Steam Department

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

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 !)

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