Hi Bob, You mentioned the "Project 220" group. Can you give us the details of what the group is doing?

Rob Davis

Inlinebob@aol.com

This began about 12 years ago, when a few of us began stabilizing the 220. Over the years, we polished and greased the journals on the engine, tender and car, cleaned out the tender, smokebox and firebox, had the remaining asbestos removed from the cab and piping, etc. Three attempts were made to obtain ISTEA funding for a running overhaul, all unsuccessful. For a couple of years Chris Burger was general manager of the CV and we had little to do in the shop (they had transferred our work to Battle Creek, but had to keep us on the payroll due to guaranteed jobs in the mechanical department -- the guaranteed jobs were their contract proposal, incidently). He had been the motivating factor behind the C&NW 1385 tour and wanted something similar on the CV. Thus, I was sent down to the museum one day per week to work on the 220, and brought many smaller parts back to the enginehouse for repair, such as all air brake portions, the air pump and turbogenerator.

Ultimately, the CV was sold to that awful bunch from Texas, Chris moved on and the museum decided not to pursue further funding for operation. Not liking scab railroading, a few of us successfully organized the train crews on the successor NECR, but of course were fired for highly spurious reasons. A move to a new job put me out of the picture for all but a couple of times per year, but my three colleagues soldier on with cosmetic efforts, doing a fine job.

One boiler problem was caused when a contractor removed the rusted boiler jacket and lagging in the 1970s. He torched off the studs for the handrail posts and boiler steps (to reach the domes, turbo, etc), then tried to burn them out with his torch, creating some nasty holes in the shell that would require careful patching. After he put the new jacket on, some of the old studs were hastily welded back on, others were replaced with short pieces of threaded rod brazed to the boiler

A likely scenario is to make the cab open for visitors, with a walkway along one side of the engine and car, allowing presently-excluded handicapped visitors a look inside. Working brakes, generator and a low-decibel whistle are a long-term goal, run off a stationary air compressor. We'd all like to see it steam again, of course, but in the meantime the equipment is under shelter and 24-hour guard, with grease where it should be and paint being applied.

Hi Bob, You mentioned the "Project
> 220" group. Can you give us the details
> of what the group is doing?

> Rob Davis


bobyar2001@yahoo.com