Work Session Status Week Ending 08/26/2017

August 28, 2017

Last week we removed the blast pipe for cleaning and inspection. None of the nuts were, to say the least, cooperating as they were subjected to the blue torch wrench for removal. If that wasn’t bad enough all the special shaped bolts were rust frozen in place. Hammers were used to unseat them from their 80​ plus year abode. Chisels and needle scalers had to be employed to remove the crud from under the mounting flange and make way for new on site fabricated bolts by Ron T.

It was a good thing we removed it since Dr. Mike discovered a 3″ stone down the line out of sight.

Thanks to Bob Kittel’s research the proper nomenclature for the backhead boiler plate was fabricated and installed this week. Thanks to Bob M. and his connections the plate was replicated as the original was removed sometime while in our city park.

Danny R. welded in the repair plates in the firebox floor. It now awaits the castable refractory workers to come in and pour both sides.

Ken D. and helpers are still bending the piping to the pilot reservoir connection.

Bob D. has begun the work of fabricating the remaining window frames.

Henry R. and gang found the photos in the computer showing the original blower ring “J” bolt fasteners, which most likely had to be cut off years ago. Two new ones have been fabricated with another yet to be done.

As a display only the original #8 brake stand has been cleaned, painted and placed on a skid along with a chair for folks to enjoy.

Attached you will find our Annual Open House flyer in an MS Word doc file, so those of you that have dinosaur equipment hopefully can open it and send it to family, friends, and anyone you can think of to come to this exciting event we have each year. They’ll get to see a lot of new things this year that we’ve completed. Even new lettering on the tender that’s the correct font!

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

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