Illinois Railway Museum Blog

Order for the first revenue run

A momentous couple of weeks!.  It has looked uncertain up to the last minute but, at 3:39 on Saturday 25^th May, #1630 left Union with its first revenue train in ten years. Many thanks to Michael for the souvenir above, which is the train order for the first revenue run.

For the last two weeks we have been struggling to resolve the problem of brazing the crack in the smokebox ring and completing the mesh work in the smokebox ahead of Friday 23^rd,. which was the last day when we could carry out the inspections before the Memorial Day weekend.

Last weekend all sorts of odd jobs were carried out to ensure that she was ready to go provided that the ring was completed, but all in the knowledge that, without the smokebox being completed, we would not be going anywhere.

She was moved to allow paint to be touched up in areas hidden by the rods as she stood in one position.

The air system was pressurized, minor leaks corrected and the brakes tested.  This lead to some intensive work when the locomotive brake would not operate.  That proved simple at the end of the day.  A drain valve that had been jammed for some time was cleaned and reconditioned as part of the overhaul and no one remembered to close it!.  Unfortunately house air does not allow us to test the train brake so that only showed a problem at the last minute!.

Wedges were adjusted and lubrication applied all around.

A lot of time was spent cleaning and checking every aspect to ensure everything was tight and all items of tools and debris were removed.

On Wednesday she was moved over to the steam lead, coaled and watered.  By this stage the timing was so tight that this was done in anticipation but there was still no certainty that the work could be completed for steaming on Friday.  In the evening Dennis made substantial progress in welding in the mesh screens for the spark arrestor.

Everything rested on Thursday night / Friday morning.  I gave myself “a bit of a work out” by laying a layer of coal over the grates ready to start the fire.  That certainly demonstrated that it is a very large and long box compared to anything I ever fired in the UK!.

Brian made a mix of linseed oil and graphite, which is the material for “painting” the hot surfaces such as the lower firebox and smokebox.  A team spent much of the evening applying this wherever it was needed.

By late evening, Dennis had the mesh fully installed.  The key work, visible here, was welding the brackets for the side panels into the smokebox.  This is complete in the picture below and all that remains to be fitted is the center section which simply bolts between the two side pieces.

Mesh welded into place

Then attention moved to the ring.  After a long period of pre- heating, to get it to an even temperature, Dennis started the repair.  The clock tells it all.  It was already 11 at night!.

The brazing gets under way

Four areas remained to be brazed.  Two sections running out toward the edge and two holes in the curved section.  These were holes drilled at either end of a crack to prevent it extending.  In this view Dennis has initially sealed the one nearest to the camera and is working on the radial crack behind..

And continues steadily

By 12:30 the brazing was complete and the ring post-heated to ensure that it was at an even temperature to minimize the risk of cracking as it cooled.  The cooling had to be slow, so most of us took a couple of hours in the sleeping car while Jeff and others finished bolting the mesh screens into place.

By about 3 a.m. the ring was cool enough to work (acid test – hold your hand on it indefinitely without pain!).  Jerry then spent the next hour grinding the surface smooth and level.

Around 4 a.m. we got to the next stage.  The ring had to be drilled for the bolts that secure the bell and a strengthening plate, to fit behind the ring and ensure that the load was distributed evenly in the area that had cracked, drilled to match.  The look on my face and the large coffee says it all!

Drilling for the bell

Shortly after dawn the parts were completed and efforts moved on the fitting to the locomotive.

First the ring was carefully lifted in to place and secured.

Shortly after dawn fitting begins

The ring positioned to be secured

Once this was in place the door was lifted and located on its hinges.

Next comes the door

The door is mounted on its hinges

Then the bell could be mounted.  This was a critical last step in sealing the smokebox so that the fire could be lit.

The bell allows the smokebox to be sealed

A little before 8 there was a celebratory gathering on the footplate and I had the honor of lighting the first fire.

A tired but happy celebration

The fire is lit

A wonderful sight

From there on things moved rapidly.  It is always fascinating to watch a steam locomotive come to life again as she warms up. 

A wonderful sight

In this case the old girl gave every sign of being impatient to get into action.  Within an hour there were signs of bubbling and within two there were the first signs of pressure.

Work continues with the headlight

By 10:30 she was self-supporting with the fan removed and enough pressure to operate the blower.

In steam at last

The critical tests went well.  The safety valve settings were as expected and, for the first time in 45 years, she blew off at her design pressure of 180 psi.  The air pump tested with much more reserve than last year, whether due to the higher boiler pressure or the cleaning of the governor over winter.

From there on things went down hill !.  The locomotive air brake worked fine but the train brake would not apply.  After much cleaning and checking of valves it would still not work so it was decided to make a light engine test run (using just the locomotive brake).

Backing out on test

That was a bit less than successful when the air pump stopped on the mainline and she barely made it back to Union.

However, the air pump issue proved simple.  The hydrostatic lubricator feed had clogged cutting off lubrication and, once the lubricator was operating correctly, so did the air pump.

The train brake issue was rather more tricky.  Tom, Rod and others worked thru the evening on this.  Eventually, around 10, it was traced to a couple of issues, the most significant of which was a leaking connection.

So on Saturday she was prepared for service.

Preparing for service

Water was topped up and a little coal added.  The obvious remaining item was corrected when the dome cover was lowered into place. 

Fitting the dome cover

This is  a significant last step indicating that she is not planned to go back into the shop for a while.  The dome fouls part of the door opener mechanism so she cannot go into the shop with this in place.

Ready to roll

The Saturday service runs were a little later as we were required to make two test runs (one light engine and one with empty stock) before running a service train.  This was why we had hoped to run the previous weekend. 

Here we go

On the road at last

However, this was achieved and, at 3:39, #1630 pulled out with her first service train in many years.  A very strange feeling to see her live and rolling across the countryside after having been all over, inside and around her in the shop for the past several years.

The culmination of a huge effort by a LOT of people in the steam shop.  Well done guys and gals.

The shop looked rather empty for a few hours until #938 was moved in.  I think I am safe in saying that is not an indication that she is now next in line to steam!.  Hopefully we can now have a few weeks on fairly mundane tasks.  The water supply is becoming rather unreliable and is in need of work if we are to support #1630 in regular running.  Also the service area must be moved to a new location as the construction of the Schmidt cutoff in the next few months will mean that it cannot be outside the water supply box car as in the past.  We will also need to monitor #1630 very closely.  She has run only a very short distance on the rebuilt rear axle boxes so is very much “running in”.  These bearings are currently running hotter than they should but that is hopefully a matter of keeping them well greased and letting them bed in.

And finally a blatant publicity item while we are here! –

Don’t forget the Annual Steam Department Benefit at Sanfilippo on June 29^th this year.  This is a really unique and enjoyable afternoon and a major source of funds for the continuing activity of the steam department so we hope to see you there.

Nigel