Illinois Railway Museum Blog

The number of people in the shop was a bit reduced at Easter weekend and it was unfortunately one of those days when a lot of hard work did not achieve as much as was hoped. 

On 1630:

·         The main focus was on loading the super heater flues.  Unfortunately this proved a great deal more tricky than had been hoped. 

When the tubes were safe ended each was carefully measured with the objective that it was matched to a specific location with a certain amount of excess length to be ground off after fitting.  When the first few were fitted it became clear that there is a significant variation from the intended lengths with some shorter and some longer.  Clearly, where there is excess length it can be cut off.  But if we have any that are too short to be fitted we would need to get more welding done.

The key objective became to ensure that the shorter ones can all be used without the need to get a welder in again to lengthen any.   So, instead of simply slotting each tube into its numbered hole, it became an exercise in loading and unloading tubes multiple times to ensure that the shortest tube that provides the required projection at each end is used in each hole. 

As each tube is 17 feet long and 5 1/2 inch in diameter, they are heavy beasts to fit and refit so it was a hard day's work made worse by the fact that it was unexpected.  The first part is easy.  The fork lift raises the tube to height and in this shot, Phil and Sean slide the tube into the hole in the tube sheet.

Phil and Sean load a SH flue

The next bit is more tricky.  Once the tube is off the forks it becomes a giant lever pivoted in the tube sheet.  Here Dave is assisting by controlling the end of the tube to ensure that is slides smoothly thru the hole and can be located in the rear sheet without dislodging the ferrule at that end.

Sliding the flue into place

Once it is in place there is a careful process of gauging the projection at each end to ensure we have the required 1/4 inch minimum.  Given the length issue, a number were then removed and the process repeated to ensure that the shortest suitable tube was used in each hole.  Anyway, by end of day we had all 8 on the engineer's side in place and the first on the fireman's side and have managed to place the shortest tubes..

·         With Vince's assistance, Mike finished the tapping for the patch screw on the firebox corner.  When I left sparks were flying from inside the firebox as Mike did the final grinding of surfaces inside the firebox ahead of riveting.  We are waiting on the return of the air bucker from overhaul and can then set up for the riveting.

Thread cutting for the patch screw

·         Ed and Richard substantially completed the pipe runs along the boiler sides and started work on the cab pipe work.

·         During the last couple of weeks Kevin has done more needle chipping to prepare for painting both on 1630 and on the planer.

Elsewhere:

·         Bob continued work on wiring the control system for the planer; and

·         Dennis finished building up the grease keep for the truck axle box on 428.

So next week we target fitting of the remaining flues and then we can set up to roll them into place.

Nigel