Bob and Dave have built a crane to lift and position the front tube sheet for the WC&C #1. We test drove the crane last week.
Welding on the rear sheet continues as well as work on the frame and running gear. During Snow Train™ weekend, riveting the mud ring was started.
Work this weekend included installing 8 rivets in the WC&C #1 fire box patch. Friday afternoon and Saturday morning was spent in preparation. A backer plate was fabricated. Then a test plate with 4 holes was formed and used to determine the rivet length needed. All the tools were lined up and test hole riveted. Testing went perfect and all 8 rivets in the patch were installed in an hour and 15 minutes.
Rivet crew of five; Bob Ristow, Pete Deets, Roger Hugg, Ed Ripp and
Jim Connor.
Pictures show Pete Deets welding on the backer plate. Pete and Bob Ristow reaming rivet holes. Ed Ripp running the rivet gun. Completed patch with 8 rivets installed. The patch will be welded in place in the near future. Also a picture of Bob’s progress on the boiler check valves.
–Jim Connor
Some progress finally to report. Jim Connor took some photos and hopefully will forward them to you. Lund Machine and Tool arrived Monday after noon. Work started immediately on the firebox replacement pieces. The old sheet pieces were removed in the area of the new rear tube sheet, a 1/2″ thick plate with the keyhole shape was fitted into place. The engineers rear corner patch was fabbed and is ready for 9 rivets. The front tube sheet was removed.
The swing links for the front truck have new bushings installed and work continues on disassembling and inspection.
–Bob Ristow
Photos by Jim Connor.
New member Randy Way, Jim Connor, and Bob Ristow where able to set up the dome surfacing machine enabling truing of the gasket surface. Mark Jones joined Bob on Sunday, the ‘cut’ on the dome was dressed up and a ‘new’ storage box was built for the surfacing machine. The new box is about 3/4 the size of the old one and will facilitate storage since it can now fit thru a door. Several front tube sheet rivets were drilled in preparation for removal.
–Bob Ristow
Jim Connor photos.
Last weekend was another sucessfull riveting party! Over 40 rivets were installed completing all three barrel patch riveting projects. Only 3 of the 200 rivets installed over Spring Fling had to be replaced! Not bad for a bunch of rookies.
In addition, much work was completed on the DL&W combine #425. The truck and bolster were readied for installing back under the combine. Center plate and draft gear framing was repaired. The truck was actually rolled under the car on Monday, Tuesday work continued to repair the center sill/draft gear superstructure. It is anticipated that the car will be finished by this weekend.
Thanks to all who assisted in the above projects…your efforts do not go un-noticed.
May 22, Jeff Lund will return to finish the installation of the rear tube sheet. This will leave only the front tube sheet and rear firebox corner to require TLC by the welder.
Stay tuned for additional info and project updates…. “We can do this!”
–Bob Ristow