June 2011 work planning

[Robert Hale]

Ok, I cannot remember if I asked before, but why are there different shaped rivets on locomotives or even structures? I have seen from visiting different museums that there are many different shaped rivets. I have seen the standard round head, but also I have seen the cone shaped, tapered style and even the type that had the center punched in thus expanding the rivet end. Are these different shapes dependent on the use and duty they will preform?

Rob

-looking forward to the pics BTW.

[Jason M Lamontagne]

I should add Jonathan St Mary's contribution where, on Friday, he began the machining and assembly of our new buck- home-made mostly from McMaster-Carr items.  Jonathan got a great head start; Saturday morning Brendan, Dave and I completed the device- at least sufficiently for the day.  Over the course of the day a few design improvement possibilites made themselves quite obvious. 

We drove about 14 rivets per hour, with no rejects (no rejects for this application, anyway).  There are a number of important features to getting a good rivet.  First is temperature- white hot, just short of sparkling (burning), out of the forge to provide the greatest length of time to drive prior to being too cool to drive.  White hot is around 1900 deg F; the rivet can be driven down to about 1250 deg F.  Next the transit time from the forge to "Go!" must be minimized, for the same reason.  Starting the driving at 1400 deg. F doesn't work- not enough time to swell the shank and form the head.  The buck must be firm on the back side- this is somewhat obvious I suppose.  The last important item is the riveter having as much body mass behind the gun as possible (or an incredible amount of upper body strength)-- so all energy from the gun goes into driving the rivet and not bouncing the rivet gun, and operator, all over the place.  It's a lot of fun when it all goes right. 

No 9's frame is coming along quite well- with nearly all holes attaching the important rear frame members, including the casting, prepared for fitted bolts.  The next step will be to flip the rear frame assembly over to fit the truck center casting, rear beam, and straps that form a gusset between these components.  We'll begin work on the forward frame shortly as well. 

This year's progress on No 9 has felt great so far.  We'll have to keep up the momentum.

Be patient with Stephen H on getting pics up-- I believe he's facing a major business trip in the next few days. 

Jason

[Jason M Lamontagne]

To Robert's rivet shape question- I've never heard conclusive reasons, though there may be some.  Our experience has given us a hint- some rivet styles are easier to caulk (for sealing purposes) than others.  Both styles of conical heads (full cone, and with flat-topped head) are easier to caulk than button heads.  I believe button heads are considered better looking and are used where caulking may not be required.  Flush heads are obviously used in restricted-clearance circumstances. 

This information is entirely disputable!

see ya
Jason

[Wayne Laepple]

Thanks to all for the hard work of riveting on No. 9. Having heated, bucked or driven maybe a thousand or so (at least it seems that way) over the past 20 years, I can say it is one of the most satisfying facets of steam locomotive restoration, at least in my opinion. I wish I'd been there with you all on Saturday.

[Joe Fox]

It was also Steve Z's birthday earlier that same week. My birthday was the 8th, and his was the 9th. So there were two cakes there that day, and unfortunately I grabbed a small piece, inhaled it, and went out the door to go back to the engine. The new ash pan is nice though because it gives the engine crew a chance to have a little lunch without inhaling all of our meal between the 11 and 12 trip. The BIW day had a lot of first time WW&F riders, as well as people who never even knew we existed. I'd say the day was a huge success. Some of the riders from BIW said they would love to come up a few more times, and maybe some day volunteer.

[Phil Christopher]

We had people who had never been on a train before that day, and the WW&F ride was there first! I heard many a remarks about how wonderful the ride was from those people and how they might look more into train travel instead of driving or flying everywhere.

[Fred Morse]

Sat. and Sun. being Fathers day weekend there was quite a few members there. As I was cutting grass up North at Head Tide I did not see all the activitys going on. I did see Ed L., his wife and Emily cleaning uo Sheepscot Station and quite a crew riviting on the smoke box of #9. Some people ask, Why are you working on a foot trail at Head Tide. When we were given the easement from Head Tide church North we agreed to cut the brush and trees from the fill by Rt 194 and put walking bridges over places where steel culverts were removed years ago. A few winters ago our crew cleared the fill at 194 south to the center of the deep cut by Head Tide Church. Last year Dwight W. Eric L. and I cut the grass about 3/4 of a mile between Rt 194 and Rt 218 to the South. Eric L. over the years had put in a few small Bridges and this year we hope to finish the last Two. One has already been build and we hope to build the second one on or before the fall work weekend. This will make a great walking path along the roadbed for our members and the people of Alna until such time as we want to lay rail there.

[Dwight Winkley]

Here's some information about the yearly right of way grass cutting. You can see all the row that is mowed each year where the main line rails are in place. But the rest of the row is mowed with gas string trimmers (sometimes with steel bush blades) from the end of track just south of Top of the Mountain down the grade headed north to just past Head Tide Church. All the land owners have agreed that we may cut the grass on there land to open a walking trail. The main cutting program starts in July (July 11th this year). Whan you cut sooner you may have to be cut a second time. During Nov. we only cut the row on Sundays (no Hunting on Sundays in Maine). Most years the first snow put a stop to the cutting. I have gone out early in the Spring to cut the brush that grew on the row the year before.
Last year in Dec. the line sight clearence was improved at Albee's Crossing. This year Rose Wood Crossing is being improved.
dwight

[James Patten]

Anticipated work for weekend of June 25:

* Fred is in charge of grass cutting.
* #9 frame activity
* Brigid is working on the garden
* Trains are diesel-pulled this weekend.  Regular Steam starts next weekend.

With this weekend sandwiched between a heavy weekend and a holiday weekend, I suspect volunteer attendance will be light.  But the more that show up, the more we can do.

[James Patten]

Work done on June 25:

* #9 frame work is continuing.  The forward frame pieces were brought out, lined up, and welded together (with spacers separating them) so that Jason can eventually mill them.
* Jason was also making bolts for the frame casting/rear frame.
* Stewart and Steve H tightened down the numberplate on 9, and installed the rear plate cover to the smokebox door.
* Jason and Stewart investigated a problem with the railcar's engine.  More bugs to work out.

Thunderstorms and heavy rain in the morning kept the visitor count down, although we ran nearly every train.

This past week, the Maine DOT dropped off some scrapings from beside Rt 218, which will be used as fill in the low spots for the approaches to the roundhouse.  Some nice dirt but I can't believe how much blue clay is in it.  Alna would be a rich town if it could figure out how to market it.

[Fred Morse]

Next weekend, due to having all the parts for the next 30 ft walking path bridge on the AA truck ready to go North. We plan on unloading it Sat. morning early. If we can get a lot of people for a half hour we can get everything to the location to build it. They need the truck for the forth of July parade. Soon we'll have a great path between Rt. 194 and 218. Please all pitch in a few minutes of your time.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

A bit more on #9's smokebox.   We got a group of matching bolts to set in the forward ring.  These will become the permanent stud bolts that the smokebox front affixes to.  With the bolts in place the front cover was set and bolted with the holes that lined up.  About half the holes had to be hand reamed to fit the bolt placement.  When the cover was done, the rest of the bolts were installed.  A box of old fashioned square nuts was brought out and the nuts threads were chased to correctly fit the new bolts.  With most of the nuts in place, the four inch bolts for the grab iron were installed and the grab iron bolted on.  The guard plate on the back of the smokebox door was installed by re-taping the bolt holes in the casting and installing new bolts.   

The smokebox front will be removed again to assemble everything inside but the front now has the look that it will have when in service. 

Stewart

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Last Sunday went well at the railroad.  We had about 50 Passengers and the weather was good.  One couple from PA spent some time looking things over and taking a train ride.  They both had a turn riding in the cab with Steve Z.  They were so impressed with the museum that the fellow signed up for a life membership.

Monday we ran a charter for a 50th High School reunion.  The guests came from a number of places including some Western states.  The group toured the shop and rode to EoT behind #52.   They left thanking us, saying they had a great time.

Stewart 

[Stephen Hussar]

Pictures from the Head Tide footbridge project...

[Fred Morse]

hope to get walking bridge #2 done next Sat.