Work Session Status Week Ending 04/06/2014

April 7, 2014

Bob D. informs me we have expended more than 103,000 volunteer hours thus far on the 2926 restoration. Many of those hours have been spent repairing the firebox and it’s associated staybolts. Work is not yet complete so we are still removing old staybolt sleeves and welding on new ones. Some 30 flexible staybolts will require complete removal to replace their wasted sleeves which are beyond repair. This necessitates the removal of the staybolt heads inside the firebox. Most of these are located at the top of the boiler or near the top. Using a grinder overhead is hard work indeed.

Our in-house engineered hydraulic ram was put to use again this week as the new superheater piping was being expanded just a bit to accept the bifurcates. This work will continue for the next couple of work sessions.

Eight more new superheater pipes were welded on Saturday. Their bifurcates will be welded to them Wednesday. This crew at times amount to eight volunteers as boiler tubes are relocated from previous flue sheet holes to the next set and superheater assemblies are slid in place for final fit. $100.00 sponsorships are still available for these assemblies at our website or by mailing a check to our address on the website at www.2926.us.

Thread chasing for flexible staybolt sleeves continued this week as well as a bucket full of caps.

The conduit crew was busy finishing the conduit painting and assembly of various parts. Cab conduit installation should begin this week.

Hope to see everyone at the site this week, and as always . . .

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