This past saturday, Feb 25, I stopped at the Burlington-Rock Island RR museum in Teague, TX. A wonderful place to visit, by the way. Outside is a 2-8-2 donated by W T Carter and Brother, a long time East Texas logging concern. The engine has just been sandblasted and repainted, and looks wonderful from a distance. On closer look, however, the boiler jacket is rusted thru in numerous places, and there will be major problems developing as a result. It was raining heavily, so I was unable to inspect the engine closely to see if there was asbestos or wood under the jacket, but just the same, all of the rust holes cannot be good, as water will get in and stay there, and work on the boiler shell. I was wondering if any of the restoration experts out there have any ideas for repairing the holes in a waterproof manner, short of either patching the holes with sheet metal and bondo, or removing the lagging and making an entirely new jacket. This museum is run by a very dedicated group of retired railroaders and volunteers, but the cost of stripping the boiler and making a new jacket is entirely beyond their reach, but if they don't do something, their primary exhibit will soon be in real trouble. Any ideas would be gratefully received.

Obviously, replacing the jacket and remediating the asbestos is in order. Make the new jacket of paintable galvanized, use styrofoam strips for lagging, and rust convert and paint the boiler shell before reinstallation. Given nasty stuff is starting to leak out, it is probable they can get some funding for this work through the local political interests as a public safety issue.

Short term - pop rivets and aluminum flashing formed and installed by hand with caulking to seal the edges and painted in costs little and is well within their capabilities. Heavy canvas applied with elastomeric roof cement, with the edges feathered onto the metal surface, overpainted with a few more coats until the cloth texture fills, could do for a little while.

Whatever short term patch they choose, they need to start to work for a grant for abatement and a new jacket now.

dave

Thanks, Dave.

I think that the sheet aluminum and pop rivets and caulking is about all that could be done right now. Can you use automotive body putty to seal the edges and short sheet metal screws or not?

Even though it may cost a bit more during the abatement process, the old jacket pieces need to be saved, for patterns in cutting a new jacket from paintable galvanized steel sheet. And they must never let an abatement contractor come near the engine with a torch. He'll probably just cut off anything in his way and throw it into the scrap dumpster (some real horror stories here). After taking a bezillion photos for future reference and reassembly, everything in the contractor's way must be removed or at least loosened up for his easy removal. About all he should have to do is remove the bolts holding on the boiler bands on the outside, and (likely) the screws holding the backhead jacket sections on. The backhead jacket sections, being compound curved, are especially difficult to replicate.

If money is really tight now, they might do best to construct a shelter over the locomotive, to at least keep it out of the rain. A professional restoration, though well worth the money, will cost a bundle, but a few volunteers who are dedicated and willing to undergo pain and filth for a few years of weekends can do a proper job for much less. A proper cosmetic restoration is much more than a paint job, making the engine rollable without bearing damage, removing all possible rust, and putting grease and paint back where they belong. When finished, the engine should look like a running locomotive, even though it can't.

Yes you can - but Bondo tends to crack and fall off when the metal changes shape, while caulk, being flexible, stays put.

Agreed with Bob's recommendations concerning abatement contractors - don't let them come onto the site until somebody who cares has disassembled all obstacles to their access to the jacket. Lots of photos, toe tagging the loose bits of pipe, etc. can make reassembly go easily too.

About a year ago i did an article about a similar job in Gainesville, GA - Hume probably has it archived somewhere.

dave

Thanks to both of you! You are right about Bondo, and being in central Texas, there are plenty of temperature changes to contend with. I will pass on to them all that both of you had to say, and see if we can do something temporary over the summer, while they start raising money for the asbestos abatement and a new jacket.