day Sunday. The car measured up to a [...]
Sun, 07-20-2014 13:56
2702 would definitely be a project of a massive effort. It has some sort of giant roadside casino sign installed on it. The interior is completely [...]