Mechanical Department Update (April 13-14, 2024)

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We had a great work session this past weekend!   

On Saturday, the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western cars #425 and #557 as well as the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range caboose C-74 were jacked up to place lubricating discs in the bolster bowls – this is where the car body meets the trucks. TJ, Al J, Grant H, Ross S, Fred V, Nick V, Pete D and Colton T helped out with this task.  

A new 3 phase electric panel has been installed in Mid-Continent’s Machine Shop. Tom H and Bob D mounted the new 3 phase panel to accept the new feed from the Engine House panel. After the contractor ran the new feed, Tom and Bob made the connections to the circuits in the machine shop. As part of this work, a single-phase panel was installed. 

Dave W was working on throughout the weekend to create fixtures to assist with the eventual installation of tires on the Western Coal & Coke #1 steam locomotive’s front truck wheels.   

On Sunday, Greg W, Fred V, Adam C and Ed R performed an undercarriage inspection on MCRY #1256, Mid-Continent’s ex-Army locomotive that serves as the museum’s primary locomotive for operating demonstration train rides. The work included checking the traction motor support bearing sumps and wicks, traction motor brushes and checking for any other defects under the locomotive while it was over the pit.   

A crew led by Pete D of Grant H, Colton T, and Fred V disassembled the brake cylinder on DL&W #425 to clean and inspect the cylinder bore and piston packing cup.   

Tom H and Bob D took advantage of the #425 being in the shop. They worked on removing old wiring and damaged electrical conduit that ran from the electrical cabinet on the A-end of the car to the baggage end platform on the B-end of the car. They will be installing new pieces of conduit where needed in preparation for installation of new wire. 

The DL&W #557 coach car still needs to have its cylinder disassembled and inspected and a single car air brake test still needs to be performed on the #425, #557 and C-74 before the season begins.   

The DL&W #595 and #563 still need to be jacked up to have lubricating discs placed in the bolster bowls, have the brake cylinders disassembled/cleaned/inspected and a single car air brake test performed before the operating season begins.   

There will be work happening during the museum’s Spring Fling weekend, May 4 and 5. There may also be a work session before then. If you are interested in joining the ranks of Mechanical Department volunteers, please contact our office at inquiries@midcontinent.org or RSVP for the Spring Fling here: https://form.jotform.com/240655916920157  

Photos courtesy of Colton T.

Pete D and Grant H disassembling the brake rigging in preparation of disassembling the brake cylinder.
The #425 is being lifted with the jacks.  Al J is watching a level placed on the platform and is directing people at each jack to keep the car level as it is raised.
DL&W #425 The car has been lowered back onto the trucks.
Brackets for mounting the conduit to the car are being removed.  This will assist with the removal of the old wiring.
Light shines through the windows of the Engine House, highlighting C&NW #1385’s tender in the distance.
MCRY #1256 under the spotlight of sun rays in the Engine House.

Restoration Department Update

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The MCRM Restoration Department recently completed a three-day volunteer work session that was held on April 10th-12th. We had a good size crew given that it was held during the week. The volunteers that helped out for this session were Jack, Jerry F, Jerry M., Dean, Karl, Bob R., Richard P., Pete, Larry S., Owen, Tom B., Steve and Bill B. Thanks to this crew we got a lot of work performed and completed.

Following is a brief summary of the progress made during the session:

LS&I #64:

Work continued on cutting and fitting new wood for the exterior of the car. Karl trimmed up the new center window stops and installed them on the car. Bob R. primed all of the new battens for the windows. Jack and Jerry were working on cutting, fitting and installing new windowsills. Two windowsills remain to be cut and fit. They also installed one set of the new battens for the arched windows and sash. During the next session, work will continue on the windowsills and installing more of the window battens.

Bob priming the new battens.
Karl installing the center window stops.
Jack sanding the battens.
Jerry F. fitting one of the curved battens.
One window with all of the trim installed.

C&IM #90:

Jerry and Dean continued to install trim pieces and mahogany plywood in the north stateroom. The woodwork in the clerestory area is complete as well as the north and south walls in the north stateroom. Once additional mahogany plywood is purchased the east and west wall will be worked on. In the south stateroom, Steve roughed in the new wiring for the lighting and outlets for the room.

Jerry M and Dean installing trim pieces in the C&IM 90 south state room.

EJ&S #2:

Work continued in the passenger section of the car. Larry S. sanded the recently varnished woodwork while Owen worked on painting pieces of the clerestory trim (two colors). Owen and Bob teamed up to apply two coats of varnish on pieces of walnut trim during the session. Pete and Larry worked on cutting and planning pieces of poplar that will be used for making the seat back frames for the car. Plans call for moving the EJ&S #2 to the north end of the car shop so the car can be accessed easier for painting the exterior of the car. This move is scheduled to take place on April 20th.

Owen painting the trim pieces.
Bob varnishing the walnut trim pieces.

DULUTH:

Karl and Bill B worked in the DULUTH smoking room. They cut new headliner panels for the east and west sides as the old pieces were water damaged. Karl also started to remove the remnants of the partition that was embedded in the west wall where the swinging door was mounted.

Karl working in the DULUTH smoking room.

C&NW #1099:

Richard continued working on restoring and rebuilding the underframe of the narrow gauge combine. His work this year includes installing two new side sills, two new end body beams, two new body bolsters, one new intermediate sill and an all-new subfloor. During the session Richard and Larry S. worked on squaring up the frame in preparation to securing the flooring and side walls to the frame.

The latest progress on the #1099.

MISCELLANEOUS:

Bob installed the new springs on the National vestibule traps on the north end of the Badger #2 Fish car. The springs are part of a system that help lift the traps up, when opening, as well as prevents the traps from free falling when closing.

Larry T. is continuing to strip the old finish off the woodwork inside the GN A-22 “Hill” car. Larry is presently working in the state room and has also been working in the garage end of the car. He has been making good progress and he has been uncovering some beautiful mahogany along the way.

Newly installed spring on the Fish car trap.
Work progressing inside the garage end of the A-22 “Hill” car.

Upcoming work sessions include one on April 26, 27 and May 3, 4 and 5. The May 3-5 session is in conjunction with the “Spring Fling” event on May 4th. We’d really like to have a good turnout for the Spring Fling weekend as we have a number of projects that we need help with. You can register for the Spring Fling here: https://form.jotform.com/240655916920157

If you would like to help out in our restoration department, please reach out to the Mid-Continent office at 608-522-4261 or email inquiries@midcontinent.org.

Spring Fling Volunteer Work Session: May 4th Starting At 9:00 AM

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Join us for our Spring Fling 2024!

Mid-Continent Railway Museum could not operate without our volunteers, but sometimes showing up to volunteer with an organization for the first time can be intimidating. This is why Mid-Continent has planned a special day of volunteer activities to make getting started easy!

This volunteering day is open to everyone and to all ages. Whether you have volunteered with us in the past or this will be your first time, you are welcome to attend our Spring Fling volunteer day on May 4th as we work to ready the museum to reopen for the 2024 season the following weekend.

Starting at 9:00 AM, we will meet at the museum depot. There will be department heads from the museum’s programs there to explain what their department does and the types of volunteer opportunities available.

Once each department has spoken, you can choose which department(s) you are interested in and join them in a day of volunteering. You’ll have the chance to experience multiple departments over the course of a single day. Come stay for an hour, or two, or for the whole day! Don’t forget to wear your work clothes and bring your work gloves if you have them. Please RSVP by email (inquiries@midcontinent.org) or phone (608-522-4261) as soon as possible so we can get an accurate headcount for lunch. Hope to see you there!

Volunteer Opportunities Currently Available:

Restoration Department:

Join the Restoration Department in working on several projects, including cleaning, de-rusting, and painting portions of a 1906 Rock Island coach/baggage car; painting ceiling panels in a 1902 sleeping car; installing windows and trim on a 1910 coach car; moving stored items; and other assorted tasks.

Buildings & Grounds Department:

Join the Buildings & Grounds Department for a variety of tasks to make the property ready for visitors to keep the museum looking good. Projects include a spring cleaning of the museum’s public buildings: including sweeping, window washing, and painting our picnic pavilion building. Volunteers will also be clearing brush & trees from museum lands to help facilitate future expansion.

Engineering Department:

Engineering Department leaders may have work available sorting the museum’s inventory of tie plates and other on-track material.

Operating Department:

The Operating Department superintendent will briefly introduce the volunteer opportunities available to work as car attendants, trainman, conductor, fireman, and engineer and outline the training involved to attain those positions.

Other Departments may be represented as well as the date gets closer.

Sign Up Here

That Familiar Sound

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This post begins with a sound of a mystery device:

We’ve heard it here before. Now it is coming from a different place. First off, the sound must have a home.

Pete Deets photo.

Here, Alex Therrien of FMW Solutions is checking the setup of the magnetic base drill that on the side of 1385’s boiler. You’ll hear much more about FMW’s involvement with 1385 at the spring Members’ meeting this weekend. The drill will be making the stud holes for the noisy device in question. Now, here are some photos of the mystery device:

Alex Therrien photo.
Alex Therrien photo.
Alex Therrien photo.

Have you guessed it yet? The familiar sound is the power reverse cylinder finding its permanent home on the boiler. Last time the power reverse was seen in an update was last autumn when the power reverse was undergoing repairs and was mounted to a forklift to allow testing.

Pete Deets photo.

A test airline was run to the cylinder, and this shot, shows Steve Roudebush and Ed Ripp checking the length of the stroke of the piston rod. Here is a short video of Ed Ripp cycling the power reverse that will be used to control the direction of and how much power our beloved 1385 will create as she goes steaming down the track.

1385 Update – Mounting Progress

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As mentioned in our last update, almost every item that must be mounted to the boiler of our engine requires at least one more hole to be drilled into the boiler shell. In recent weeks the layout of where to drill some of those holes has been moving quickly. Among those completed are the holes for mounting the bell and the steps used to access and fill the sand dome. Item locations laid out and awaiting attention include brackets for the Brake Control stand, Reverser, Steam Gauge, Safety Valve and Cab turrets, and the Power Reverse Cylinder.

Pete Deets photo.

Starting at the top of the boiler, the rectangle at the near edge is where the Steam Gauge bracket will be mounted, and further back will be the Cab and then the Safety Valve turrets.

Jerry Parr, Mid-Continent fireman, in cab of C&NW 1385 at Mason City, IA, 6/26/1983. Paul Swanson photo.

From Paul Swanson’s collection, here is the Steam Gauge location.

C&NW 1385 at North Freedom, WI. 9/17/1988. R.A. Oom photo. Paul Swanson collection.

The Cab Turret is hidden behind the gauge, but the Safety Valve Turret can be seen in this shot, along with the Power Reverse Cylinder. The Power Reverse system uses an air-powered cylinder controlled by a lever in the cab to actually move the valve gear of the engine and control both the direction the engine moves and how much power is applied to the rails.

Pete Deets photo.
Pete Deets photo.

The cylinder is mounted outside the cab to this bracket and the bracket is held to the boiler shell by 7 studs. The locations for the holes were laid out using dimensions from the C&NW drawings we have, but then the bracket is strapped to the boiler so the actual locations can be transferred from the bracket itself. In several places we’ve found manufacturing differences between the drawings and the actual parts which makes double and triple checking necessary.

Air Brake Stand and Reverser Lever locations, 2024. Pete Deets photo.
Air Brake Stand and Reverser Lever, 1993. Unkown photographer.

Inside the cab once again, we see the locations for the Air Brake Stand and the Reverser Lever as well as a photo from 1993 showing the actual items. The process of 3-D chess continues as we move ever closer to the FRA-mandated boiler tests.