IRM Steam Team

Shop Update 11/07/09

Shop Update 11/07:

Despite the lack of updates in the last couple months, much has been happening in the Steam Shop. Frisco 1630, the Shay and UP 428 have all been receiving attention along with many other items in the shop.

The Decapod: 1630 has been the primary focus of the department and required work is nearing completion to allow for operation next year. Bruce has been machining the inside diameter of the crown brass for the second driving box along with the excess crown brass stock off the first one to final dimensions. Grease groves remain to be cut in the boxes and this will be done in the near future.

One of the drving boxes nearing completion

Bill, Ralph, and Tom have been using both shapers to machine the new shoes and wedges to the required specifications. These too are nearing completion and should allow us to begin re-assembling the locomotive within the coming months.

Bill mans one of the two shapers being used to mill the shoes and wedges.

After months of welding and grinding by Dennis the tender is now almost water tight with only one remaining leak to patch up. Once this last leak is patched, work can begin on prepping the tender for paint. The prep work will be completed this winter, but final paint work may have to wait until the weather warms up in spring to allow us to paint again. Our resident artist Brian has been busy tracing the numbers and formulating a plan for painting 1630’s tender.

Brian painting a pattern from the McCabe Flanger

The final firebox work is being completed after the entire fire surface was rebuilt and renewed. A new heel will be installed on the butterfly door casting and the new ash pan doors will be installed after the fifth driving axle has been put back in place. Ultrasonic testing of the arch tubes were completed by Jim, Brian and myself and testing of the siphon will be completed next week.

Ultrasounding of the Arch tubes being done by your friendly steam department blogger himself!

UP 428: The water was emptied after the steam test and the leaking water glass fittings and check valves have been removed for repair. Once these issues have been addressed, another hydrostatic boiler test may occur this year to satisfy the FRA inspector prior to beginning the process of installing insulation and lagging.

Bob, Nigel and I worked last weekend to separate the two halves of the cross compound air pump from 428 to allow for honing of the inner walls of the cylinders by an outside contractor. The components were placed on pallets and will be shipped out for work in the coming months.

The Shay: Nigel, Colin, Rick and others have been picking away at the #5’s firebox and smoke box and progress has been made on both fronts. We are working with the FRA inspector and the licensed welder who will weld the tube sheet patch in place to insure compliance with all rules and regulations as this is a major project necessary to the restoration of this engine. Our welding guru Dennis has been hard at work and has donated time, materials, and tools to construct a bucking jig for the required riveting of the smoke box and tube sheet. The never ending process of deciphering the mess of stay bolts in the firebox continues without any end in sight. With every day progress is made thanks to the hard work being done by this crew to ensure that this engine will operate again some day at IRM.

Along with all these ongoing projects, the Bay City crane, Brownhoist crane, and the Koring crane all received maintenance work this weekend. Ralph, Nigel, Rick, and others oiled cables, exercised machinery and installed lighting on these various lifting tools necessary to the department and to the future operation of steam at IRM.

A rare night shot taken from the cab of the Brownhoist showing the newly installed lighting.

And of course Jim filled the pop machine and Tammy cleaned up some of the mess left outside the shop by patrons of the haunted train events of the past weeks. It’s these little things that so many volunteers do without any recognition that contribute to the success of our department and the people involved within it.

Thanks for reading and feel free to stop by the shop to see for yourself the progress being made on these projects and countless others by the IRM Steam Team.

Matt