Bob Ristow devised a drilling guide to ensure alignment of the replacement staybolts in the crownsheet patch. Here are a few pictures of Bob and Dave Lee drilling pilot holes for the staybolts.
On Friday, Pete Deets, Bob Ristow, Ron Kokemuller, and Jim Connor cleaned up around the boiler and other area’s in the shop. Pete, Bob and I spent some time on the project plan and timeline to make sure we are keeping everything happening in the order we should be.
On Saturday, Roger Hugg, Bob and I worked on measuring and documenting the frame and frame bolts so drawing can be made for replacements. Al Joyce worked on tapping boiler stud holes and installing them. This is a time consuming process because they are taper fit and each one must be fitted to the hole. Ron worked on enlarging the holes in the boiler mounting bracket that attach to the firebox.
Kyle, Jim Busse, Ed Ripp and Jim worked on the power car boiler. On Sunday they continued to install tubes in the power car.
On Sunday, Al continued on the stud work. Things are moving along well.
–Mike Wahl
Today, Dave drilled the mudring holes in the rear tube sheet, side sheet patches and the rear corner patch. The 3/4” tack bolts were installed. The next step is to pull the sheets tight and check the sheets for gaps between the sheet and the mudring. If any unacceptable gaps existed, the sheets will need to be flattered into position. Jeff will be next week to start the welding on the rear tube sheet.
Bob worked on needle scaling the frame and cylinder casting. He still has a ways to go to complete this. The next step will be start checking the frames for cracks.
C&NW #1385’s initial restoration efforts were documented within the pages of the Mid-Continent Railway Gazette and Mid-Continent’s The Steamer! newsletter and were not documented online. The following is an overview of #1385’s status written for the website as of June 29, 2006.
The image most people have of Mid-Continent involves the Chicago & North Western #1385 under steam, pulling either the Prosperity Special or the Circus Train or one of our own special excursions like Snow TrainTM or the Santa ExpressTM. The power of this image is so strong that museum guests still come here expecting to see the R-1 sitting in front of the depot, ready to make the day’s runs, even though she has been out of service since June of 1998.
We knew several years ago that her time was limited and began a fund raising campaign in 1996 entitled “Help Steam Live.” The campaign goal was a mere $250,000, when we thought the needed repairs would simply be tube and flue replacement plus patching the interior side-sheets of the firebox. But once the work commenced, the extent of the firebox damage from over eighty years of service became apparent. The result of a visual inspection by the State’s boiler inspector was the condemnation of the firebox.
While Mid-Continent’s volunteer shop crews wrestled with the decisions on how to proceed with the repair work, Federal guidelines for steam boiler operation changed, mandating even further major repairs. The museum engaged Steam Services of America in 2001 to perform a complete inspection of the boiler in light of these new requirements. The result was a significant expansion of the repair plan to encompass a major overhaul of the entire boiler. And the new price tag approached $750,000, well beyond the money raised by the “Help Steam Live” campaign. The R-1 was parked in favor of repairing less costly locomotives.
Still the museum was holding a significant amount of money restricted for the purpose of restoring this specific locomotive to operating condition. So in 2004 an agreement was entered with Deltak Construction Services of Plymouth, MN for the manufacture of a completely new boiler using all-welded construction techniques. The cost of $415,000 proved to be significantly lower than the cost of repairing the old boiler. And the long-term maintenance cost would also be less, insuring the R-1’s ability to operate far into the future.
Phase 1 of this program is now complete with Deltak delivering the engineering study and approved boiler drawings to the museum. Phase 2 will be the purchase of the needed materials. And Phase 3 will involve the boiler’s actual construction at Deltak’s shop, concluding with a successful hydro test.
When finished, the C&NW #1385 will be the most expensive of the three steam locomotives currently under repair. And that is why she is at the end of the list in terms of priority. But no concept of a steam program at Mid-Continent has ever been considered that would exclude the R-1 from being returned to operating condition. She is the gem of the steam locomotive collection.
View a history of C&NW #1385 here.
Last weekend was another sucessfull riveting party! Over 40 rivets were installed completing all three barrel patch riveting projects. Only 3 of the 200 rivets installed over Spring Fling had to be replaced! Not bad for a bunch of rookies.
In addition, much work was completed on the DL&W combine #425. The truck and bolster were readied for installing back under the combine. Center plate and draft gear framing was repaired. The truck was actually rolled under the car on Monday, Tuesday work continued to repair the center sill/draft gear superstructure. It is anticipated that the car will be finished by this weekend.
Thanks to all who assisted in the above projects…your efforts do not go un-noticed.
May 22, Jeff Lund will return to finish the installation of the rear tube sheet. This will leave only the front tube sheet and rear firebox corner to require TLC by the welder.
Stay tuned for additional info and project updates…. “We can do this!”
–Bob Ristow