Author Topic: MNG 2012 Work Sessions (Track & Engine House)  (Read 8982 times)

Bill Piche

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MNG 2012 Work Sessions (Track & Engine House)
« on: May 31, 2012, 08:54:42 AM »
A minor correction to the last reported work session date for #4.

The next work day on Monson #4 will be this SUNDAY, June 3.

Any and all help is always welcome and appreciated, many hands make light work. So if you're in the area, come on down and lend a hand buttoning up #4 for her upcoming hydro.
Engineer/Fireman, MNGRR/WW&F/Essex
"Any day with steam is a good day." - me

Bill Piche

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June 2/3, 2012 Steam Work Session Report(s)
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2012, 09:44:23 AM »
So when did Late March/Early April decide to switch places with June? With heavy rain and nippy temps, the coal stove was fired up and work continued to get #4 ready for the coming season. Work was done on both Saturday and Sunday due to different shop crew availabilities.

Progress on Saturday:

Saturday's turnout consisted of Bill Piche (myself), Colby Miles, and new apprentice Dakota Dumont. With just the three of us there, work was limited to Colby and Dakota taking turns scraping out the water tank. A hot and dirty job even with the 50 degree weather. When not working in the tank, Dakota was helping me to remove the steam dome lid, an educational process all around. With all the nuts and washers off the lid, Colby came out of the tank to assist lifting the (very) heavy lid up to the tank.

Afternoon work consisted of some track work related tool repair (the final score of the spring track sessions was Workmen 2 - Hammers 0), some more scraping, and some diesel operations. A big thanks from the train crew goes out to Colby and Dakota for braving the elements to help with switching in the yard for an afternoon wedding party train.

Progress on Sunday (by Joe Monty):

A much better turnout on Sunday, which consisted of Joe and Jay Monty, Bob DeWatcher, Colby Miles, and Hansel Van Fardon.

Due to the rain we were unable to pull the engine out of the house and do a boiler wash as planned, but there was plenty else to do. Colby and Hansel continued with their scraping the inside of the tank. The dome lid had been pulled by those who showed up Saturday. Jay lapped the throttle and engineer's side check valve. Bob touched up the primer paint on the new stays. We all took turns after that reinstalling the jacket in the cab, and reinstalling the cab piping. Cab piping is about 80% reassembled and the throttle and reverse lever installed. We attempted to remove the belly plug, but it's in there hard and willl likely require heat to break it loose.  Jay, Hansel and Colby rounded up the test pump and required fittings for the upcoming hydro.
 
Next work session is in two weeks, and that is the last one before Ray Tyrrell (FRA) shows up.  We need to get the boiler washed out and and do a test hydro, as well as install the repaired spring. We also need to UT the drypipe before the dome lid can be out on.  

Joe
« Last Edit: June 04, 2012, 11:15:52 AM by Bill Piche »
Engineer/Fireman, MNGRR/WW&F/Essex
"Any day with steam is a good day." - me

Bill Piche

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June 16 Work Session
« Reply #2 on: June 13, 2012, 11:19:30 AM »
Quote
This weekend's work session will be on Saturday as usual.  This is the last work day before Ray Tyrrel, the FRA inspector comes on Tuesday next week, so we need a good turnout.  Jobs that have to be completed are 
 
 
Install repaired spring
UT drypipe
RTV throttle and install dome cover
Remove belly plug and do boiler wash
Install plugs and hand hole covers
Install remaining water glass piping
Trial hydro.
 
If we get this off and pass the hydro, we should be able to have the engine ready to run by the end of the following work session.
Hope te see you Saturday.

Joe Monty
Engineer/Fireman, MNGRR/WW&F/Essex
"Any day with steam is a good day." - me

Bill Piche

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June 16 Work Session Report
« Reply #3 on: June 18, 2012, 02:06:54 PM »
A well rounded crew consisting of Joe and Jay Monty, Bob DeWachter, Gerry Bagley, Bill Piche, Kyle Collins, Hansel Van Fardon, Brian Durham, and an associate of Gerry's (whose name I didn't get) were on hand for the work day.

While Bob and Gerry worked on fixing a broken chain on the Plymouth (#11), Joe, Jay, Bill, Kyle, and Bob (Yep, he was working on both sides at the same time. GO BOB!) got to work on the odds and ends that still needed for prepping #4 for her upcoming inspection Tuesday, June 19. Brian spent the morning inspecting and servicing trucks on a bad-ordered open air car.

While Bob and Kyle worked to jack #4's front end to return the repaired spring to it's rightful place, Joe, Jay, and Bill prepped for the boiler wash and the ultrasound of the drypipe. Both events went off without much trouble (mostly the VERY awkward angles required for removing the belly plug and reaching the UT points), and work moved to buttoning up #4 before the lunch break. Putting the dome back together was a good learning experience for Kyle and Hansel, as Jay showed them the ins and outs of the throttle assembly before having them put the dome cover back on.

While #4 was being filled for the test hydro, the search was on the the plugs that we use on the safety and whistle mounts. Apparently they were lost to the gods of the work space, so a hardware store run was needed for replacements. With reassembly done enough to hydro, the pump was hooked up and the water turned on.

The boiler got up to city pressure without any issues, but by 150 psi a few weeps were discovered. One repaired stay will need to be re-welded, and one additional (old) staybolt on the backhead will need to be replaced. Other than that, no leaks or weeps were found, which allows us to hold out hope that the two stays can be fixed quickly and the schedule will be only minimally impacted.

Remember my comment about the work space gods? Hopefully they'll be a lot happier now, as Kyle took time after the hydro to clean and organize the workbench (something that hasn't been done since December). A big thank you to Kyle for doing this often overlooked task!

Overall a good day, despite the setback. #11 and #105 (the open air car) are back in service, and #4 is still on track for July running (even if it is not the 4th).

Stay tuned.
Engineer/Fireman, MNGRR/WW&F/Essex
"Any day with steam is a good day." - me

Bill Piche

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June 23 Work Session Report
« Reply #4 on: June 25, 2012, 08:58:29 AM »
Another week, another work session it seems.

The report for this weekend's work session is now up on the MNG website:

http://www.mainenarrowgauge.org/2012/06/24/work-session-report-june-23-2012/

Things are certainly looking good. If all goes well this week, look to be seeing #4 out for tests Saturday evening. Updates will be given on the status as they come out to the rest of the steam crew as to the test day and the running schedule.
Engineer/Fireman, MNGRR/WW&F/Essex
"Any day with steam is a good day." - me

Bill Piche

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June 30 Work Session Report
« Reply #5 on: July 02, 2012, 10:51:18 AM »
This weeks' report comes from Jay Monty:

Quote
We had a very successful work day today, culminating with getting #4 in steam and taking it on a very successful shakedown run.

Bob DeWachter, Gerry Bagley and Bill Piche started out the morning taking care of a few last odds and ends including filling the boiler and installing the new safety valves. Joe and Jay Monty joined the crew after finishing up their rules class and the team finished installing the smokebox front, fire door and whistle.

At 12:30, the fire was lit and around 2:30PM we had a full head of steam. After another hour to take care of some minor issues (a stuck bleed valve on the brake cylinder and adjusting the cylinder and valve packing glands which had been re-packed over the winter) the team made a few test runs out to the bridge. Others from the regular train crew joined later in the afternoon and everyone who wanted to do so had a chance to ride, fire and operate the engine.

We are now in the process of setting the running schedule for the remainder of the season and a crew call will be coming out soon.

A huge thanks to all of you here who helped out over the winter. Getting all 27 staybolts replaced, while coming in under budget is a credit to all involved and today's results are a resounding success of our team efforts.

Jay
Engineer/Fireman, MNGRR/WW&F/Essex
"Any day with steam is a good day." - me

Bill Piche

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November 3 Steam Work Session Report
« Reply #6 on: November 09, 2012, 11:44:39 AM »
A little while between reports, but here goes.


This Saturday's work session will likely go down as the most attended work session of the year. There seemed to be 2 or 3 people for every task listed on the initial punch list, and some that weren't.

In attendance today were Hans Brandes, Joe Monty, Jay Monty, Bill Piche, Larry Perkins, Brian Durham, Trevor Hartford, Gerry Bagley, Colby Miles, Corey Boucher, Tim Averill, Don Wildes, Dakota Dumont, Don Sanger and Tim Jones. Quite the impressive turnout for what would be a whirlwind day of fix-it jobs to get #4 ready for the upcoming Polar Express.

The day started out bright and early with Hans, Larry, Tim J., and Brian helping out Portland Yacht Services wash some coal soot off of a half dozen boats that had been accidentally pelted with soot a few weeks prior. A (nearly) thankless job that helps keep us in good standing with the landlords and their other tenants.

Colby, Corey, Dakota and Tim A, brought down two light trucks worth of firewood, plenty for starting #4 for the rest of the year.
 
Work on #4 began with firing up #1 (back in service thanks to the efforts of Roger Merrow/Brian Durham and company) to pull #4 out of the engine house to be drained. Once #4's boiler and tank were emptied, then the real work could begin.

Joe, Colby, Dakota, and Trevor started work on getting the boiler inspection and wash done, removing hand holes, mud ring plugs, and setting up the hoses. While the boiler was empty, Jay Monty along with Cory, Trevor and Don jacked up the front of the locomotive to re-orientate a spring shackle that had been put in upside down back in June when a spring was replaced.

Gerry worked on repairing a couple of leaks in the oil lines to the brakes. Old straight pipes and elbows had developed leaks over the last season and needed to be replaced. The new piping includes a union so that we can keep all of the elbows nice and tight.  Joe set to work work to repairing a leak in the fireman's injector delivery line and re-lapping the steam heat valve.

The final projects before lunch consisted of the ever popular cleaning of the smoke box and punching of tubes. Big thanks to Corey and Dakota for doing the heavy lifting here taking turns vacuuming out the smoke box and then pushing the punch with Bill. While that was going on, Gerry and Tim A. set to work putting some shims in behind the reverse lever quadrant which had been repeatedly working loose during the summer.

During lunch, the group put together the crew schedule for Polar Express (which has now been sent out). Jay also shared stories from his recent trip to Washington State where he had a great visit to the Mt Rainier Scenic Railroad and spent some time talking shop with the crews and mechanics there.

After lunch the last two remaining tasks of the day were to repair the engine house around #7 and re-fill and warm the boiler on #4. Colby and Tim A repaired several of the ribs on the engine house and added two additional supports so that the side of the bulding is no longer leaning against engine 7. With any luck we'll be able to roll #7 out of the house at the next work session and resume work on the tank and chassis.

All in all, a very successful work day that brought us well on our way to being prepared for Polar Express.

The next and final work day will be Saturday November 17th. Hope to see everyone there!
Engineer/Fireman, MNGRR/WW&F/Essex
"Any day with steam is a good day." - me

Tom Casper

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Re: MNG 2012 Work Sessions (Track & Engine House)
« Reply #7 on: November 09, 2012, 05:31:15 PM »
Thanks for the report Bill.  Nice to hear things are moving along with the Steam program!

Tom C.
Later:
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