Author Archives: Jeffrey Lentz

C&NW 1385: Grate Little Follow-up

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Our update of November ’21 covered what was going on with the grate installation inside the firebox. Here we will tie things up and cover the shaker mechanism & linkages. The shaker fulcrums are attached low on the backhead of the boiler near the mud ring. The cardboard over the firedoor hole is a mock-up for a needed spacer to allow mounting the firedoor over the staybolt ends. Detail on why is included below.

Firedoor spacer plate template.

The shaker handle is slipped over the short stub controlling the section of grates to be shaken and the latch is released to allow the work to begin. The shaker rods reach under the boiler and connect to the tabs on the bottom of the grates in groups.

Grate shaker fulcrums.
Grate shaker linkages.
Firebox grates and grate shaker connections.

Because we are dealing with a new boiler of welded construction modifications are having to be developed and implemented. In the new boiler the welded staybolts stand out from the surface where the original construction used threaded stays which were hammered over during installation and resulted in an almost smooth backhead as seen in this shot from 2004.

C&NW’s old boiler with smooth backhead. 2004 photo.

A spacer plate has been machined in order to give a smooth mounting surface for the fulcrums and you can also see new pins and latches have been fabricated. In the last shot we can see the grate shaker system fully installed and ready for the first fire.

Detail of spacer plate for grate shaker fulcrum.
Fully installed grate shaker system painted and ready for use.

April 2022 Volunteer Opportunities

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Mid-Continent Railway Museum is made possible by its volunteers. In 2021, over 50 volunteers combined for over 5,000 hours of volunteering. Join us in helping to preserve and share railroad history through the operation of our vintage railroad rides and display of our nationally-acclaimed collection of railcars, locomotives, and railroad equipment.

Use the button to sign up to participate in one or more of the following upcoming volunteer sessions. Museum membership is not required to volunteer in most areas.

SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER or REQUEST MORE INFORMATION

Restoration Department Work Session

Volunteer tasks are available on all our active projects (East Jordan combine, DULUTH sleeper, Soo caboose and LS&I #64 coach. Stop in and give us a day. We have all types of tasks with many that do not require climbing or lifting. All help is greatly appreciated.

Meeting Time/Date: April 20-24. Work starts around 9 AM each morning except on the first day which has a later start time.

Location: Mid-Continent’s Car Shop Building

Project Contact: Bill Buhrmaster, Restoration Dept. Manager

Mechanical Department – C&NW #1385 Tender Project

The focus of the work session will be to jack up the tender one end at a time and inspect the roller bearings. We will also make adjustments to the bolster plates on the tender frame as needed.

Meeting Time/Date: April 23-24 starting at 9 AM

Location: Mid-Continent’s Engine House Building

Project Contact: Ed Ripp, General Foreman of Steam Power

Mechanical Department – Passenger Car Fleet Maintenance

Car wash time! Assist with washing a couple of the museum’s passenger cars to help them look sharp. Will also be cleaning the car interiors, washing car windows, and repainting a car roof.

Meeting Time/Date: April 30-May 1 from 9 AM to 5 PM

Location: Lackawanna railcars (next to museum depot)

Project Contact: Richard Colby, General Foreman of Rolling Stock

Buildings & Grounds Department

Help prepare the museum property for reopening to the public. Tasks include clearing branches, lawn repair, light tree pruning, setting up garbage cans, picnic tables, sweeping floors, window washing, etc.

Meeting Time/Date: April 30-May 1 from 9 AM to 5 PM

Location: Mid-Continent’s Depot/Office Area

Project Contact: Andy Spinelli, Superintendent of Buildings & Grounds

D&R #9 Leaders’ Recon

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Update by Jason Reiman

Fletch and his crew survived winter, and did not waste any time as a small group of us met this last Monday, March 21.  Sadly, Fletch was not able to join us on this day, as he was in school.  As you know, meeting during a weekday is not when we normally work on the #9, but we took this time off to be able to conduct what we dubbed a “leader meeting” or “leaders’ recon”.  Those of you with a military background are probably familiar with this concept.  After the winter season, we wanted to check the current condition of the #9, and for the most part she looked good.  A couple of the lighter tarps had partially blown off, but all in all she was intact and still hibernating well.  After we felt the #9 was looking good, we started brainstorming our first phases of 2022.  We re-affirmed our first priority of this year will be to get the loco staged for what could be her first coat of paint.  With that comes move requests, coordination with painters, volunteer sessions, and watching the weather. We left that day with a good “To-Do” list, and once we solidify some volunteer sessions, we will let you know.

D&R #9. March 21, 2022. Jason Reiman photo.
D&R #9. March 21, 2022. Jason Reiman photo.
D&R #9. March 21, 2022. Jason Reiman photo.
D&R #9. March 21, 2022. Jason Reiman photo.
Steve P. and Frank F. assess the D&R #9. Jason Reiman photo.

DULUTH Sleeping Car Receives $15,000 Grant

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We are very pleased to announce that Mid-Continent Railway Museum has received a $15,000 grant from the John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust (ERHT) for use on Mid-Continent’s Duluth South Shore & Atlantic sleeping car “DULUTH”.

The DULUTH was built in 1902 by the Barney & Smith Car Company. The 10-section sleeping car operated daily on the DSS&A’s passenger train between Sault Ste. Marie, MI and Duluth, MN until 1934. After the car was taken out of service it was sold to a private resident of Laurium, MI and it spent the next 81 years as a summer cabin on the shore of Lake Superior. In 2015 the car was donated to MCRM and in 2016 the DULUTH was moved to the MCRM, where restoration work began to return the car to its original configuration and operating condition. For additional historical information, see the DULUTH’s Roster Page.

Much work has been done to date to restore the car. To date, volunteers and employees have dedicated a combined 3,200+ hours working on the DULUTH. This 2022 grant from the ERHT will enable MCRM to focus on the sleeping compartment, making new stained glass windows and performing some exterior work. Once this phase is completed, restoration of the car’s other interior sections, seat upholstery, carpeting and the exterior restoration will take place as separate phases of the whole project.

This is the second grant the John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust has awarded to the DULUTH project. The Trust previously awarded $9,000 for the DULUTH in 2018 and has supported other museum projects as well, including the C&NW #1385 steam locomotive and the museum’s DL&W #595 coach car. Mid-Continent Railway Museum sincerely thanks the John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust for their most generous grant.

About the John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust:

The John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust was created by John Emery, a native of Chicago, and a lover of the classic passenger trains of America. The Trust was founded as a way to support Mr. Emery’s interests in the passenger trains of the 1920s through the 1950s. The Trust operates as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) foundation

Volunteer Kathy removes decorated trim pieces from the DULUTH sleeping car’s arched windows. William Buhrmaster photo.
Volunteer Nancy removes trim pieces from the DULUTH sleeping car’s windows. William Buhrmaster photo.
Stu pulles wires for the berth lamps in the DULUTH’s sleeping compartment. February 20, 2022. William Buhrmaster photo.
March 17, 2022 progress photo showing stripping the interior finish off the DULUTH sleeping car’s walls. Stripping of the entire interior is 90% complete. William Buhrmaster photo.
Progress photo taken March 17, 2022 showing stripping of the DULUTH sleeping car’s interior woodwork. William Buhrmaster photo.

EJ&S #2 2021 Year-End Restoration Update

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Update by Peter Becker

We had a productive year working on the East Jordan & Southern No. 2 in 2021.

Exterior Work

The year started out with Owen making a new lettering stencil for the car so he will be ready to letter the car when the time is right.

East Jordan & Southern #2 stencil.

A lot of time was spent cleaning up the trucks and truss rods.  They were then primed and painted.  We ran out of warm weather so there is some painting left to be done.  Also under the car, the north end draft gear was put back together with new spring followers, the plates that transfer force from the draw bar to the car body.

EJ&S #2 truck and truss rod.
Un-rusted new spring followers mounted in draft gear.

All four platform steps are now functional.  This required everything from a complete rebuilt for the southeast step to straightening the metal side of the northeast step to simply replacing the treads of the southwest step.

Straightened and repainted northeast steps.

The platform deck boards were replaced also.  The work required the removal of the door thresholds and some repair around them.  On the south end this also required repair of the rotten platform sill.

New platform deck boards.

Repair work on the sound deafening ceiling, the boards attached to the underside of the car body frame, was started.  The deafening ceiling was partially removed in the past to facilitate repair work so it is now piece work to fit replacement boards in.

Under-car deafening ceiling.

Other exterior work included fastening the lower roof drip rail in place, repairing the south end canopy, straightening the north platform hand rail and installing a hand brake shaft and wheel on the south end platform.  An additional post for the south end hand rail was also found and installed.  The following two photos show the south platform with the roof drip rail, the new wood on the canopy corners and the installed brake wheel and hand rail post.

EJ&S #2 southeast corner.
EJ&S #2 south end.

Interior Work

The project last winter was to clean the clerestory windows and mount them in new sash that was built some time ago.  There are 30 windows and 28 are now done.  Two stained glass panes are missing which is delaying completion of the final 2 windows.  There are 2 patterns of glass which are shown here in new sash.

One of two clerestory window patterns.
One of two clerestory window patterns.

Most of the interior work this year was stripping paint and removal of the headliner sheet metal. The next two pictures show the current state of the interior.  The plan is to repaint the baggage section in the reddish color and the passenger section will be stained and varnished.

Wood revealed after stripping paint.
In this picture, you can see the truss plank cap and the lower wainscot board were installed.

Finally, the original examination of the car interior found evidence that the partition between the baggage section and the passenger section was 6 windows from the north end of the car.  In the process of stripping paint we realized the partition was originally next to the baggage door.  Since we plan to use the original partition location, additional coach seats are needed.  We ordered 5 mores sets of cast iron seat parts and they finally arrived just after Christmas.

Peter Becker holds up new cast iron seat parts which arrived at the end of 2021.

All this work was accomplished by Dave M., Owen H., Jeff H., Jim B., Bill B., Dave W., Tom B., Richard P. and I am sure a few others that I am sorry to miss. Thanks for the help.