Here's a 23 minute video I made of Klondike Kate on 9/2/2017:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgbRqgcWbjs&t=716s

Nice video - but a question. Does the loco have cylinder drains? If it does the engineer wasn't using them when it emerged from the roundhouse and the loco was priming badly with condensate shooting out of the stack on several occasions. They were lucky not to punch out a cylinder cover or do other damage.
Ray.

The drain cock linkage is visible later in the video. I also note the packing is leaking.

Comments are not meant to be too critical. It is great to see this project progressing.

Yes the engine has cylinder cocks but they aren't working well. They will be repaired in time for the 2018 season.
This project is very challenging. Most everyone comes long distance to work there. It is a two hour drive, one way, for me. Another comes all the way from Kansas, a nine hour drive, to work.
Como is very remote which is one of the reasons it looks so much like it did in 1938.
The engine arrived in Como on 8/15/17 and was first operated for the public four days later on 8/19. Last Saturday, 9/2, was two weeks after that. It has been an incredible accomplishment!
There are many very dedicated, knowledgeable and talented people involved who all want very much to make everything the way they need to be.
We welcome anyone who would like to help onsite and of course any contributions you can make.
2017 was great, 2018 will be better!

I noticed the blowing packing also. My OCD kicks in when I see the whistle. I hope that over the winter they do something with it. I get really nervous when I see a whistle on a long pipe and no bracing. A nice schedule 80 90 deg out of the dome, a shutuff valve and very short nipple would be a lot stronger. I'm sure that over the winter a lot of things will be addressed and I hope they don't see this as critical or nit picking. I'm amazed at the work that has been accomplished in Como and congratulate the participants and sponsors.

I have found out that cylinder cocks are almost the first thing to clog up. If a locomotive has been sitting for a while or if something was done on the boiler, rust or scale collects in them and they stop working. Chances are that they need a good cleaning, and this will have to be done several times until the boiler settles down.

In reference to the above post about the whistle, I agree with it. Just recently we did some whistle pipe work on CNJ 113 and used a schedule 160 nipple.

Bernie Perch

One tank engine I brought back into service from a power plant clogged up every time for the first few operations. A combination of cleaning out the cocks frequently, blowing down, and washing out the boiler a couple times - scale also piled up at the mud ring - solved it. I was very pleased that no leaks in the firebox or front end resulted from getting a clean interior.

All of you are correct. The cylinder cocks are clogged from sitting at its previous owner and the other items will also be addressed. Again we had a very compressed schedule to get it onsite and running for the first time. We also had challenges with the turntable and roundhouse track. Your comments are appreciated.

Maybe just remove the cylinder cocks entirely for a day?

Do you have a place for visitors to stay on site?

Sincere apologies if it sounded like I was 'running-down' your operation over in Como. That was not the intention - what you guys have achieved in such a short time is nothing short of miraculous. I was simply concerned for the welfare of the loco and avoiding any possibility of damage for want of a little work on the cylinder cocks. Please keep up the good work.
Ray.

Ray, no problem.

Steve, you can stay at the hotel next to the depot.

Usually in a restoration, the cylinder heads are taken off and the throttle opened. Without the pistons in it will blow everything out of the dry pipe, throttle and piping to the cylinders. It was amazing to see the crap that blew out of 1522 when we did that.
Yes, I would suggest taking the cylinder cocks off completely, cleaning them out well and running the engine around for a day without them. That should get most of the foreign matter out of the way.
Congrats on your accomplishments.

As things progressed with the Polson #2, and we did blow out the boiler and cyl after first steam up. Like videos often show the brownish yuk came out at first. Even after removing the cyl cocks and cleaning them they again plugged up. I know I unplugged them one time when only one side was working and was still warm yet. Not sure if it had plugged up more than the one time or not, but I am assuming they did. And that boiler was pretty clean on the inside by the time the work was finished. It ain't cleaned out until it is done letting it all go. I too like the idea of just running it for a while with cyl cocks removed. Probably a long todo list for the winter to keep all hands busy. Beautiful little set up the got there in CO. Be safe and best wishes to these people. Regards, John.

By the time the rust carbuncles get from the dry pipe, steam pipes and casting ports to the cylinder cocks to plug them up, it's too late. The rings, cylinders and valve seats are pretty messed up.

Steam Blow

It's amazing how much they can puke......

How well is Klondike Kate's air compressor operating? It appeared to be quite silent in the video.