Messages

1

Work and Events / Re: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread

« on: August 27, 2024, 08:47:15 AM »

Bob, the offset appears to be about five inches…that would be one heck of a reclining position!
And that still doesn't’ address the height of the front legs.

2

Work and Events / Re: Sheepscot Passenger Platform Reconstruction - Official Work Thread

« on: August 27, 2024, 08:29:05 AM »

I don’t think a “work bench” would work as a place to sit. The “table” height is usually at waist height, which means if you sit on what had been the work surface…..nobody (except possibly Paul Bunyan) would have their feet hit the ground.
And if you look at the castings…the feet are at different heights, so you would have to prop the rear legs on some sort of blocking. And the “seat back” is absolutely vertical, which would be quite uncomfortable. Most seat backs are slightly reclined. Work benches are meant to be just that…..and not a place to sit.
Keith

3

Work and Events / Re: Engine House - Official Work Thread

« on: August 02, 2024, 10:51:43 AM »

Good job of work you guys. The smoke  jacks look pretty sound so I wonder how much they weigh.

I don’t think I would want to drop it on my toe!

Keith

4

Work and Events / Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread

« on: August 01, 2024, 04:08:18 AM »

Somebody switched them from hand written (in cursive) to block type at some point around then, so unless you can read cursive it's a bit hard to read.

Thanks Bill,
I am old enough that when I was first taught how to write, it was in cursive. And in fact when I write a letter or Christmas card to this day…it is in cursive writing!
Keith

5

Work and Events / Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread

« on: July 31, 2024, 07:05:33 PM »

Bill,
Volume 31 of what document?
I believe that the Power Boiler Act of 1915 required gauge glasses in addition to the tri-cocks.
So I suspect that No.7 would have had a gauge glass added at that time.
Keith

6

Work and Events / Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread

« on: July 31, 2024, 06:22:39 PM »

Where is the spec sheet available?
I woud like to read it.

Keith

7

Volunteers / Re: May 2024 work reports

« on: May 26, 2024, 10:43:35 AM »

Journal bearing brasses?

Yes

8

Volunteers / Re: May 2024 work reports

« on: May 25, 2024, 07:40:18 PM »

Work done on Saturday May 25:

Harold was machining friction bearings for Loco 11 and new trucks.

James, technically they are called “plain bearings” the term “friction bearings” was a product of the advertising department of the Timken Company.
Keith

9

Work and Events / Re: Spring Work Weekend 2024

« on: April 24, 2024, 06:06:07 AM »

Folks we’re having some noteworthy fire dangers this spring in Midcoast Maine so we’ll be reducing some of our “bonus” steam ops.  Unfortunately this will likely include ballast trains this weekend, resulting in 52 with 2 flats.


Thanks
Jason

A pretty good rain storm is forecast for today April 24th, and that may reduce the fire danger some.
Keith

10

Work and Events / Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread

« on: March 02, 2024, 01:17:15 PM »

The notations are the result of x-ray inspection of the castings to insure there were no areas that were porous or otherwise weak.
The issues found were small and not in critical stress areas and the castings passed all the tests that we required for acceptance. We don't think the sand inclusions will affect any machined areas of the parts.
We're really pleased with the quality and response of this foundry, located in Springfield, MA.

Thanks Gordon!

Keith

11

Work and Events / Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread

« on: March 01, 2024, 07:54:22 AM »

I’m curious, on the castings I see several notations of “sand inclusions.”
Will this affect machining?

Keith

12

Work and Events / Re: Mountain Extension Pre-Opening 2022 Final Testing and Preparation

« on: August 07, 2023, 06:40:28 AM »

I think Dan had his Wheaties that morning!

Keith

13

General Discussion / Re: Swiss lake steamer operations

« on: June 21, 2023, 06:28:41 AM »

It had a huge walking beam - I remember that, Though I remember most of the boats
had Walking Beams.

Glad Midsommar

If it had a walking beam it was “The Robert Fulton.”  The Hamilton was not a walking beam boat.

Keith

14

General Discussion / Re: Swiss lake steamer operations

« on: June 20, 2023, 07:44:39 AM »

Carl,
        Your class trip would have been aboard the Hudson River Day Line's side wheel steam boat Alexander Hamilton.

Ted, in 1953 it could also have been the Robert Fulton as that wasn’t taken out of service until 1954.
Keith

15

General Discussion / Re: 7.5 in scale live steamer for sale (B&SR #7)

« on: April 22, 2023, 04:31:12 AM »

Ed, the Disney story is not true. In fact Walt Disney’s backyard railroad was 7 - 1/4” gauge which was the standard for 1-1/2” scale.
The 7 - 1/2” gauge issue happened in the Chicago area. There was a 7 - 1/4” gauge railroad at a private home in Michigan. A Chicago area banker visited the line and was impressed with the size and heft of 1 - 1/2” = 1’ scale. He decided to build a locomotive of that size and he wrote to the owner of the Michigan line asking about the track gauge. Unfortunately the owner of the Michigan line, who was also a tinplate toy train operator mis-measured the gauge. In the tinplate world where they use tubular rails, they measured the gauge from the center of the rail head to the center of the rail head. This Lionel Std. Gauge tracks that are 2 - 1/8” gauge, were advertised as 2 - 1/4” gauge! So the Michigan owner measured to the center of the rails and came up with 7 - 1/2 inches! The fellow in Chicago built a beautiful Hudson type loco and other live steamers in the Chicago area built to 7 - 1/2” gauge so they could run on the bankers track. His line became famous and when the folks in California started to build to the larger scale….they wrote to the chap in Chicago for details. And that was the beginning of the issue.
Keith Taylor (former East Coast Secretary of the International Brotherhood of Live Steamers)