IRM Steam Team

IRM Steam Team BENEFIT at Sanfilippo Estate

Sanfilippo Estate as seen on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight:

IRM Steam Team Benefit at Sanfilippo Estate on Saturday, June 25, 2011

Doors to the Sanfilippo Estate open at 5:00 p.m.. Once inside, you are free to roam through the Estate to see and hear the marvelous collection of mechanical musical instruments. Docents will be in the various rooms of the Estate to play the musical instruments for your enjoyment. Throughout the evening there will also be engineers available on the lower level of the theatre room to demonstrate the various steam engines (using compressed air). At 6:45 p.m. the docents will start to gather everyone into the theatre room for the remaining events of the evening.

The featured organist will be Dave Calendine. Dave currently holds the position of Staff Organist for Detroit’s fabulous Fox Theatre, holding that position for 20 years now. He has also played nine years for the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular, featuring the world-famous Rockettes. Dave is also one of several organists regularly invited to play for special events at the Sanfilippo Estate.

Get tickets at http://www.irm.org/events/steamdeptbenefit.html

Shop Update 4/2/11

Most of the members in the shop worked to ready the 1630 for its inspection by the FRA inspector.  The locomotive passed its hydo today.  The reality is that we are weeks away from having the FRA inspector out for tests.  We still hope to have the locomotive in service this summer.

Dennis continued to make welding and work tables for the shop.  Glenn also, with Bob’s help, continued to rebuild the engine of our compressor.

Shop Update 3/7/11

Everyone in the shop was focused on getting the 1630 ready for its final testing.  The reality is final testing of the locomotive for operation will not take place until May.  At this time, many things still need to be done to the locomotive, and the plugs still need to be put back on the locomotive.

Shop Update 2/12/11

Yes. It’s been awhile, but I had knee surgery and could not come out to the steam shop.

Over the last several weekends a great deal of work has been done on the 428.  The second and third driving wheels were removed.  A video of this was posted on Youtube. The engine, like the 1630 has too much side play in the drivers.  After the two wheel sets were removed, it was easy to see that when the fourth wheel set is put back on the thrid set will need to be taken off and repaired.  New brasses are going to have to be milled for each box.  Right now, we own the largest 0-4-0 in the country!

The side panels on the tender of the 428 were put back on the tender.  Once this was done, the ladders were attached.  In addition the walkway along the tender is being made level.  The wheels and boxes for the wheel sets were also cleaned.

Turnout yesterday was light, but the work continued to be done to clean up the frame of the engine where the brasses fit onto the engine.

The plan is to bring the 1630 into the shop to work on its compressor so it can run this summer.

Shop Update 10/16/10

Yesterday, the steam team got out to the museum early to put a fire in the 1630. This was done so the the FRA inspector could do a stationary inspection.  The inspector wanted to see all three of the safety valves go off on the locomotive.  The good news was that the engine passed this test.

The bad news is that the inspector wanted us to do an orifice test on the air compressor. This was impossible because, after sitting for over five years, a valve on the air compressor appears to be hanging up, preventing it from building any pressure.  This means that the compressor cannot make the air pressure needed to operate a train’s airbrakes.

Shop Update 10/2/10

Yesterday, the insulation and missing pieces of the jacket were put back on the 1630.  The jacket bans were also tightened.  In addition, the locomotives whistle was also put back on the engine.  Valves inside the cab were tightened.  The rods were both hard greased and soft greased.  The rods were also wiped down. Oil was also added to the tender’s boxes.

Work also continued on the 428. The ladders that attach to the tender are being fixed.  One rung was replaced as well as straigntening each one out so that they fit flush to the tender.

The FRA inspector wants to go inside the boilers of both the 1630 and 428.  Since he is the FRA, he has the right to do this.  Due to OHSA rules, a second inspector must be present for safety reasons.

Shop Update: 9/28/10

Last weekend work was done to ready both the 1630 and the 428 for boiler inspections by the FRA inspector.  Due to OSHA rules, two inspectors must be present for the inspection to take place.

Last Thursday, 9/23/10 another hydrostatic was done on the 1630 for the FRA inspector.  The locomotive passed.

Shop Update 9/11/10

The FRA Inspector was out on Saturday for hydrostatic tests on the 1630 and the 428.  The good news is that the 428 passed its test.  The bad news is that the 1630 failed.  The inspector listed the things that must be fixed on the locomotive.  Once these issues have been corrected, he is willing to return for another hydro.

Dennis continued his work on welding and manufacturing new metal sides that hold the ladders onto the tender of the 428.  Pipes, for the 1630,  also were wrapped with an insulation by shop members.

Shop Update 9/4/10

Due to the holiday weekend, there was a light turnout in the shop.  The only major event of the day was that another hydro was done on the 428.  Some tightening of plugs appeared to solve many leaks.  For all who are interested, the FRA inspector will be at the museum next Saturday to watch the 1630 be hydroed.  If all goes well, and he is satisfied, he can give the approval to run the locomotive.

Shop Update 8/28/10

Today the members of the steam shop accomplish a number of things.  The brakes on the 1630 were tested and passed without incident.  Sand also was put into the sanddome of the locomotive.  The frame of the screen that goes into the smoke box of the 1630 was rebuilt and reinstalled.  Gaskets for some of the water lines on the 1630 were manufactured and installed.  Other parts for the locomotive were wired brushed and primed.

A hydro was also done on the 428.  One observation made by the steam team members was that the locomotive retains pressure extremely well.  During the hydro, drain plugs and valves were tightened.  We hope to have a FRA inspection on the 1630 in the next few weeks.  While the inspector is at IRM, we would also like him to watch a hydro test of the 428. 

Work continued on rebuilding the engine of the Bay City crane.  It appears much of the major work to put the motor together is done.