Jim Bays demonstrates fit of the rod brass around the crankpin.
Rod brass fit up in the ends of the rods.
Rods laid out, waiting for pins and installation.
Distribution pipes, installed!
James and Kurt adjust the fit of the firepan.
Archive for the ‘Driving wheels’ Category
Scenes around the shop last week.
Posted in Driving wheels, Restoration, Rods and rod brass, Sierra No. 3, Staff on February 9, 2010 |
Homecoming
Posted in Boiler, Driving wheels, Equipment, Frame, Restoration, Sierra No. 3, Staff, Tender, Volunteers on October 30, 2009 |
Brendan Simunaci and Mark Johnston attach the oversized load banner to the pilot truck.
With pilot car in place, we're in the final stretch.
Onto 5th Avenue in Jamestown, some tricky driving was required to avoid low-hanging communications lines.
And then, finally, we were in the yard!
With the truck, and front of the trailer removed, the crew laid out the track ramp for unloading.
George then drove the diesel and a flatbed car through the shop.
The car then couples to the front of the locomotive, and it is carefully brought down the ramp.
Finally in the Tri Dam shop! Ready for work to resume on Monday morning.
In The News
Posted in Boiler, Driving wheels, Frame, Restoration, Sacramento Shops, Shop Tours, Sierra No. 3, Staff, Volunteers on October 30, 2009 |
KCRA 3 in Sacramento aired a story about the Sierra #3 on Wednesday evening. You can see it for yourself (note: Reporter Walt Gray refers to being able to see it at Jamestown next month. Shop tours resume on the 11th of November, but we don’t expect to be operational until April!)
http://www.kcra.com/video/21469294/index.html
Also, an article in the Sacramento Bee on Thursday
Oversized Load
Posted in Boiler, Driving wheels, Frame, Restoration, Sacramento Shops, Sierra No. 3, Staff, Volunteers on October 29, 2009 |
Oversized loads require a special transportation permit, issued by The California Department of Transportation (CalTrans). Our load is over the height limit. A permit had been obtained for a 14’6″ load (at the top of the steam dome). Our final measurement (including rail, angle of the trailer, etc), measured 15′ 3″. This required a new permit. The request was submitted first thing in the morning, and at this point, we are waiting for our permitted route from CalTrans. The permitted route will take into account the height of overpasses, overhanging wires, and any other known obstacles which may interfere with safe travel. We anticipate the need for a pilot car on 120 in Tuolumne County. Brendan Siminuci, of Siminuci Construction, has volunteered to provide pilot car services for that portion of the trip.
Jim Bays and Mark Johnston take last measure of the high point of the load for the permit.
State Parks Heavy Equipment operator, Mark Johnston, waiting for the permit.
All loaded up, and ready to hit the road!
Zero Days ’til Ship
Posted in Boiler, Driving wheels, Frame, Restoration, Sacramento Shops, Sierra No. 3, Staff, Volunteers on October 28, 2009 |
For two months of alternate shifts working 7 days a week, this board has tracked the time. Today was the final shift, the last of several long days this week.
The boiler and chassis were lifted off of the horses by overhead crane.
The driving wheels were then rolled in.
Grease was applied to the axles and driving wheels in preparation for driving box installation.
The boxes were then lifted into place on the axles of the driving wheels.
Cotton wool was packed into the reservoirs to hold the lubricant.
Graphite cakes are applied to the pilot truck centerplate--another type of lubricant.
And then the frame and boiler were fit to the wheel assemblies. Suddenly, after months of work, it looks like a locomotive, as it is wheeled onto the transfer table!
And, under cover of darkness, the contraption is finally loaded onto the trailer. Its been a long day, but the deadline has been met. Sierra #3 will be delivered to Railtown tomorrow.
Crunch Time-Today in the Shop
Posted in Boiler, Driving wheels, Frame, Restoration, Sacramento Shops, Sierra No. 3, Staff, Volunteers on October 25, 2009 |
On Thursday, October 29th, the #3 will be shipped back to Railtown. Consisting of the new boiler, the chassis and the driving wheels, it doesn’t quite look like a locomotive. . . yet. To ensure the ship date is met, it’s all hands on deck, and a long week ahead. Here’s a look at what could be seen in the shop today.
Al DiPaolo and George Sapp adjust the rigging for the final lift of the boiler, while the documentary film crew looks on.
Lisa Smithson and Don Shapiro scrape the bearing surfaces of the driving boxes in preparation for the final fit.
Don Shapiro applies machinist's blue dye to the axles of the driving wheels for testing of the driving boxes.
Lisa Smithson operates the crane while Leonard Jones rocks the box back and forth over the dye-covered axle. An examination of the stained bearing surface indicates what still needs to be scraped and the process is repeated until the surface is perfectly married.
With the boiler on the ground for the final time, Dennis "DJ" Ponder grinds down the proud rivets, while being documented by the film crew.
Al DiPaolo and Leonard Jones adjust the mag drill for reaming the furnace bearer strap holes into the frame. One of the last items needed prior to the permanent attachment of the boiler.
Phil Hard and DJ Ponder adjust a mag drill to ream holes for the running board studs.
George Sapp cuts stock for bolts at the end of the day, foreshadowing Monday's activities.
Back at the Jamestown Shops
Posted in Driving wheels, Frame, Sacramento Shops, Sierra No. 3, Staff, Tender on October 4, 2009 |
Most of the workforce is now at the Sacramento Shops, where work on the Sierra #3 boiler is now occurring 7 days a week until the target return date of October 29th. In the meantime, activity continues at Railtown’s Jamestown shop, just at a quieter pace.
Newly manufactured leaf springs have arrived, ready to paint and install on the tender trucks.
- Previously repaired rod brass, frames George Sapp and Erik Young at the Jamestown Shop.
Bob West is preparing newly cast rod brass to machine to fit the new crankpins.
Brass for the Rods
Posted in Driving wheels, Restoration, Sierra No. 3, Staff on October 4, 2009 |
The brasses provide the bearing surface for the rods where they fit to the crankpins. As with the driving boxes, they provide a sacrificial material which bears the stress of the force on the driving wheels. Each rod bearing is comprised of two halves which are fitted over the crank pin.
- Diagram of a “modern” rod bearing.
Cracked rod brass needs to be replaced.
As a bearing surface, the rod brasses need to be re-machined and replaced with regular use (like the tires, or brake shoes on your car need to be routinely replaced). After assessment, the decision was made to replace all of the rod brasses during restoration. Models were constructed and shipped to a foundry in the San Jose area for casting. The new brasses are being machined, first to fit the outer dimensions, then finally, for the interior dimensions.
Bob West position rod brass for machining.
Brass is being uniformly machined on exterior edges in preparation for interior machining.
On the Road Again
Posted in Driving wheels, Restoration, Sierra No. 3, Staff on September 24, 2009 |
Sporting a fresh coat of black paint, the three sets of driving wheels left Railtown this morning, enroute to Sacramento one last time. Along with the driving boxes, they’ll be installed on the chassis for the return trip, tentatively scheduled for October 29th.
First set of driving wheels, ready to load.
Norm Comer and Phil Hard coordinate loading of the last set.
Refurbishing the Driving Boxes- Part II
Posted in Driving wheels, Restoration, Sierra No. 3, Staff on September 24, 2009 |
The next step in refurbishing the driving boxes includes building up the surface of the hub face with babbitt, and machining it, as well as the crown brass.
Babbitt (named after the inventor) is an alloy used as a sacraficial bearing metal. The structure is made of small, hard crystals dispersed in a matrix of softer alloy. With use, the matrix erodes and provides a path for lubricant.
Mold for babitt, devised from clamps and wood blocks. Babbitt surface is uneven before machining.
Babbitt can be easily melted in the shop, and then poured into the mold. In this case, the hub face of the driving box was first grooved to increase the surface area, and a block mold formed around the surfaces to be babbitted.
After removing the mold, Erik Young grinds off extra babbitt edges.
The unit is then mounted into a custom set up. Here, the crown brass is being machined.
Nice, smooth, finish!
