Diesel Department

Here are a few project updates now that the shop is open and work is starting up again.

On Milwaukee Road 33C, we're almost caught up on priming and painting the loose parts, panels, screens, etc.

Lee wire wheeling an aux gen screen.

Covers and screens getting a final coat of gray.

Some of those covers being bolted back into place on 33C.

The Metra 7658 bilevel coach is also in the shop. It is receiving some attention with the HVAC system and door control.

Jeron put the blower motor mounts back together and bolted up one of the motors.

Fittings were ordered to hook up the air back up to the door motors. One of the missing control arms was reinstalled as well.

Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific 4506 was completed. Some of those inspection items included going through all the electric gear and rotating equipment. We also replaced some piping on the air system that was rusted through where it goes through the floor.

The full view of the load regulator which has two brushes on a commutator and two on a slip ring.

A common issue is the pigtails not being pushed in to clear the tight clearances when the whole assembly turns and it comes in contact and shorts with other metal parts within the case, as you see here from some point in its life.

Here we see the main generator where the brushes are checked to make sure they are free, insulators and risers wiped clean, among other things. The alternator slip ring brushes on the end of the generator are also critical to check as they typically have aluminum holders and seize up easily when in storage.

This companion alternator wiring was cleaned up and the floor cleaned in this area before the cover places were bolted back into place.

One of the schedule 80 air pipes to show how badly they rust where they go through any floors.

The highest priority project at the moment is still United States Army 8537, our museum's 45 ton switcher. Body prep has continued along with prep work on the trucks after some additional oil cleanup. Ground lights are being installed and we'll have to figure out the best option for permanently mounting the radio antenna before any priming can be started.

While performing the body prep, Jim found a few previous logos, the blue with white star from when it was USAF and the red and yellow USA logo prior to that.

Ben finishing the needlechipping to remove the stripes on the side.

Jake beginning the wire wheeling on the rear pilot.

Sean and Lee finishing prep work on the front pilot.

Bob begins needlechipping the paint off from the FM side of the rear truck.

8537 needs maybe 2 to 3 more days of work and itll be ready for primer and paint.

While moving some parts and supplies into storage to continue our shop cleanup, we dug out the portable wheel lathe that was in storage. The Electric Car Department is planning to use it on some interurban wheels.

The portable wheel lathe bought from Independent Machine Company some 20 years ago.

Some followers were asking about the Armco B71 visibility cab locomotive that is in the shop. It is there for a cosmetic restoration, but is not a priority to work on. When there are extra personnel around, it will be used as a fill in project.

Armco B71

If you would like to support any of these restoration projects, you can donate to the Diesel Department Equipment Restoration Fund and, if you would like, follow up with an email to support a specific piece of equipment. Thank you for your support!

Here is the latest update on USA 8537 as we begin the body prep work required now that the grease and oil cleanup has been completed.

Photo: Jim and Ben wire wheeling the cab roof.

Photo: Sean laying down on the job sanding while Ben wire wheels.

Photo: Bob and Jim sanding the No 2 hood and cab wall.

Photo: Linda and Lee wire wheeling shutters and handrails.

Photo: Blake sanding the top of the No 1 hood.

Photo: Making great progress the first couple days.

We will be making some improvements to the locomotive as well. It is the most used switcher and never had ground lights, so we'll be adding that, along with step well lighting to make the unit safer to use at night. The number 2 engine will get an upgrade by removing the tiny auxiliary generator and adding an alternator. The radio antenna will be replaced with a permanent skate instead of the temporary mag mount that it has now. Once the museum opens again, we will continue on the body work and the other improvements.

It has been quite a while since we have posted an update about our Alco FA2, L&N 314. The electrical cabinet has been pretty well filled up and the majority of the wiring has been completed. A significant amount of high voltage traction motor cabling remains to be reinstalled.

The front lower half of the electrical cabinet.

The front upper half of the electrical cabinet.

The wiring in the control stand is nearly complete as well, just some sanding and alarm/indicator circuits remain. Control air has been applied and transition/field shunting circuits and all other relays sequenced good. Control transformer tested ok and revealed a few problems in the Static control panels that were fixed.

Engine control schematic diagram.

Main gen megs good, a full set of brush holders reconditioned and ready to apply.

Rear lower half where most of the high voltage cables terminate to the switchgear.

Rear upper half of the electrical cabinet.

All the fuel injection pumps have been disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled. They all operate freely now and are being reinstalled on the engine.

You can see just how dirty they were.

Most recently, work on the GE 17MG8 governor is underway.

In this update, we'll show some photos of the cleanup that was needed on USA 8537 prior to getting started on the body preparation.

Jim and Sean cleaning the side rods.

GE 45 tonners have a single traction motor on each truck coupled to one of the axles through an oil filled reduction gear box. The second axle is coupled via a chain drive or side rods similar to a steam locomotive. 8537 uses side rods. One of the items on the daily inspection during operation is greasing the rods. During operation, that grease tends to fly and smear everywhere. Many hours were spent by Bob A, Jim P, Sean M, Dave V, and Linda E removing that grease and cleaning the rods, counterweights, and sides of the truck frames.

A view of a side rod after cleaning.

The engines themselves, along with the floors of the engine compartments, received some attention as well. These engines are Cummins HBI inline 6 cylinder normally aspirated diesels rated at 150 horsepower each. This engine design is over 90 years old. We have five of them at the museum, two on the 8537, and three that run the power car in the Nebraska Zephyr. The #1 on the 8537 has the newer style PT fuel pump. The #2 engine still runs the original single disc fuel pump. It was interesting trying to get the mechanical throttle linkage adjusted to make the engines power curve synchronization be fairly close throughout the throttle range with those two very different pumps.

The pump side of the number 1 engine after cleaning. This shows the PT style pump.

The manifold side of the number 1 engine after cleaning.

The pump side of the number 2 engine, showing the single disc style pump.

The manifold side of the number 2 engine during cleaning.

Stay tuned for the next update where we begin working on the body preparation.

Photo: The generator room of 33C being prepped for primer and paint.

It has been quite some time since we have posted any updates about the restoration of Milwaukee Road 33C, one of our EMD E9 passenger locomotives. We have primarily been working on interior prep and painting. Here are a number of photos of the back steam generator room, with detail in the captions. You can click on the photos for larger version.

Photo: Jake and Adam working on wire wheeling the back side of the wiring duct.

Photo: Linda hand sanding the pipes and valves on the back wall.

Photo: Dave wire wheeling the ceiling and electrical cabinet wall.

Photo: Many panels and covers were cleaned up to bare steel.

Photo: Those panels were primed and painted, with the inside covers of the main generator being sprayed with insulating varnish.

Photo: The outsides of the covers and panels were all painted gray.

Photo:The only E unit in the world with a curved traction motor blower duct. The 33C was the test bed for constant speed HEP and had a drive shaft running through the rear electrical cabinet to drive the HEP alternator which was mounted where the steam generator used to be.

Photo: The rear wall primed and ready for painting.

Photo: After painting looking towards the fireman side battery box.

Photo: After painting looking towards the rear electrical cabinet.

Photo: After painting looking back to the rear of the locomotive.