Diesel Department

Here is a follow up to our post from a couple weeks ago about our push for funding indoor track space. Two historic Armco diesel locomotives have been fully funded to be stored indoors, they are the Armco Steel B-71 and Armco Steel E-110. The B-71 is a Baldwin-Westinghouse build in 1930. The E-110 is a Lima-Hamilton LS-1200 built in 1951. The estimated cost to store these two indoors is just over $21,000. They have been marked to be the next two Diesel Locomotives to be store inside once the additional barn space is built and ready.

Photo: Armco Steel B-71.

Photo: Armco Steel E-110.

The reason we say estimated is the actual cost of the building is still being worked out and that could be a small percentage above or below our estimated costs. We continue to ask for your support to fund indoor storage for Diesel Locomotives, and remember, your donation will be matched dollar for dollar up to a total of $50,000. If we can achieve this goal, that is $100,000 to help preserve our Diesel collection indoors. We are hopeful to be able to also fund the BN Executive units, some CNW units, as well as some other historic Diesel Locomotives.

Please make sure the option is selected for Diesel Department if donating online, or if by check, make sure "Diesel Indoor Storage Fund" is written on the memo line of your check.

Thank you again for your support!

Here’s a quick update of happenings in the shop over the past week.

On the Plymouth 25 ton locomotive, the rear cab wall was straightened and repaired, and cab glass is being replaced. At some point in its industrial life, the engineers side rear corner had taken a hit and deformed the doorway and back wall. We straightened this out with a porta-power and will stiffen the back cab wall with additional supports. The lexan windows are all being replaced with safety glass as well as replacing the engineers door and windows.

HELP NEEDED: We are in need of a volunteer welder that can weld aluminum. The cab on this Plymouth 25 ton loco is constructed of aluminum and needs some cracks and supports welded in place. If you would like to volunteer on this project, please contact Jamie at the Diesel Shop or call the museum at 815-923-4391 x261.

The back cab corner after being straightened on the Plymouth 25 tonner.

Another view of the engineers doorway.

The front lexan window was replaced with safety glass.

The GE 25 tonner is also getting some attention. The switches on the gauge stand were all solid from dirt and concrete dust. Dan has been cleaning and/or replacing them, and adding the control switch back in place along with cab lighting, which were removed before arriving at IRM. The bottom of the engineers door was rotted and also was binding with the floor, which is expanding upwards making the door unusable. Rather than replacing the floor right now, we shortened the door by a quarter of an inch and replaced the rusted bottom. Other work is replacing the failed coolant block heater and adding a heater to the bottom of the oil pan to warm the engine oil in cold weather. All the air, oil, and coolant filters were changed as regular maintenance as well.

The gauge panel of the GE 25 tonner.

The bottom of the GE 25 tonner engineers door was replaced.

Another project that has been a long time coming is the installation of a pre-lube pump on Illinois Terminal 1605, an EMD GP7. A prelube pump circulates oil from the oil pan and charges the oil system of the locomotive before startup. The oil lubrication system can take upwards of 30 gallons of oil just to fill the pipes, passage ways, and other areas. Starting a locomotive without prelubing causes excessive wear as it takes a long time to pump oil through these areas to finally get to the critical surfaces that should have lubrication right at the time of startup. Over time we will be installing prelube pumps on many of our regularly operated locomotives.

Completed setup of the IT 1605 prelube pump.

It is great having the correct tools for the custom bends.

The new pipe bender kit made the job super easy!

A view in the crankcase with the pump running.

The top deck showing oil in a minutes time.

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

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!