Work Session Status Week Ending 02/07/2015

February 10, 2015

We have had unusually warm temperatures at the site the past week. Gail and I are still recovering from a case of the crud.

The on-going projects continued this week, including superheater piping, airbrake control arm pins and bushings and replacing bolts which support the wrapper sheets. Several of these bolts were lost when the side sheet repairs were done. Bolt replacement will continue this week which will officially complete the side patch(s) replacements.

On Wednesday the final 3 1/2″ boiler flues were cut to length and were ready to be installed.

Our local FRA inspector was on site Wednesday for about two hours. He looked at much of our supporting documents, welder certifications and material data sheets. He also looked around in both the smoke box and firebox. Most importantly he performed an internal boiler inspection of the un-stayed area giving us the green light to continue installing the tubes and flues.

On Saturday the crew began installing the remaining 150 +/- tubes and flues.

Tentative plans are for Welch’s Boiler Service to begin rolling the tubes and flues next Monday. Thanks to everyone who has supported the project financially. Without your help we would not have seen those flues go in Saturday.

Our internet company keeps track of all the visits to our site and provides us information about those visits. Just this past month 237,520 folks visited the site. Wouldn’t it be nice if each one of these persons donated at least $1.00 or more we would have enough funds to finish the locomotive and build a 130′ long metal shelter for it. Better yet I would hope they could become a member.

Hope to see you all this week, and as always . . .

Keep on Steamin’,
Rick Kirby, CMO
NMSL&RHS