Steam Department

Illinois Railway Museum Blog

Tuesday, August 2. 2011

Steam Report - July 30, 2011 Posted by Robert Kutella in Steam Department at 02:59

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Steam Report - July 30, 2011

Jim Opolony continues to keep us informed!

Here is what went on in the shop.

Ready for Work

The early crew members got to the shop before 9:00 AM and began the process of removing and tagging the third row of superheaters. This job was done by 10:00 AM. Once again the nuts on the hanger bolts were rusted on, so they had to be heated. This takes time since we have to avoid damaging those parts that are cast iron. The fourth and final row of superheaters took until after 1:30 PM to get out.

Front Tube Sheet

Later in the day, Rod Turner of the Electric Car Department was kind enough to help us out by pushing the 1630 into the steam shop with the U.S. Army switcher. The next step is to start removing tubes form the boiler.To do this, the necessary tools were identified and readied so that the superheater flues and boiler firetubes can be removed.

View Down Through Stack

While this work was going on, shop members were out in our utility boxcar, set on the ground near the 'steam lead', hooking up our water system. This needed to be done to accommodate the upcoming visit of the LEVIATHAN.

Another attempt was made to separate the tender from the Shay. It was unsuccessful once again. It appears a pin on the drawbar is the problem.

Monday, July 25. 2011

Steam Report - July 23, 2011 Posted by Robert Kutella in Steam Department at 15:54

Comments (3)

Steam Report - July 23, 2011

Images and report are from Jim Opolony - THANKS JIM!

Scaffold

Work started at 8:00 in the morning by shop members gathering the materials that would be needed for removal of the 1630's superheaters. Since there was a constant rain, placing of scaffolding in front of the 1630 did not start until 9:30. (Our Mamas told us to stay out of the rain when we were little, so we followed their advice.) Last week, steam team members made sure that the nuts holding the first row of superheater tubes in place, on their hangers, were heated and loosened so that the job of removing the tubes would be easier. The decision was made to use the boom on Glenn's truck to lower the superheaters to the ground. The tubes would be pulled out part way from the tubesheet, strapped and connected to the boom before being completely pulled out of the tubesheet. At the same time, they would have wooden blocks attached to their tapered ends to prevent damage.

Smoke Box

At 10:00 the center superheater was removed from the tube sheet. To our surprise, the superheater was out of the locomotive and in the shop, on wooden horses, within seven minutes. The entire front row of superheater tubes were out of the locomotive, blocked, stacked, and tagged by 10:35. At this point the work slowed down. The nuts on the second row of superheater hangers had to be heated and loosened. In some cases, this took several attempts before the nuts moved. In addition, since the hanger bolts are cast iron, we had to make sure we did not break them. After the nuts were loose, it took until 2:30 to remove the second row of tubes. An additional problem was that the socket that fit the nuts in the first two rows would not fit into the space between the next row of tubes. Finally, Glenn found a socket that fit.

First Row Superheaters

Once on the ground, they would be carried into the shop and tagged by row and their location in the tube sheet. The wooden blocks had been made by Bob Kutella and Victor Humphreys, of the Freight Car Department, for the superheater tubes now in the UP 428's boiler. They will make additional wooden blocks this coming week since the 1630 has more superheaters than the 428.

Second Row Superheaters

Work ended on the 1630 with members of the steam team working to loosen the nuts on their threaded hangers on the third row of superheater tubes. Next Saturday, when these superheaters are removed, the nuts on the final row of superheaters will still have to be loosened so that the fourth row of superheaters may be removed. Then, the work to remove the other boiler tubes and flues will start. In addition we still need to find the time to remove the lagging and boiler insulation, and other accessories to allow full inspection of the boiler.

Bob R. continued to work on the Lackawanna's car brake rigging. He began putting the rigging together since both ends have been machined and trued up.

Monday, July 18. 2011

Steam Report - July 16, 2011 Posted by Robert Kutella in Steam Department at 04:26

Comments (3)

Steam Report - July 16, 2011

Work on the 1630, our Frisco 2-10-0, started before 9:00 AM on Saturday. We began by removing two nuts from the threaded rod, at the front of the petticoat, that helps to hold it in place under the smoke stack. After looking at the two side rods on the petticoat, and the one behind it, near the tube sheet, we determined that we would need to cut the threaded rods. It was decided that attempting to remove the nuts from the rods would be too difficult and time consuming. To cut the rods, straps were dropped through the smoke stack, looped, and attached to the boom on Glenn's truck. A four by four piece of white oak was pushed through the loops in the straps to hold the weight of the petticoat once the threaded rods were cut. After this was finished, the petticoat was lowered onto a wooden platform we placed over the blower nozzle. Wood was used as cribbing so that the straps and four by four could be removed. At this time, the top portion of the petticoat, which is separate, was removed. Once all this was done, the boom was moved to the front of the smoke box and reattached to the petticoat which was lifted out of the smoke box and stored.

+++++++++++++++++

The bottom of the smoke box was cleaned up. This was done so that junk would not fall down the opening once the blower nozzle was removed. Again, the boom on Glenn's truck did the job nicely and we stored the blower. A wooden cover was made for the hole in the floor of the smokebox so no one would put his foot in it or drop tools down it. In front of the tube sheet were three sections of metal plate acting as a baffle, to protect the superheaters from cinders. Once again, it was determined that cutting the nuts off would make the job a lot easier. Once this was done the sheets were removed, tagged, and stored. Work then began a numbering the superheaters so they can be removed for testing.

+++++++++++++++++++++

While all this was going on, Cameron and Phil removed the brick from the firebox of the 1630. The bricks were taken to a boxcar for safekeeping.

++++++++++++++++++++++

In the coming weeks, we must remove the lagging and jewelry items form the 1630. We are a few weeks away form pulling tubes. Work will also restart on removing rivets and staybolts form the portion of the firebox that must be repaired.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Work also was done on the Shay since not everyone could work on the 1630. The plan is to remove the trucks so new springs can be put on them. Mike and Jim separated the u-joint between the water tender and coal bunker. Bob G. crawled between the two and disconnected the draw bar and brake rigging. An attempt was made to separate the tender from the engine, but it wouldn't budge. At this time, we are looking at ideas to accomplish this. Next week, the u-joint at the front of the locomotive will also be taken apart.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

In addition, Bob R. and Stu continued working on the brake rigging for the Lackawana car. This task, of course, done at the request of the Passenger Department. A fine example what can be accomplished with inter departmental cooperation.

NOTE: Sorry for the odd formatting but I must have made this entry ten times and for an unknown reason the software will not accept carriage returns or formatting for paragraphs.

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Comments

Ethan Armitage about A brief history of 9976
Mon, 09-08-2025 08:22
Good job on the Burlington Nortern 9976. OK.

Jamie Kolanowski about New Acquisation: What is CN 15444?
Tue, 08-12-2025 12:56
No new news that I have heard of thus far.

Jamie Kolanowski about Burlington Northern 9908 body work
Tue, 08-12-2025 12:53
I'll also be doing another update on it soon. Keep en eye out for that.

Jamie Kolanowski about Burlington Northern 9908 body work
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 [...]

Johncrpenter about New Acquisation: What is CN 15444?
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

Lincoln Strickland about New Acquisation: What is CN 15444?
Sat, 07-19-2025 18:56
Yeah, sadly it's still there as of 7/19/2025

Nick about Burlington Northern 9908 body work
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 [...]

Steve Smedley about Milwaukee Road 33C update 3/23/2020
Wed, 04-09-2025 17:40
Jamie Thanks for the update. She's gonna shine like every thing else you guys do! Smeds

James Kolanowski about Diesel Shop update 3/5/2025
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.

Joe S about Diesel Shop update 3/5/2025
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?

James Kolanowski about Milwaukee Road 33C update
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 [...]

AJ about Milwaukee Road 33C update
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...