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Friday, May 11. 2012B&O Boxcar Update - May 9, 2012Spring is here and that means on good weather days, the Freight Department crew is at work in our outdoor 'shop'. Here is a sort of photo essay (not much text) on work this week, lots of participants and onlookers encouraged to learn and get a 'feel' for this sort of blacksmith work and tools involved.  Rust Out Gerry Dettloff is getting ready with an acetylene torch with Dick Cubbage and Simon Harrison looking on.  Cutting Some sections of the side at the bottom were badly rusted out. The first step here is to use an acetylene torch to burn off the old rivet heads. Gerry is using the torch and Victor Humphreys ready to help as needed.  Peeling The metal is being peeled back by Victor, Gerry, and Dick.  Next After cutting the rivet heads form the outside, shards of old metal siding and layers of rust are removed. Some additional grinding of the torched off rivet stubs might need to be done. Then out with the small sledge hammer and a punch pin to poke the rivet out the back.  The Stubs Not much left after the torching, but some medallions of remaining metal sides need to be peeled away, pried away, or otherwise coaxed to leave.  Punching Then on to the satisfying part of punching out what remains of the rivets. Sort of like an 'aggression therapy' session. Jim Leonard takes a turn. That entire section is complete. The next step is to fit and cut a new metal patch, drill it for placing new rivets, weld it in, grind, fill, paint - you get the idea. Friday, May 11. 2012TMS Project Update - May 9, 2012STOP THE PRESSES!  Wheelsets THE WHEELSETS HAVE RETURNED TO IRM! Recall that the goal of this project is to restore two operating streetcars to service at IRM. As they say on TV, do it big or go home. The wheelsets are back at IRM with new steel tires applied, and they look spectacular. Here is a short summary of the project to date. New steel tires were ordered and custom made, enough to apply to both streetcars. The trucks were removed from the TM 972 and extensively rebuilt. One truck has had essentially a total rebuild as we found badly worn pins and bushings in the linkage, rods, levers and brake systems. This was not something anticipated and was discovered after the trucks were being dismantled. What is one to do, stop everything? In the true IRM spirit we had to repair these items while the truck was out and disassembled. Such is the life of a restorationist. We could have had the needed parts custom made and waited until September for delivery and another six weeks to install them. Instead we made these ourselves in the machine shop, and heat treated and hardened them on site. This saved us months on the timeline and saved us about $4000 in costs. See where this is going? It also added up to about $8000 in unanticipated expenses, so money in the fund is running very low, about non existent. We have spent money ahead on common parts for the CNS&M 354 to get the same treatment but need your support now to see the TM 972 running this season. We are ready to begin final re-assembly of the trucks NOW and will keep you updated of any 'new' discoveries. Please keep this major project on track and moving ahead with a donation to fund RTMS. We really need this and the money is not squandered. |
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Comments
Mon, 09-08-2025 08:22
Good job on the Burlington Nortern 9976. OK.
Tue, 08-12-2025 12:56
No new news that I have heard of thus far.
Tue, 08-12-2025 12:53
I'll also be doing another update on it soon. Keep en eye out for that.
Tue, 08-12-2025 12:47
A little work was done to it for Diesel Days this year. You'll see photos floating around for the temporary short term job that was done to make it [...]
Wed, 08-06-2025 13:01
Is steam car CN 15444 going to be coming to museum several times it was to be moved to muesum
Sat, 07-19-2025 18:56
Yeah, sadly it's still there as of 7/19/2025
Thu, 06-12-2025 19:14
Its been 14 years guys, where is the unit? Like really? Did you guys misplace it? Or are repairs taking that long? At this point be might we will have [...]
Wed, 04-09-2025 17:40
Jamie Thanks for the update. She's gonna shine like every thing else you guys do! Smeds
Thu, 03-06-2025 16:28
Yes, there is a wye. Those two have been MU'ed on diesel days a year or two ago.
Wed, 03-05-2025 14:04
7009 number boards look good. Is there a way to turn a locomotive around at IRM? In case you ever had a mind to connect 7009 and 6847?
Fri, 03-29-2024 21:26
We're slackers and spend more time working on the equipment in the shop than keeping all you readers updated. We'll work on it, but I'm sure updates [...]
Thu, 03-14-2024 08:02
What happened to the Department Blog? It's been over 2 years and I still regularly check for updates, but nothing comes...