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 Post subject: The Latest from the Strasburg Rail Road Shops
PostPosted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 11:31 am 

Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2004 7:52 am
Posts: 2558
Location: Strasburg, PA
After completing the boiler overhaul for Huckleberry #152, a few details remained for us to clean up and ship west while the shop in Flint was remounting the boiler. The turret needed the main valve bonnet threads renewed, but cracks were found in the iron casting, so it has decided to replace the entire turret. Casting a new one wasn’t practical due to the short lead time available. Several different versions of a built up turret here considered before it was decided to hog it out of a billet of 11” steel plate.

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Here is the new turret in process.

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Here is the finished turret, with its new bonnet and valve spindle. The projection on the side is for the steam gauge mounting bracket.

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This is #152’s throttle, with the seats remachined, and the thimble built up with braze, a technique that was given to us by Scott Lindsay that has proven very practical on our throttles.

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#152 also needed a new dry pipe tee in the smokebox after the original cracked during reassembly. Doh! Here Richie is welding up a steel replacement.

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In this photo a King “metallic” packing for an air compressor piston rod is taking shape on the CNC mill. These packings are made of bronze filled Teflon.

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Here, Mike is drilling pilot rivet holes in a replacement boiler barrel for a small Porter 0-4-0. The back end of the boiler is in good shape, but the lap seam barrel needed replacement.

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Our open car #99, the “Valley View” has been in the shop for interior work, with the side walls below the belt rail, metal seat hardware, and the floor replaced. Here, the seats are back in the car, ready to be reinstalled.

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The forward end of the center sill of #89’s tender was suffering from many decades of corrosion from coal dust and moisture, and this spring was a good opportunity to replace it. In this photo, John is removing rivets holding the drawbar pocket in place, as part of the disassembly process.

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Here, the new channels are welded to the existing center sill.

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In this shot, John is welding up the drawbar pin hole in the cast steel drawbar pocket. It was worn badly out of round, and there will never be a better opportunity to repair it. Once welding has been completed, the drawbar pocket will be set up on the milling machine to rebore the hole true.

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#89 is nearing completion of her 1,472 service day inspection. Mike is cleaning up in the firebox after completing rolling in and “seal” welding her new set of tubes. A second hydro to allow him to reroll any leakers will be the next step.

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The addition to our shops is nearing completion. All of that beautiful empty floor space is being longed for by our staff.

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With the old east wall of the backshop now removed, it makes quite a vista to look from one end of the building to the other.

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 Post subject: Re: The Latest from the Strasburg Rail Road Shops
PostPosted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 1:19 pm 

Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2011 11:23 am
Posts: 436
Location: Sheboygan County, Wisconsin
Once again, most impressive work.
I especially find images 1 and 2 the most interesting, that's
a real piece of artistry. You all should be proud.


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 Post subject: Re: The Latest from the Strasburg Rail Road Shops
PostPosted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 1:58 pm 

Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 5:27 pm
Posts: 118
Kelly, thank you for again sharing the Latest from the Strasburg Shops with us. The skills of your staff are incredible!
Alan


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 Post subject: Re: The Latest from the Strasburg Rail Road Shops
PostPosted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 2:38 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 11:26 am
Posts: 4642
Location: Maine
No better steam capability anywhere in America today. Just awesome. Thank you.

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 Post subject: Re: The Latest from the Strasburg Rail Road Shops
PostPosted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 3:35 pm 

Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2015 12:36 pm
Posts: 198
I can just feel the floor vibrating from here on that long interrupted deep groove cut on that turret. Of coarse a 4 axis CNC mill would make short work of that, but the burn rate on those are a bit pricey if you can't keep it busy.

On the bright side that billet will we 10 times stronger then the original cast iron.

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"What smells like Lube Oil and Diesel? Oh It's just my Locomotive Breath"


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 Post subject: Re: The Latest from the Strasburg Rail Road Shops
PostPosted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 8:17 pm 

Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2017 5:54 pm
Posts: 84
First class work as always! If it isn't top secret, is there and ETA for 89's return, assuming all goes well?


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 Post subject: Re: The Latest from the Strasburg Rail Road Shops
PostPosted: Sun Jun 04, 2017 1:07 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 5:58 pm
Posts: 1061
fantastic work as always!


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 Post subject: Re: The Latest from the Strasburg Rail Road Shops
PostPosted: Mon Jun 05, 2017 8:34 am 

Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2004 7:52 am
Posts: 2558
Location: Strasburg, PA
ColebrookdaleRailfan wrote:
First class work as always! If it isn't top secret, is there and ETA for 89's return, assuming all goes well?

No secret, but also not a top priority. She should be back in service by or before Labor Day (maybe), but we aren't selling tickets for her debut.


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 Post subject: Re: The Latest from the Strasburg Rail Road Shops
PostPosted: Mon Jun 05, 2017 1:25 pm 
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Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:05 pm
Posts: 1053
Location: MA
I forget do you guys do casting?


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 Post subject: Re: The Latest from the Strasburg Rail Road Shops
PostPosted: Mon Jun 05, 2017 2:31 pm 

Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2004 7:52 am
Posts: 2558
Location: Strasburg, PA
No we don't. Occasionally we will make simpler patterns, but most pattern and all casting work is sent out to Fairmount, Cattail, or Flurry Foundries, depending on what is needed. We are fortunate to find ourselves with three good foundries within reasonable distance.


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 Post subject: Re: The Latest from the Strasburg Rail Road Shops
PostPosted: Mon Jun 05, 2017 6:04 pm 

Joined: Thu Sep 23, 2010 2:12 pm
Posts: 23
After 89 returns to service, is 475 next to go into the shop? Or will all three locomotives be in service?


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 Post subject: Re: The Latest from the Strasburg Rail Road Shops
PostPosted: Mon Jun 05, 2017 8:25 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 3:37 pm
Posts: 1275
Location: Pacific, MO
That turret is beautiful. Work of art.
On the throttle, do you have any problem with the braze steam cutting?


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 Post subject: Re: The Latest from the Strasburg Rail Road Shops
PostPosted: Mon Jun 05, 2017 9:52 pm 

Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:40 am
Posts: 110
Location: Durango, Co
Kelly Anderson wrote:
She should be back in service by or before Labor Day (maybe), but we aren't selling tickets for her debut.

Well put, by someone thoroughly versed in the vagaries of steam locomotive repair.


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 Post subject: Re: The Latest from the Strasburg Rail Road Shops
PostPosted: Tue Jun 06, 2017 8:01 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 5:19 pm
Posts: 2556
Location: Sackets Harbor, NY
Beautiful work as always. How blessed we are as an industry to have a professionally run, fully capable shop that can do just about anything and do it right.

Here's hoping there will always be plenty og good paying work to keep the place fully engaged.

Ross Rowland


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 Post subject: Re: The Latest from the Strasburg Rail Road Shops
PostPosted: Tue Jun 06, 2017 8:48 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 8:31 am
Posts: 1310
Location: South Carolina
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I love the 80's musical reference in the background.

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