It was a productive day at the steam shop leading to a fairly short update.  We were able to do what we planned to with no significant setbacks, which is always a good thing to be able to say !.

On 1630 the focus was on the tube fitting and the set up for riveting:

·         The remaining 6 super heater flues were expanded into the front tube sheet.  After the problem a couple of weeks back I was in the firebox watching very closely for any sign of movement.  But nothing happened.  They all rolled into the front sheet with no sign of a slide toward the front.  So what happened before .... I have no idea.

·         With those flues in place we moved on to the last 9 small tubes.  These were cut to length, ferrules checked and fitted where necessary, then the tubes were expanded into the rear sheet and rolled into the front.  After 180 we are getting quite good at this !.  So a big milestone, every small tube is now in place and ready for the water test.

Phil rolls the last small tube

·         The one remaining tube to be fitted is the large one that had to be cut out two weeks ago.  This is being safe ended and will be ready for pressure testing next weekend.  We prepared for this by filling the water tank in the back of the truck.  A week standing in the sun should have the water warm for use in testing next weekend.  If the test is successful, we should be able to fit that last tube immediately.

·         Mike, Tom and Dennis worked on fabricating a frame that will allow the bucker to be held firmly against each rivet as it is formed.  It looks as if we are getting close to the set up for fitting the rivets into the patch, which is the last major step before we can fill the boiler and ensure that the tubes are water tight. 

Repair riveting is about as difficult as it gets!.  When the boiler is made or subject of major repair it is riveted upside down or off the locomotive so you have full access to the mud ring.  In this case the trick is to ensure that everything can be placed and held in this fairly confined space.

Work area for bucking rivets

So the area has been cleared ready for riveting and the next stage will be to start setting up the fabricated frame to hold the bucker in place.

·         Dennis repaired the cinder protection plate on the last of the super heater elements.  These simple looking pieces of sheet are most important.  When the element is in place in the flue, the pipes bending up to the header are in the path of cinders being sucked thru the flue at great speed, so would be subject to extensive erosion.  The rough sheets, wrapped around the element  are "sacrifice plates" that suffer the erosion rather than the element itself.  The picture was taken prior to the repair and shows how a hole has been cut thru the protector by the abrasive effect of hot, fast moving, cinders.

Damage to element protector

·         Tom and Cameron worked on machining the guides required to drill the holes for the new firebox stays.

In other areas:

·         The tubes for the Shay were strapped into bundles and moved back to the boxcar, freeing up the space in the fabrication area;

·         Tom continued machining the wedges for #428

·         Stu worked with Phil and Cameron on sizing the rivets for the cab on #428.  This is a job that we will fit in when we have spare resources as it will allow the cab to be refitted freeing up a useful area for fabrication;

·         Stu also continued work on the control system of the planer;

·         .... and beside this we were able to assist the US Army (re-enactment version) with the odd bit of metal bashing to keep their tents upright!

So overall a good day's work.

On a less cheerful note, we talked to Rod, who visited Glen during the week.  He remains in the ICU at Rockford Memorial and was heavily sedated.  The prognosis remains unclear, particularly with regard to one leg which suffered major damage to the knee.  Our thoughts and prayers are with him.

Nigel

                           Here are a couple of updates from the Coach dept rolled into one Blog.       First,   Mike, Ray, and Mark have been completeing the annual assessments and inspections of the operating  coach fleet.   This takes about a month to month and one half.  They have been  checking on  the functions of brakes, wheels, and the condition of the trucks.   This year upon inspection of the Inglehome's wheels and truck frame it has been determined that one truck has a serious defect and it has been taken out of service.   Until this is resolved the  observation car will not be operating anymore!   Taking into consideration that it is more then 100 years old it will need some Major work to be placed back in service.                                                                                                                                                    Another project almost finished  by the Sunday crew has been and cleaning and repair of the "Silver train."  Last week Mike, Ray, amd Shelly installed the portable A/C  units into the various car to keep them "Kool" for the Summer viewing public.    More guided tours are on the schedule for this year.     A note for you folks who enjoy these cars is the fact that Track Storage Charges have not been paid on the LOCH SLOY!    If you would like to help erase this debt Please send a donation to the LOCH  SLOY FUND.  It owes more than $6,000.    Thank You!!!                             This Spring, one more project  has again started up.    It's the restoration of the women's bathroom in the John Mcloughlin sleeper.    Irm is hosting a convention for the Great Northern  RR Historical Society in late July of this year and touring  John Mcloughlin is on part of the schedule.  This gives the small team of Mark, Brian, and Roger  an added incentive to make things happen.  Would you like to join us?  Just stop by any Saturday in back of Barn #3.  Look us up!      We'll be there!                              A major project gaining added interest is the Lake City.   Already, it has been switched to the front of Barn #3 for display.   Please come in and view this amazing car!    John Mckelvy has also been working on reupholsterying the seat cushions in the section area of the sleeper-obs.    The lights  are working; ready for your viewing.   Not many museums can boist of four obs cars lit and ready for  viewing like we have at iRM!!!               Lastly,  recent news has been bloged about the reinstallation of many exterior windows in the D M & IR 84.   Chuck has done a great job!   The car was already back in service for the WW11 reenactment days this last weekend.  Great Job.     Don't forget to consider a donation to the Loch Sloy fund and the Inside  Storage Fund.   We are still working towards this "new barn" goal.    Thanks   Roger Kramer     

Buzz Morisette is up inside the control cab as we try to re-engineer how all the windows, sills, and stops will go together.  Note that much of this was totally useless and rotted away.  He is holding up one of the original windows for size and placement

Before too much dismantling was done to replace the bad parts, Buzz took many pictures to help document the areas.  Kind of unusual to find instructions painted on the ceiling - but here it is.

Here is an experiment in formatting so you may see the front of the cab by stitching together the three views.  The left front view shows faint traces of more lettering; the right front view shows "EMERGENCY VALVE" stenciled in red. Lots of piping, electrical, gauges - most of which will have to be removed to replace the spongy wood behind them.

 

 

 

A lot of the work is now started with removal of the window post and corner posts on the left side.  Look closely and you will see the empty mounting holes in the steel members.  And what a scenic view out the window!  Freight cars, of course - that is our department.

This view looks downward at the left front corner.  the wood has been removed to the bare steel framing.  And another trace at the very top of this image of more lettering and flaky paint - we figured this one out - but not without some headscratching and creative railroad archeology.

Gerry Dettloff, Jim Leonard, and Dave Rogan are up on the roof of our snow plow.  Gerry volunteered to drag the cutting torch up top to remove the first section of metal grating, while Dave is needle chipping more of the cupola roof.  Sharp eyed readers may notice something different in this picture.  The completed side of the X 38 is in the sun!  Yes, some excellent cooperation by other departments resulted in this unit being turned end for end, as well as the B&O wagon top boxcar just to the east.

Jim Leonard is lifting away the old metal grating.  This will allow us to clean and repaint the area below it.  For the period of this restoration, wooden roof walks will be added in place of the metal.

Victor Humphreys is installing another section of the interior lining inside the snow plow body.

Here is a better view of what Dave Rogan was cleaning on the cupola roof.  He and Jim Leonard worked mightily in the sun most of the day.  Removing old paint, wirebrushing the area, and then applying primer.  In addition to this roof area, they did some paint removal and priming on what is now the north door wall.  Buzz Morisette has begun the tasks needed to install the new cupola windows, John Faulhaber is working to trace and document lettering in the cab.  And on the B&O boxcar a repaired door threshold plate was installed.

Chicago Aurora & Elgin 309 was on the move on Track 41 heading into the Barn for the inspection pit.  Father and son team, Randall and Frank Hicks, worked throughout the day and accomplished most of the items on the checklist and inspection report.

Rich Witt has completed available work on several recent projects and volunteered to work on removing light fixtures from a ceiling panel for Cleveland Transit System 4223.  They are very stubborn and recalcitrant, the metal screws being truly well rusted into place.  Later in the day we got to see an original First Aid Box from the CA&E cars and Randy Hicks entered a request for six of them to be built.

John Nelligan is grinning broadly next the last of seven resistance boxes to be restored for Charles City Western 300.  And why not?  It seems he may have spent the last several months glued to a stool at the sandblaster cleaning the many parts before assembly work could be done.

John is beside himself and also beside the locomotive.  The first grid box is in place and mounting porcelain ready to receive the next three.

John Faulhaber and Henry Vincent are just finishing up the children's activity boxcar sponsored by Ray Bellock.  Before the day was over it rolled happily out of the shop doors, another project complete.

Jim Foraker worked on parts for our new saw base.  Legs and mounting pads were cut to length and prepped for welding.

Norm Krentel is enjoying the pleasant weather as he monitors the steam generator and steaming tube while a length of white oak is warming up inside.  This for another of the curved pieces being made for Michigan Electric 28.

A short and second hand update this week, courtesy of Phil and Collin, as I was enjoying myself in New York City last weekend.  It sounds as if good progress was made on a number of fronts.

Unfortunately everything else is overshadowed by the news that Glen, one of our regular team, was seriously injured in a motor bike accident last week.  From what we can gather, he is in the ICU at Rockford Memorial and the path forward is unclear at present.  Our thoughts are with him.

On 1630:

·         The flue removed last weekend, that has to be reworked, was cleaned up and prepared.

·         The jacketing painted last week is now back in store and the last of the jacketing is now down in the shop for cleaning and painting.

·         Mike reassembled the bucker, which is critical to riveting the patch into place.  It was hooked up to the air supply and works!.

The bucker is now complete and tested

·         Phil, Tom and Mike started working with the bucker in the firebox to determine how it can best be supported to provide a smooth and reliable position when riveting.  This is essential as the core of the riveting process is that the yellow hot rivet must be passed into the firebox, put into the hole and the bucker accurately and firmly applied in a matter of 15 seconds.  If the rivet cools too much or the bucker moves, you will get a badly formed rivet and the need for many hours of work to drill it back out again and re-prepare the hole.  So there will be a LOT of planning and practicing ahead of driving the rivets

This is where it must be used

A rivet must be set in each of the holes. So we need to be able to place the bucker quickly and firmly and use it in each position, while still allowing room to place the hot rivet.

On the Shay:

·         Alex used the degreaser and put it on the front truck.  (Sounds like I had better make plans to borrow the steam cleaner from the car shop to finish the process)

Truck soaking in degreaser

·         Alex, Brian, Cameron, and Phil fired up the furnace and annealed the last of the flues.  They are now ready to be put back in the box car.  This was a very positive sign for the future.  The whole team was young guys all in their lower 20's or teens, which makes a big change from the reliance on us old codgers!.

Last of the tubes now swaged

In other areas:

·         Bill, Stu, and Bob worked on the water supply in the boxcar and started on the modifications to the pumping system.  The objectives are to ensure that the locomotive crew can reliably get water with minimum knowledge of the system without risk of damage and that treatment chemicals can be added automatically.

·         A key piece of the planer was refitted. The directional control lever was reassembled. As is common with rebuilding old equipment, this was much more difficult than it sounds.  A pin had sheared off in the shaft and Bob had worked much of last weekend to get it out without damaging the shaft.

So, a good day, from the progress point of view.

Nigel (as scribe for Phil and Collin !)

 

On Saturday, May 4, 2013, Chuck Trabert installed the last of the windows refinished for the Duluth Missabe & Iron Range Railway 84 coach over the winter. Chuck has been working on the windows of this coach for the last several winters and feels he is almost caught up with the most urgent window repairs in this car.

Window repair is not an easy job and it is costly to buy new glass, hardware, paints and varnishes. This car is frequently used in passenger operations and receives even more wear and tear as a result. All passenger cars required to be outside are at greater risk for damage from the elements so there is a goal to get them all under the shelter of a barn to be spared the worse of the sun and rain. You can help make that happen with an easy $25 donation for indoor storage. Choose the Passenger Car Department and add your donation to the cart. With your hep we will eventually get all passenger cars under cover. Many thanks!

One of the active members and volunteers in the Signal Department is Frank Carraro.  Here are pictures and a report submitted by Frank.  Good work, and thank you, Frank.

If you haven't noticed the small aluminum building at the corner of the Office building on the Central Ave side, you should.  It is an "instrument hut" or "signal bungalow", and something important happened in it Saturday May 11th.  In particular, the first wire in the actual complex signal wiring was installed. 

In the photo of the interior of the hut, the structure on the left is a rack of 74 relay plugboards. 

In this photo you see one relay inserted in the board just to show what one looks like when plugged
in. 

On the back side of the rack is much much of the wiring needed to make the whole thing work.  The wires are connected to a small metal clip which snaps into place so that the wire connects to the relay when it is plugged in.   In the next photo you see it being inserted into the proper slot.  The first wire that interconnects one relay to another. As you may guess this is very painstaking work.  A mistake can cause trouble the first time the whole thing is powered up, or years down the line when a signal gives an incorrect indication.  

The circuit drawings were created by Member John Wells, who is a professional signal designer.  Each wire is shown and has a name, such as "121HD3".  It has a starting point, such as "121EHDR-F1"   and and ending point such as "112TPPR-H4".   A small plastic wire tag is placed on the wire at each end when the wire is connected to the device.  Then, after double checking that the wire is connected where the tag says it is, the circuit print is marked out to show it's done.

When this hut is done - this fall maybe - it wiill be picked up and moved to the east end of the depot tracks, and after a lot more work, connected to the signals, and the newly installed switch machines it will control and then, by means of our CTC system, to the Dispatcher's control panel in Spaulding tower.

That's how our signal system expands.  One wire at a time.

Just one week ago long time member of IRM and officer of the organization succumbed to a long and arduous hard fought battle with cancer.  In his memory the CA&E train, led by car 409, displayed black marker flags and black bunting across the front.  Crew members included Randall Hicks and Jeff Obarek.  We will all miss and remember you, Jim

Dave Diaz returned to our shops and helped John McKelvey on seat repairs and then moved to working on the old lighting ceiling panels for Cleveland Transit System 4223.  He did make some good progress and managed to remove several of the light fixtures which were held in stubbornly by a host of rusty screws.

Bill Peterson, Jeff Brady, and Norm Krentel were quite successful in steam bending some white oak slats for the new roof on Michigan Electric 28.  They used a home made steam generator and steaming 'chamber' to cook the wood for two hours.

We return to the popular feature MORE BILL.  Bill Wulfert has great patience and stick-to-it-ness as he continues the painstaking work of repairing and restoring myriad light fixture sockets.  Don't tell him I said this as his fame will make him hard to live with.

There was other work going on including more progress on the CGW X 38 snowplow, and on Chicago Rapid Transit 1024, and Electric Car Department tasks.

This will be a short report today as I met and escorted two members of the Great Northern Railway Historical Society on a tour and with meetings to schedule a special event for them.  The GNRHS is holding their annual convention in Chicago this year for the first time and they will spend Saturday July 27 at IRM.  If you are already a GNRHS member, remember the date and plan to attend.  If not there is still time to join them.  There are still volunteers needed to act as tour docents and other IRM support tasks.

Another unusually nice weather day saw many volunteers going on and in the Chicago Great Western X 38 snowplow.

WOW - the iconic CGW Corn Belt Route herald was completed today and it really sets off the north side.  Some of the crew for today are seen here, Dave Rogan, John F, Victor H, Jim Leonard, and Bob Kutella.  Thanks go to Rich Witt for volunteering to snap this image, mostly one of us is behind the lens instead of in front of it.

Jim Leonard went up on the roof quickly to take advantage of good weather and he set to work removing rust and paint from the window posts and framework on the north side windows.  Dave Rogan also pitched in here on the 'high wire' work.

John F pitched in with me on the painting of the CGW herald.  Not done yet in this pic but we were focused on the end zone throughout the day.

Jim L is working to close up the open windows on the control cab at the end of the day.  You can see some of the roof cleaned and primed, the headlight mounting plate, etc.

I just cannot resist another shot of the plow showing the new herald, the two new windows installed and lacking only the new door (already made) to pose this view as 'done'.

Other progress on the plow today included installation of some more of the interior lining, and removal of the two operator's seats up in the cab.  This was done now to get fabric on order for re-upholstery and also to make more room for the window work.

This entry will be for general interest work I saw on site today, and perhaps one surprise pic.

John Faulhaber made some slight adjustments and finishing touches, then went on to prime the car.

Lorne Tweed is making good progress on the Cleveland Transit System 4223 interior behind the rear door.  Several pieces are test fit here, including one piece, new from the fabricator just today.

In the above pic you may notice a void or empty space just to the rear of the rear door.  The rear sign box will be mounted here as shown by Lorne.  It fits like a glove!

Of course there is usually more than one person working on any of our projects.  Simon Harrison is installing window tracks, two for each window.  Slow work to be sure - the process, not Simon.

Here is pic of our B&O 374065 wagon top boxcar from an angle not usually seen.  In this case from the top of the adjacent CGW X 38 snow plow.  During the day, Victor Humphreys worked on this car, installing a repaired side door threshold plate.

Jeff Brady and Norm Krentel are making a sturdy bending jig while just outside the door, a steam generator is 'cooking' a piece of white oak.  The result we hope for is a nicely contoured runner for new roof mats for Michigan Electric 28

A fairly short update this week.  It was a long and hard day's work.  But, while we made reasonable progress, not much of it was visible. 

On 1630:

·         Most of us focused on the issue, identified last weekend, of the flues that moved forward as the ends were rolled into the front tube sheet.  All but one were moved sufficiently to provide the required projection at the rear to allow beading.  The one that could not be moved was removed and will be reworked.  Having reduced the issue to one flue, we should be able to keep the delay to a couple of weeks.

·         The remaining flues were rolled additionally in the rear sheet to reduce any likelihood of movement when  these are rolled at the front end.

·         Sean made great progress on priming the cladding sheets.  After his efforts, a satisfying number were standing in the shop to finally harden before being put back into storage ready for refitting.

Lots of cladding ready to refit

·         Tom was working on the lathe to produce the guides that will be used to drill and tap the holes for the two stays that are to be fitted into the firebox patch.  These screw into the caps of the flexible stays, that are already part of the outer firebox wrapper.  They guide the drill to make an accurate hole in the inner firebox sheet, into which the stay is then threaded.

·         Having checked to confirm that everything is working correctly in the water supply boxcar, Ed was working on refurbishing the pipe work for the boiler backhead fittings.

·         The specially made seals for the bucker have arrived at last, so, once they have been softened by soaking in oil, work can begin during the week to get this reassembled and ready for the riveting to begin.

In other areas:

·         Dennis completed the boom for the fork lift.  Here it is upside down to allow the main beam to be welded to the frame that fits over the forks.  This will hopefully be used before long to lift parts such as the dome cover back on to the locomotive.

Dennis finishing the boom

·         Bob and Mike continued work on the planer.

·         Glenn continued building the guards for the drive belts on the new air compressor.

·         Jerry did a great job on clearing the front of the shop.  For those visiting us, we can no longer be identified as the shop behind the stack of debris, drums and disused "A" frame !!.

Next week I will be in New York on vacation, so I am looking forward to finding a lot of progress when I get back in two weeks time !.

Nigel

Based upon feedback from our readers, here is (on request) MORE BILL.  That would be Bill Wulfert continuing on restoring and cleaning the many light socket assemblies we need now.  Funny thing is, he looks like he is enjoying it.

The big news of the week involved delivery of new castings for resistance grid boxes on Chicago & West Towns 141.  There is a lot of grinding and cleanup needed on the foundry castings, but they have all been examined and tested.

Bill Peterson is cutting many more boards to length as destined for interior lining on our Chicago Great Western X 38 snow plow.  Then he sanded them all and Vicotr Humphreys started the step of applying white primer.

Buzz Morisette is installing two new timbers at the top of the interior rear wall on the X 38.  It seems nothing is ever simple and he had to overcome some drama due to their inconvenient location.

It was gloomy and rainy in the morning but after that ended and the sun came out, I continued on painting more of the CGW herald on the X 38.  Only two good hours, but slowly, it is taking form.

Ray Pollice is taking the old bulls-eye lights out from the ceiling panels for Cleveland Transit System 4223.  The old rusty screws present quite a problem.  As soon as one of the old panels was down its bare substance it was used as a pattern and Brian Patterson and I laid out and cut a new replacement.

Inside the 4223 Lorne Tweed was mounting aluminum tracks on the window posts,  -  if you have been following this story you know what we are referring to and where it will lead.

It is not the last window to go in, but Lorne said at last we are putting windows in!

Tim Peters is up on a lift working on the roof at the east end of Chicago Rapid Transit 1024.  The center section wood and supports below it have been 100% replaced and are taking shape nicely.

We celebrated May Day working outdoors on the Chicago Great Western X 38 snowplow.  At 82 F it was the warmest day we have seen in SEVEN months!

Victor Humphreys sands and cleans up new interior lining wood while Dave Rogan primes them as soon as they are ready.  Dave also primed the two new interior framing timbers made last weekend.  Several of these short pieces were installed inside the plow next to the south doorway, even as the paint continued to dry.

Jim Leonard is a champion - he volunteered at once to continue body cleanup and repairs outdoors on the plow body.  The first area to be attacked was the cupola, as completion here will allow for installation of new windows made in the shop over the winter.  In this pic he is wrestling with a pneumatic air scaler to remove old paint and rust from the roof.

With the weather holding favorable into the afternoon, Jim wire brushed an area clean and began applying fresh primer to the roof.

I could ill afford to let such nice weather be wasted.  So we began the complicated task of hand painting the famous CORN BELT ROUTE herald on the north side of the plow.  Paul Cronin assists in lining up the pattern and tracing the artwork.

John Faulhaber helped me out while planning which part could be done in the time remaining and masking areas that lent themselves to the task.  Just like the old game show - BEAT THE CLOCK.

The first word we painted was of course CHICAGO.  If you are not familiar with this iconic herald stay tuned.  Weather permitting more will appear each week.

Below the CHICAGO there are four horizontal stripes, which could largely be masked off for painting.

The stripes were completed as the sun sank ever lower.  I suppose this looks disconnected and puzzling.  I guess it is - I know where we are going, yet it is hard to visualize.

I stayed on task while the other members of the crew worked on installation of more interior lining and applying steel capping to the doorway weatherstrips.