Sorry this is coming out so late. But we will be having a volunteer session for the #9, tomorrow, Saturday, April 23, 2022. The start time will be 10 AM until complete. We will continue to knock out small tasks in preparation for the next phases of cosmetic restoration. I hope you can make it.
– Jason Reiman
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
