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Mid-Continent Railway Museum

North Freedom, Wis.

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Tag Archives: drivers

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Rest of Wheels Removed During New Years Eve Work Session

Mid-Continent Railway Museum Posted on December 31, 2013 by Jeffrey LentzApril 9, 2015

One last work session took place during what has been a very productive year for the C&NW No. 1385. The New Years Eve work session involved the removal of the two remaining driver sets. The rear-most driver was removed prior to shipment to SPEC Machine. To accomplish this, the chassis had to be lifted. Crew members included: Steve Roudebush, Bruce Grill, Ed Ripp, Kyle Gehrke, Robert Hasheider with Brian Allen behind the camera.

The remaining driving wheels were freed from the chassis during work December 31, 2013. Kyle Gehrke (left) and Ed Ripp (right) help gently roll a driver set out from under the frame. A single driver set weights more than many passenger automobiles. Click on the image to browse more photos from the day on photographer Brian Allen’s Flickr album.

Tagged C&NW 1385, drivers, SPEC Machine

Rebuilt Tender Arrives at Mid-Continent, Restoration Moves on to Next Phase

Mid-Continent Railway Museum Posted on November 18, 2013 by Jeffrey LentzApril 9, 2015

This past weekend featured a buzz of activity on C&NW 1385. The tender tank, new (former freight car) trucks and frame were loaded first thing Friday morning (11/15) at DRM Industries. It was then trucked to Mid-Continent where a crane was waiting to place them under the rebuilt display structure north of the depot which also houses the Shay and narrow gauge boxcar.

While the wheels and frame were being placed, a second tractor-trailer arrived with the rebuilt tender tank. Beginnings around 11:30 a.m., the tender tank was moved into position and lowered onto the frame. Even though the tender is at North Freedom, is not quite done. Grab irons need installation, the rear headlight needs to be installed, the tank hold-down brackets need to be installed and bolted tight, and the tank interior needs the protective coating applied. Final touches will need to be completed when the tender is married to the locomotive. For now, it will enjoy prominent position under a covered display area while it waits.

Tender tank hoisted by crane

Photo by Brian Allen. Click on image to browse Brian’s entire Flickr album from the day.

The work on C&NW 1385 continued throughout the weekend. On Saturday loose parts were rounded up from their storage places and placed on shipping pallets. Then on Sunday, the crane was at work again, this time lifting the C&NW 1385’s running gear onto trucks for delivery to Spec Machine in Middleton, Wisconsin for restoration work there. The frame and two sets of driving wheels were loaded onto the first trailer around 2:00 p.m. The immense weight of these components required that one set of driving wheels and and the leading truck (i.e. the small wheels in the front that help steer the locomotive through curves) be separated, temporarily converting the 4-6-0 locomotive into a 0-4-0 wheel configuration. Project volunteer Pete Deets explains:

That conversion wasn’t by choice… On the day of the pick, the operator quit lifting at 84,000 lbs. and the running gear hadn’t budged from the rails yet. They dropped the front truck and the operator stopped again at 79,000 lbs. without lifting off. The #3 rods and driver were dropped and the lift was made at about 72,000-74,000 lbs. The truck and driver came in at 10,000 lbs. apiece.

The first tangible evidence of restoration progress returning to Mid-Continent was enough to entice reg in al media to come report on the 1385’s restoration, including a story by Capital Newspapers (publisher of Wisconsin State Journal) which includes interviews with Mike Wahl, Project Manager, and Don Meyer, former General Manager and now serve ring as the project’s fundraising consultant. There is also a nice video report by NBC 15, Madison’s NBC affiliate in which Pete Deets and DRM Industries’ Matt Hillmer do a great job conveying the challenges of the restoration and uniqueness of the 1385.

Our Steam Task Force team deserves a hand for delivering on the first major component of the restoration. They have put in countless hours in the nearly 2-1/2 years since the Wagner Foundation grant was announced, resuming the restoration. There is an even greater amount of work yet to do as the tender is only the first step in the returning of the 1385 to service. Aside from the running gear work alluded to earlier, the cab is about half done at a Fond du Lac woodworking shop. The new boiler will begin to be built after all the required calculations are complete to create the Federal Railroad Administration Form 4.

For things to continue humming along, continued financial support is needed. Please consider visiting our donation page to learn how easy it is to support the C&NW 1385 restoration.

The General Electric 45-tonner positions C&NW 1385’s running gear for being lifted by the crane. Richard Colby photo.
Mid-Continent volunteers prepare the running gear to be lifted off the rails. Richard Colby photo.

The running gear, minus one set of drivers and the pilot truck is lifted and about to be placed on a tractor-trailer for delivery to Spec Machine. The remaining wheels had to go on a second truck due to weight considerations. Richard Colby photo.
Volunteers finish securing a load of C&NW 1385 parts, destined to join the running gear at Spec Machine. Richard Colby photo.

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Tagged C&NW 1385, drivers, DRM Industries, running gear, tender, wheels

Driving Wheels Completed

Mid-Continent Railway Museum Posted on September 13, 2007 by Jeffrey LentzApril 14, 2015

Tires for the driving wheels of WC&C #1 have been applied and are ready for shipment back to Mid-Continent.

Pictures show completed wheel sets and detail of completed crank pin quartering main driver for WC&C #1.

Tires installed on WC&C #1 drivers. Photo courtesy Steam Operations Corp.
Tires installed on WC&C #1 drivers. Photo courtesy Steam Operations Corp.

Detail of crank pin quartering on WC&C #1 main driver. Photo courtesy Steam Operations Corp.

Tagged drivers, restoration, Western Coal & Coke 1, wheels

Driving Wheels Depart for Chattanooga

Mid-Continent Railway Museum Posted on January 8, 2007 by Jeffrey LentzApril 14, 2015

The wheels set were picked up from DRM and are sitting in Madison ready for transport. The wheel will leave tentatively next Sunday and will arrive in Chattanooga sometime Monday.

WC&C #1 driving wheels departing for repair work.

WC&C #1 driving wheels departing for repair work.

Tagged drivers, DRM Industries, wheels

Driving Wheels Getting Primed, Shipped Out

Mid-Continent Railway Museum Posted on January 3, 2007 by Jeffrey LentzApril 15, 2015

Today was another busy day at Mid-Continent. The wheel sets were blasted, loaded on a truck and transported to DRM to be primed. Mother Nature was on our side on this one. What a great day with the temperature in the 40s. The crew for blasting was Terry Olson, Bob Ristow, Dave Lee, Roger Hugg and Jim Connor. A big thanks to them for a hard days work. Once the priming is completed the wheels will be shipped to Chattanooga and the wheel work will begin.

There are many things to do, to keep out outside contractors and inside help going, so if you can lend a hand please let us know. There is someone in the shop 6 or more days a week right now.

–Mike Wahl

Jim Connor photos.




Tagged drivers, DRM Industries, Western Coal & Coke 1, wheels

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Mid-Continent Railway Museum
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