Tag Archives: smokebox

January 2005 WC&C #1 Work Sessions

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January has turned out to have three work weekends this time around. The 15th was populated by myself (Pete Deets), Al Joyce, Chris (can’t remember your last name so please correct me), and Doug Crary.

This was in anticipation of the next weekend being too cold to work. Al continued with the stud work, Chris did a fantastic job of laying out the large hole and rivet and bolt holes on the smokebox liner.

On the 22nd and 23rd braving the cold were Kevin Riehl, Jim Connor, Kelly Bauman, Doug Klitzke, and Doug Crary. Jim Connor cleaned out the new smokebox and then he and Doug Crary found the center and laid in the liner. They also started drilling the pilot holes for the rivets. Kelly Bauman and Kevin Riehl laid out a gridwork on the firebox area to guide the ultrasonic thickness testing. Doug Klitzke used a hand grinder to clean off spots on the boiler shell where the readings would be taken.

The 29th and 30th have seen Kelly Bauman taking the ultrasonic readings, Doug Crary continue with drilling the smokebox and liner, and Rick Peters working on the drivers as well as giving direction on work to be done.

During the weekdays much has been going on also. Becker Boiler has been fitting the second course boiler patch and as of this writing is very nearly ready for welding. Dave Lee has also been working on drilling out and then threading repaired staybolt holes. The lower firebox area is beginning to look like a virtual porcupine with over sixty new staybolts sticking from freshly threaded holes as of this writing. The next steps will be to cut them to the proper length and hammer them home for a steam tight fit.

December 2004 WC&C #1 Progress Report

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Santa Express was a boost for MCRY all around! Not only did we have better ridership than last year but Santa loaned us a few elves for a week!! The work started off Nov. 26th with Head Elf Bob Ristow beginning the transformation of a pile of parts into a smokebox for the WC&C #1. Also up to help was Bob Jackson, Kelly Bauman, Ed Ripp, Jim Baker, Jim Busse and later on to include Doug Crary & Al Joyce.

One step was to lay out the spacing for the door ring studs on 2 half-circles of steel and then drill the holes. The holes will later be threaded and have studs inserted to hold the ring that then holds the smokebox door and engine number plate. Another step accomplished was to lay out the location for and cut the hole for the smokestack in a cylinder of steel that had been rolled and then tacked together. This cylinder forms the body of the smokebox.

There also was a hole laid out and cut for the inspection/cleanout hole on the fireman’s side. As the week progressed and with the aid of a tool loaned by Skip Lichter the two half-circles of steel for the door ring support were fitted to the inside edge of the front of the smokebox and then drilled for the rivets that will hold them in place. Two reinforcing plates or welts for the seam of the smokebox were fitted and then drilled for the rivets that will hold them in place and the smokebox in a circle.

The photos show the semi-finished product.

On the 4th we had additional help from Elf Eric. Sorry but I didn’t get a last name but would be glad to include it later. He helped Al Joyce with the continuing stud program and from Al’s words he’s welcome back any time. Doug Crary ran a welded driving box from the frame through the shaper. This is to give a smooth surface to the repaired face as well as cut the box to the proper dimension. In the photos you can see Doug attending to the machine and then the box at the end of the day. Some work needs yet to be done. The Christmas present of Bob Ristow all week long, Jim Baker for five days, and the others each weekend has been a huge boost on the project.

July 10-11, 2004 WC&C #1 Work Session

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The turnout was light for the July session. Rick Peters got at least one more binder fit up on the frame to facilitate alignment and also removed the engineer’s side piston from the rod so the piston can be built up and machined to proper size. Steve Seibel and Kelly Bauman helped get the steel frame under the smokebox and we made another step in getting the 2nd course patch fit in. It may seem slow but positive steps are being made all the time.