Author Topic: B&SR 7  (Read 170075 times)

Pete "Cosmo" Barrington

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Re: B&SR 7
« Reply #30 on: April 20, 2009, 12:14:02 AM »
I know next weekend is supposed to be all or mostly track work, but could you use a hand on a grinder for an hour or two durring that time, or will you guys all be out at the EOT?

Hans Brandes

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Re: B&SR 7
« Reply #31 on: April 21, 2009, 06:19:34 AM »
Friday I am going to take a day and shovel rock at EOT. Sunday afternoon could be more grinding.

Stephen Hussar

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Re: B&SR 7
« Reply #32 on: April 21, 2009, 06:40:43 AM »
We need a small store on 218, halfway between Cross Rd and Sheepscot Mills that sells oxygen, acetylene, and grinding discs!  ;)

Duncan Mackiewicz

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Re: B&SR 7
« Reply #33 on: April 21, 2009, 03:14:22 PM »
Or a delivery service like WB Mason except machining supplies.

James Patten

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Re: B&SR 7
« Reply #34 on: April 21, 2009, 04:37:10 PM »
Maybe the last train of the evening this weekend should make a stop at Sheepscot Mills so everyone can take a look at the boiler.

James Patten

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Re: B&SR 7
« Reply #35 on: April 22, 2009, 06:14:38 AM »
Maybe the last train of the evening this weekend should make a stop at Sheepscot Mills so everyone can take a look at the boiler.

It was pointed out to me that the boiler is on private property, and a troop of people showing up all at once would be unwelcome.  Anybody wanting to go see it would be well advised to ask permission first.

Hans Brandes

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Re: B&SR 7
« Reply #36 on: May 02, 2009, 06:14:03 PM »
Work continues. Yesterday was the assault on the crown stays on the outside of the outer sheet. These are tougher to grind down than on the inside as there is quite a bit of weld surrounding each stay end. These need to be ground flat to allow the mag drill to be set on and used.

Funny thing...while taking a break, there was a tap, tap, tapping. Ends up a woodpecker was trying out the side of the boiler. He figured out fairly quickly that this steel tree was not going to produce any bugs and moved on.

Another note, for those of you who like "piped in" music, try this recipe: Take one Boze Wave speaker, insert one iPod on its mount, aim said speaker into the boiler barrel. Instant concert hall acoustics. Now, go sit inside the firebox and enjoy!

Keith Taylor

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Re: B&SR 7
« Reply #37 on: May 03, 2009, 09:25:41 AM »
Hans, you need to try some pipe organ music on that set up!
Keith

Hans Brandes

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Re: B&SR 7
« Reply #38 on: May 03, 2009, 06:23:28 PM »
Keith,

Great idea. Just can't be the acoustics of a steel drum.

Today was another long afternoon up at the shops of Maine Locomotive and Machine Co. The remaining crown stays were ground down. Then it was time to crawl back into the firebox. First order of business was to set the "piped in music" system up. Once done, it was time to grind more stays. Specifically, about 40 staybolt stub ends on the door sheet are all done and most of the overhead is now done too. Out of approximately 160 stays, we are down to 12 to go for grinding.

Next will then be needle scaling. The compressor is in the shop. It's just a matter of bringing up an air hose from Portland to hook up to the scaler.

We are still looking to having the chassis arrive at WW&F this fall. Current thought is that the sawmill spur will be built and we will do most reassembly up there with the heavy lifting being done down in the car barn. We also are hoping to be allowed to do some operational testing late summer of 2010 including fall track extension weekend. Imagine how the chuff will sound as #7 hauls ballast cars up the grade to get WW&F a step closer to "W8".

John McNamara

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Re: B&SR 7
« Reply #39 on: May 03, 2009, 07:07:11 PM »
We are still looking to having the chassis arrive at WW&F this fall. Current thought is that the sawmill spur will be built and we will do most reassembly up there with the heavy lifting being done down in the car barn. We also are hoping to be allowed to do some operational testing late summer of 2010 including fall track extension weekend. Imagine how the chuff will sound as #7 hauls ballast cars up the grade to get WW&F a step closer to "W8".

Wow - this just gets more and more exciting - something for us all to look forward to! :)

-John

Matthew Gustafson

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Re: B&SR 7
« Reply #40 on: May 07, 2009, 01:14:44 PM »
Yep it sure does John.  :) ;) ;D Its always fun to study and injoy seeing the MNGM in action. Keep up the outstanding work on restoring my favorite 2 foot steam enigne ever built in the world B&SR 2-4-4 #7 and soon to be restored B&SR 2-4-4 #8 and the most important thing of all, the museum itself.  :) ;) :D ;D
Steam Department Volunteer at the Illinois Railway Museum.

Hans Brandes

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Re: B&SR 7
« Reply #41 on: May 10, 2009, 07:16:10 AM »
Friday, we reached a milestone: The last staybolt was ground down. This means that about 120 rigid staybolts have all been ground flush with the outer sheet both inside and out. Next up is needle scaling. The air compressor is on sight but needs a plug on the electrical cord. My needle scaler needs an adapter to adapt a quick disconnect fitting on the air line to the threaded fitting on the gun. Once that is done, we can start drilling out the old staybolt ends in the outer sheet.

Now that #4 is pretty much ready for the season, we will start to focus on #7's chassis in Portland and getting it ready for transport to Sheepscot Station. We haven't done nearly as much work on this so we are not totally sure what we will run into. We do know that this has been a smooth running engine so we cross our fingers that we do not have to do much other than clean up, etc. We still want to transport the chassis this fall.

We have to order more material (staybolt stock, through stay stock and some more plate). This means panhandling for more money. Our thanks to those who have already contributed to the "Buy a Staybolt" campaign. We still have a ways to go and funding is critical right now if we are to continue to make progress uninterupted. Don't let lack of funds stop this project.

Hans Brandes

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Re: B&SR 7
« Reply #42 on: May 22, 2009, 06:58:51 PM »
Today started the needle scaling chapter of this adventure. Brian's 60 year old compressor was wired and put to the test. This was his grandfathers and hadn't been in operation for quite some time so who knows what would happen.

With trepidation, the shop doors were opened, the Bose Wave set up and the needle scaler plugged in. A pull on the trigger and....yes, the needle scaler came to life. Next step, stepping into the office (aka, the inside of the firebox area) to start scaling. There is quite a bit of scale in the inside of the outer sheet but the scaler was able to chew it away slowly but surely. This job, like others, requires hearing, eye and breathing protection. The nice thing is that you don't have to burning yourself as could happen when using the torch. Other than that, this is going to take a while. A quick calculation comes up with about 40 hours to do the side sheets, overhead and barrel based on what was accomplished today. Oh boy.

Come to think of it, the needle scaler can be thought of as a little brother to Big Joe Tampiere: Air powered and noisy with a mind of its own. Don't pass this on to Big Joe as he may try to wander up the main line to the Maine Locomotive and Machine Co. shop to visit his little brother under the full moon!

Pete "Cosmo" Barrington

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Re: B&SR 7
« Reply #43 on: July 07, 2009, 06:30:17 PM »
Speaking of visits,
I understand #7's boiler was in a parade recently! Was that before the work started  "in earnest" up there?
And how has progress been? Last update was almost two months ago!

James Patten

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Re: B&SR 7
« Reply #44 on: July 07, 2009, 06:51:22 PM »
If you are thinking of the Boothbay parade, I'm doubting it's B&SR #7's boiler that was in the parade.  Probably the boiler belonging to Boothbay's #7.  B&SR 7's boiler cannot leave the building without major work to the building or the boiler - the steam dome is in the rafters.