Hi Folks!<br>Read the posting on rust and paint. We have<br>a similar problem with the Eagle Lake & West<br>Branch R.R. locomotives in Maine's Allagash<br>Wilderness.<p>In 1969 the shed housing the locomotives<br>was burned by the State. The locomotives<br>suffered heavy damage including the destruction<br>of the No. 1 wooden cab along with all<br>wood parts.<p>That summer the State slapped a quick, thick<br>coat of paint over the oxidized metal.<p>thirty years later when a paint chip falls<br>off it takes a large chunk of rusted metal with<br>it.<p>Now that the locomtives are no longer in danger<br>of falling over (we built a new roadbed beneath<br>them - long story) we need to stop the corrosion.<br>Sand blasting is of course preferable if done<br>carefully but logisticly it would be difficult.<p>During the non-snow months you can only access<br>the site by canoe or small boat or take a rough<br>2 mile hike.<p>Rust converters?<p>Epoxy based paint?<p>Any suggestions?<br>



TCHJJJJ@AOL.COM

Whatever you do it will be stopgap at best. There are serious problems with conservation of large mechanical artifacts outdoors, and sitting in a swamp just makes it worse, along with the extremes of climate in the region. <p>First, burn down the state capitol. Let them see how they like working outdoors in the winter. <p>Sandblasting is not a good way to deal with assembled machinery since sand gets into bearing surfaces and other places where it shouldn't be and retains moisture. I would rather put my resources into moving the locomotives into a place where some good shelter could be erected to preserve them than to beat this dead horse for decades to come. <p>Good shelter needs to have some form of climate control, as simple as controlled humidity if nothing else, and, once preserved, treatment is a reasonable option.<p>Here's an idea: Wrap them in huge baggies and fill the baggies with gas which would prevent oxidation. This will stop further rusting while the bigger issues are settled. <p>Of course, maybe the best you can do now is to lug a generator and some big wire brushes out there and mechanically remove what rust you can, and convert and coat as best as possible afterward. I wouldn't worry too much about what you use since it will be an annual thing anyhow. <p>Good luck.<p>Dave<br>



lathro19@idt.net

Dave -<p>I love you approach - like burning down the capitol building!<p>I agree with everyhting you said - if we want to preserve these items - they need to be indoors.<br>



lundquist@train.sdrm.org

<br>Well moving them is out of the question. We are<br>two miles from the nearest logging road and<br>over fifty miles from the nearest railhead.<p>We do have plans to build a shelter that will<br>reflect the architecture of the original so<br>lovingly burnt by our Forest Service.<p>The worse items is the sheet steel parts ie.<br>cab, tender tank, deck plates etc. We will<br>be meeting with the Bureau of Parks & Lands<br>next month to develope a plan and look into<br>alternatives. Our goal is to leave them<br>where they are which is where they have been<br>since September of 1933. We feel its of<br>upmost importance to preserve the locomotives<br>in thier unique historical surrounding.<p>When it comes down to it its thier remote<br>location that makes them very unique.<p>I will keep you posted on what developes. <br><br>



TCHJJJJ@AOL.COM

I've forgotten, what was the "logic" the FS used to justify burning down the engine house? (Seems the likehood of starting a forest (swamp) fire would be high--oh, maybe they were looking for job security?)<br>S<br>David D<br>PS, Unless you can supply some sort of shelter, remote or not, nothing will be left in short time.<br>



djdewey@cncnet.com

They had a erquest from the landowner (Seven Islands) to burn the abandoned forestry camp,<br>boarding house and five other buildings. This<br>has always been a unwritten policy in our northwoods when a logging operation moves on.<br>They feel it reduces the risk of squatters moving<br>in and the subsaquent risk of fire.<p>Unfortunatly the locomotives and the shed they<br>were in was owned by Irving Pulp & Paper who had<br>bought out a large chunk of LaCroix's holdings.<p>So.. in spring 1969 with ice still in the lake they not only burned the locomotives and shed<br>but someone elses property! Iving had not<br>tranfered the railroad to the state of <br>Maine yet!<p>They also scorched some of the pulcars as well<br>but they were to wet to burn well.<p>The Department of Conservation did the same thing at Churchill in 1974 when they<br>burned the Lombard tractor shed, the horse barn.<br>At least they had sense enough to haul the two<br>Lombards out before the fire. but it did<br>destroy a wonderful boom boat, dozens of pulpsled<br>runners and boxes of Lombard parts.<p>Remember 'Smokey say ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT FOREST<br>FIRES.<br><br>



TCHJJJJ@aol.com

The fastest, cheapest, easiest, way to preserve the iron is to give it a coat of POR-15. I'm sure they have a site on the web. I used it to preserve my engine. It's quite fantastic. Maybe POR-15 will donate some. It took less than 5 gallons to coat a 0-4-0T<br>Jerry Singer<br>



stationmaster@yonahstation.com