Yesterday, we did a test hydro on the 1630. We quickly discovered there are a lot of items on the locomotive that need to be tightened and lapped on the locomotive. This test took up the entire day. In addition, the diamond plate deck was put on the tender of the 428 and bolted down.
Today, Bob worked on the hoses that go between the tender and locomotive of the 1630. Mike and Jim spent the day lapping valves that go on the 1630.
Bob and Jim worked in the shop today putting the plugs into the 1630’s boiler so it can be given a hydro test. It took four hours to put 20 plugs back into the boiler. Part of the reason was that not all the shafts on the plugs were the same size so the right size sockets had to be found for some of the plugs. They also had to grind some shafts that had been banged up and would not fit the sockets properly.
After this they removed some of the piping from the 428 that is used for hydro tests. One piece was put in place and the rest should be in place on Saturday.
Saturday the missing brake shoes were put in place on the driving wheels of the 1630. We also removed the caps for the fire box arch tubes and cleaned the threads. We did the same to the fittings on the locomotive.
The major event of the day was the moving of the 1630 from the south end of the steam shop to the north end. To do this, several other cars had to be moved, and the 428 had to be moved out of the shop. By the end of the day, the Shay was sitting at the south end of the shop with the 428 in the middle of the shop. The 1630 is now in position to have a hydro test. Before this will be done we must put the insulation back on the engine which was removed. We also must make sure all valves are in working order.
Today, everyone in the shop concentrated on one thing. Since so many Steam Team members were involved in the work, I apologize for not naming everyone.
The one goal we had today was getting the rear driving wheels back on the 1630. Glen, Nigel, Rick, Ralph, and Jim arrived early. They were soon joined by Matt. They removed the cover from the drop pit. Rick and Stu prepared the table for use. It was discover one of the power cables for one of the table’s controllers had been chewed on by a critter. Stu and Glen spliced the cable and the table was ready for use. Rick made sure everything that needed to be oil and greased was oiled and greased.
The 1630 was rolled over the drop pit. The crew that moved the locomotive was Ed, Ralph, Nigel, and Matt. After the locomtive was in position, the table was lowered and moved to the west side of the pit so the wheel set could be put on it. Ralph, using the fork lift, positioned the wheels over the table. Rick, Matt, Curt, and Jim guided the wheel set onto the table. Nigel, using the crane, positioned the wheels so that they could be put under the locomotive in the correct location.
After the wheels were under the engine, Ralph, Curt, Matt, and Jason worked to get the shims for the boxes to fit. Everything was bolted back into position. We next attached the driving rod to the fourth and fifth wheels on the fireman’s side. After that, Jason and Matt put the ashpan rigging together under the locomotive and then put the brake rigging together. At 7:47, the 1630 was moved, so that the driving rod on the engineer’s side could be attached. This was the first time it was moved with all its driving wheels on in almost three years!
We discovered that the two driving wheels were a little too close to attach the rod, so with some adjustments, the rod finally was attached at 8:16. The brake shoes still need to be attached, but since everyone had put in days of 10 to 12 hours, we decided to call it a night. The 1630 was put back in the shop and the brake shoes will be put on next weekend. The covers were put back on the pit and we called it a night.
After everything we need to do to the locomotive is done, we will hydro it. Then, when we are satisfied with the engine, we will do another hydro for the FRA.
One last thing that should be mentioned is that Bill Chyna stopped by and gave us his support.
Saturday, the big event was moving the Shay from the Steam Shop into Barn 9. This was done because the Shay has no front coupler and must be out of the way when the 1630 is moved. The coupler was removed as part of the restoration project. Ralph ran the crane with a ground crew of Nigel, Bob, Matt and Ed. Collin made sure that visitors were out of the way during the move. The move will allow us to put the 1630 over the drop pit to put the rear drivers back on the locomotive.
Tami and Rick worked at cleaning up, priming and painting rigging which had been removed from the 1630. This way it will be ready to put back on the locomotive.
Dennis did a good amount of work. He welded lifting tabs onto the bottom patch sheet for the smoke box of the Shay. This way it will be ready to be lifted into place, for measurements, when the locomotive is brought back into the shop. He is also fabricating new metal sheets for the 428’s tender steps. The tender’s platform was actually an inch lower than the deck of the cab of the 428. During the rebuild of the tender, additional medal plating was added to the floor braces to even out the floor. This means the fireman will have an easier time throwing coal. This resulted in metal panels, that hold the stairs onto the tender, being an inch lower than the rest of the platform.
Stu and Jim fit the brass shims onto the boxes that go on the frame of the 1630. Afterwards, they number each shim. Later in the day, the boxes were put on the axle of the driver wheels to see if they fit with any problems. There were none.
Glen continued putting the engine for the Bay City Crane together. To finish his work, he welded up an frame to put the engine into.
If we can get everyone out on the same day, it would appear the next step is to put the wheels back on the 1630.
Due to the heat, everyone was gone by 7:30 in the evening.
Many things were accomplished in the steam department on Saturday.
Tami and Jim finished painting the frame of the 1630. Tami also finished painting the bottom of the firebox. Jim also touched up the boxes containing the brasses for the 1630.
Nigel and Jim straightened one of the pins that hold the grease boxes in place. Trevor and Sean cleaned the grease boxes and primed them. They also worked on cleaning and priming break hangers. Nigel also began to cut rectangle shaped blocks of grease for the grease boxes.
Dennis put on the drive boxes and welded square plates to them as retainers. He also welded the front rib, which holds the smoke box door on, back onto the Shay so that the bottom patch for the smoke box can be fitted and later riveted into place. The plate being used for the patch still needs to be cut to the correct shape and welded onto the locomotive.
Bob and Bruce made a great deal of progress on the water softner. Bob later needed chipped and cleaned up rods for the 1630’s ashpan.
Terry & Stu began to clean junk off the track that runs through the shop so we can move the locomotives. Stu also rounded off the edges of the grease groves on the brasses.
One of the spring equalizers was put back onto the 1630.
The next step is to fit the boxes onto the axle of the rear driving wheels of the 1630. This needs to be done so that we don’t have any “surprises” while putting the wheels back on the locomotive. It appears that putting the wheels on the 1630 will take place in a few weeks.
We had a smaller crew out on Saturday, but things still got done.
Bob and Bruce worked in the boxcar to re-pipe the water softner. When they stopped, most of the work still had to be done.
Brian, Bob, Tami, and Jim painted the frame of the 1630. Some addtional painting still has to be done, but it is approaching the point of reinstalling the equalizer beams. Once this is done, the locomotive should be pulled over the pit so that the rear driving wheels can be put on the locomotive.
Nigel’s son, Mike, and his girlfriend, painted the boxes for the 1630. Some additional painting will still need to be done.
Dennis did not come out, so no welding was done on the Shay.
Glenn continued his work to rebuild the engine for the Bay City Crane.
Nigel, Ralph, Vince, and Ed took the cover off the drop pit to see how it was. Everything was in good condition and appears to be ready for use
Turn out was light in the shop today. Jerry and Lenny came to the shop. Lenny did some touch up welding on the tube sheet patch.
Jeff and Jim opened the east door of the boxcar that houses the pump that is used for the steam lead. After removing the boxes of wood and putting them on pallets, with the help of Buildings & Grounds Department the new water pump was put into the car. This was done by Bill, Bob, and Ralph.
Tammy continued the endless job of painting the brackets that will hold the 428’s jacket on its boiler. She also filed the shoes and wedges removing any burs.
Ralph, Jeff, and Jim fit the shoes and wedges onto the frame of the 1630. The shoes went on without a problem, but Ralph and Jim ground the frame so that the wedges fit snug but could slide over the frame.
Bob, Bill, and Ralph drilled rivet holes into the metal rib for the smoke box of the Shay. Some additional work still needs to be done on the rib.
Rick contiuned his work of smoothing out the areas that were patched on the 1630’s tender.
Glen and his grandson continued their work on rebuilding the engine of the crane truck by honing cylinders.
Frisco 1630: The last of the machining work is being completed on this locomotive’s running gear overhaul. The crown brasses of both boxes have been machines to their final diameter and grease groves are being cut into them with a die grinder by Stu. Brian and I put one of the driving boxes on the Bullard Turret Lathe to allow for the final machining work on the hub liners and facing of the crown brass. This is the last task before re-installing them on the axle and putting it all back under the locomotive.
Bill and Tom are working on machining the shoes and wedges and they too are getting very close to the final dimensions. Grease groves remain to be cut into them, and a special machine too has been acquired to complete this task on the Bridgeport Milling Machine. There are a few other small tasks to complete on the driving boxes, shoes, and wedges but hopefully within the next couple weeks all of them will be completed. This would allow us to begin placing the rear axle back under the locomotive in time for operation this summer.
Jason worked on drilling out some of the last remaining stay bolts in the firebox and once this is complete, a hydrostatic boiler test will be preformed to double check the quality of the boiler. This is required as part of the annual maintenance of the engine and will be preformed twice annually: Once for the department to check if there are any problems to fix prior to the test being preformed again under supervision of the FRA inspector.
Dennis and Rick have been working on the tender patch work to return this tender to service. Dennis has completed all the welding on the various patches and holes and Rick has been working with an angle grinder and body filler to make the weld work seamless. The body work will be completed and then Brian will paint the bottom portion of the tender sides to complete the maintenance work on the tank.
All this work will be inspected by the FRA and pending approval of the running gear work and a successful hydrostatic boiler test the locomotive will be returned to service. We are hoping to return it to service this season, but there are still many unknown variables that may prevent this from occurring.
Stop by the shop and keep checking back for updates on this project and the operation of steam at IRM.
All Photos Matthew Dowd
The last two weekends saw work done on a number of the locomotives. Last week, Lenny and Jerry visited the shop so, that Lenny could weld the patch into the front tube sheet of the Shay. Lenny is a certified boiler welder. Riveting also has been done to the patch. Nigel, Bob M., Ralph, Collen and Trevor continued riveting the sheet yesterday.
Last week Stu and Jim began the process of cutting grease channels into the boxes for the 1630. This work was also continued yesterday. Dennis came out and grinded down his welding on the tender of the 1630. For those who are unaware, a section about fifteen feet long, on the engineer’s side had been cutout because it was leaking. Dennis continued to weld the patches.
Bob G. worked on marking sections of the drive shaft of the Shay last week. At some point in the future, the shaft will be taken apart so that its front truck can be removed to have new springs put in it. The front of the Shay will be lifted to remove the truck. A department has been fabricated a beam to do this.
Bill continued the process of milling down the wedges for the 1630. It would appear that this job is in its final stages.