Messages

76

Whimsical Weirdness and Foolery / Re: You know you're a WW&F fan when ...

« on: November 23, 2008, 01:16:49 AM »

You know your a two foot fan when you scan ebay for months looking for both volumes of "Two Feet Between the Rails" and when you finally find it stay on ebay for the last hour of the action to make sure you dont get out bid!!

77

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

« on: November 23, 2008, 01:14:00 AM »

No one is building the 24 to my knowledge. BMR is building a replica of SR&RL #10 and SR&RL #23. Matt my drawings are not blue prints. They are just what the locomotive is going to look like. Baldwin destroyed most of the drawings for the #7 (#11 is going to be an exact replica of the #7 but the new locomotive will continue the original numbering pattern) therefore a few members of the museum (myself included) have been working on "reengineering" the 7's blueprints based on the information we have. Lots to do before this project comes off the back burner. Also Matt please do us all a favor and try and put all your replies in one post not five seperate posts.

78

Bridgton & Saco River Railway / A little peice of the #6

« on: November 21, 2008, 12:40:31 PM »

Here is a little peice of information that Im sure is little known. Im sure many of you have heard of Edgar Mead. He was very active in trying to save the B&H in its last years. This was not Mr. Meads only railroad involvement however. Mr. Mead purchesed Ely Thomas Lumber Co. two truck shay #6 (I am not sure of the date). This locomotive ended up on a long term lease with the New Jersey Museum of Transportaion better known as the Pine Creek Railroad. A few changes were made to the locomotive including the addition of a new headlight. This headlight just happened to be the headlight from B&SR #6 as seen on page 81 of "Two Feet to the Lakes." The shay has been out of service for the past few years awaiting needed repairs. The headlight now rests in our shop. So a little peice of the long gone #6 still survives. Here is a picture of it on the shay.

79

General Discussion / Wood car restoration

« on: November 19, 2008, 07:17:34 PM »

I am currently trying to put together a plan to submit to the board for the restoration of D&RGW boxcar #3178. Seeing how you guys are pros at wooden car restorations I figured I could ask a few questions here. What kind of wood should be used for end beams, siding, doors, and roofing?

80

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

« on: November 19, 2008, 06:29:49 PM »

That is a photocopy of the original. I have three that I have been meaning to mail up north but work hasnt left much time. All of the pictures are on one paper.

81

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

« on: November 19, 2008, 04:43:39 PM »

Here are some of my drawings for the project. These are not the best quality pictures. I took them with a camera phone.

Engineer's side,


Front,


Rear,


And technical mumbo jumbo,

82

Museum Discussion / Re: Clearing ROW

« on: November 19, 2008, 04:12:26 PM »

What is the situation (if any) with the missing fill on the north side of the road? That is if this is something that can be talked about.

83

Museum Discussion / Re: Clearing ROW

« on: November 18, 2008, 09:10:35 PM »

This year we will first be cutting on the ROW in the parcel just south of the red cape in Head Tide, between the road and our land in Head Tide church cut.  We've been given an easement on it, conditional on our clearing out the trees.

Is this the fill acrossed the feild on the north side of Head Tide Cut?

84

Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad / Re: Why Wernt The 2-8-2's Wenrt Preseved?

« on: November 05, 2008, 02:38:49 PM »

I do not know about the 24 but I do know that a full set of drawings survive for the big SR&RL #23.

85

Maine Narrow Gauge RR Co. & Museum / Re: #8 History?

« on: November 05, 2008, 02:14:45 PM »

Here is a quote from the book Two Feet to the Lakes on page 95. "Nonetheless, an order was dispatched to the Baldwin Locomotive Works for what was to be the last engine ever erected for any of the nation's 24-inch railways.........The new locomotive, No. 8, which arrived about the first of April 1924, was the largest of the Bridgton engines. The big 2-4-4T weighed nearly 38 tons, had 35-inch drivers, outside frame and Walschaert valve gear. Like No. 7, the new engine operated on 180 pounds of steam pressure to produce a tractive effort of 10,072 pounds. The rear tank of both locomtives held 1,000 gallons of water and 3,000 pounds of soft coal. No. 8 arrived with a steel cab, a feature that brought the price tag of the attractive machine to about $13,635. No. 8 completed the all-time Bridgton locomotive roster......."

86

Work and Events / Re: Albion Day 2008

« on: November 03, 2008, 04:20:20 PM »

What is the reason the track keeps being taken up?

87

Museum Discussion / Re: Engine Air Compressor Lubricators

« on: October 22, 2008, 10:27:54 PM »

Yes your standard freight air system charges to 90psi. A passenger system charges to 110psi.

88

Museum Discussion / Re: Engine Air Compressor Lubricators

« on: October 22, 2008, 03:55:23 PM »

"Straight air brakes," in obsolete railroad usage, are essentially the reverse, in that a reduction in the train line pressure directly causes a brake application.  Both systems are "automatic" in that an emergency application results from any unintentional break in the trainline, such as the train uncoupling while in motion. 

I'm sorry but you are mistaken. In a strait air system the system is not a charged. The brakes are applied by introducing compressed air into the brake pipe by a air cock in the cab. To release the brakes the air is vented from this same cock. Springs then push the brake shoes away from the wheels. There for when there is a break in the brake pipe you end up with a total loss of brakes other then hand brakes.

   An Automatic Air Brake System uses a series of reservoirs and control valves to operate the brakes. The Automatic Brake Valve on the locomotive has direct control over the locomotives Equalizing Reservoir. A reduction in pressure in this reservoir is relayed to the Brake Pipe by the Relay Valve on the locomotive. The now higher Brake Pipe pressure pushes a diaphragm inside the Relay Valve that allows the Brake Pipe pressure to escape which in turn reduces the Brake Pipe pressure. Once the Brake Pipe pressure reduces to the Equalizing Reservoir pressure the diaphragm closes. This reduction in Brake Pipe pressure is read by the Control Valves on the cars. The drop in pressure causes the Control Valve to move to the "service" position. This happens because of the difference in pressure between the Brake Pipe and the cars Auxiliary Reservoir. The Auxiliary Reservoir pressure is vented to the Brake Cylinder until the Auxiliary Reservoir reaches the same pressure as the Brake Pipe. To release the brakes the Automatic Brake Valve is placed in release. This allows the Equalizing Reservoir to charge from the Main Reservoirs. The diaphragm in the Relay valve now moves to allow Main Reservoir pressure to charge the Brake Pipe. This change in pressure is again read by the Control Valve which now moves to the "charging" position due to the difference in pressure. This position vents the Brake Cylinder pressure to atmosphere and allows the Auxiliary Reservoir to charge and the brakes are returned by spring tension. The systems overall pressure is set by the Regulating Valve on the locomotive. Once the Equalizing Reservoir reaches the set pressure the Regulating Valve cuts it off from charging further. The Brake Pipe will not charge higher then the Equalizing Reservoir. Now an Emergency Application of the brakes is cause by a rapid reduction in Brake Pipe Pressure either by the Automatic Brake Valve or a break in the Brake Pipe. An Emergency Application only provides 20% more braking above a Full Service Application (32psi in a 110psi system and 27psi in a 90psi system). This causes the Brake Pipe, Equalizing and Auxiliary Reservoirs (on modern equipment your Emergency Res as well) to be vented to 0psi.

   The Independent Brake on a locomotive is an example of a "Strait air system." When the Idependent Brake Valve is moved to a service position it sends Main Reservoir air to a Relay Valve which then allows Main Reservoir air to go directly to the locomotive Brake Cylinder. When placed in release the Brake Cylinder pressure is vented to atmosphere at the Relay Valve.

  Glade I paid attention is class!

Eric Bolton,
Student Locomotive Engineer; New Jersey Transit
Steam Locomotive Fireman; New Hope & Ivyland Railroad

89

Boothbay Railway Village / Re: B&SR coach 11 at Boothbay

« on: August 19, 2008, 05:35:33 PM »

They did a great job! Its just to bad it isn't still in its original baggage car configuration.