The Latest from the Strasburg Rail Road Shops

Richard Glueck · **Posted:** Thu Nov 23, 2017 12:59 pm

Simply the best!

DWH · **Joined:** Thu Sep 14, 2017 4:38 pm **Posts:** 46

Kelly; as usual absolutely beautiful shop space and machines. Who makes the planer? I'm starting a shaper rebuild and want to get my hands on a planer. They are just too cool.

John Risley · **Joined:** Tue Aug 24, 2004 10:34 pm **Posts:** 966

Not sure if this has been covered in the past or not? But what kind wood and what kind of treatment does the new planks on the tender get when replaced. Looks like new planking on the frame. A few years back this question came up for a couple of tender frames at my museum and nobody had a cut and dried answer. Many of us thought that creosote treated planks would be best to help delay rot. But quite a few people recommended against that and the cost was not cheap. Any thoughts or is this up to the customer to decide? Thanks for sharing your wonderful shop. Great Thanksgiving to you and your shop force.

Regards, John.

softwerkslex · **Posted:** Thu Nov 23, 2017 7:09 pm

Quote:

At the Strasburg Rail Road, we regularly deal with the biggest nuts in the industry.

Ya don't say?

softwerkslex · **Posted:** Thu Nov 23, 2017 7:14 pm

Quote:

The notches in the flange are needed so the two bends can be made in the sheet.

In the old days, I guess these were formed without cutting and welding. How did they do that? More swearing?

Also, is that steady on the LeBlond lathe home made?

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Fri Nov 24, 2017 1:16 am

Are you sure you're even allowed to fry a turkey without setting an outdoor wooden deck or porch roof afire???

Dennis Storzek · **Posted:** Fri Nov 24, 2017 11:57 am

softwerkslex wrote:

Quote:

The notches in the flange are needed so the two bends can be made in the sheet.

In the old days, I guess these were formed without cutting and welding. How did they do that? More swearing?

Like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeTpqHGWfOM

BILL · **Posted:** Fri Nov 24, 2017 12:30 pm

Or on a flanging press where the sheet was basically stamped into shape. Don't have an image handy to attach.

WVNorthern · **Posted:** Fri Nov 24, 2017 1:09 pm

The WW&F in Maine built their own flanging machine and are using it to form boiler parts for their 2-foot gauge Vulcan locomotive. Here is a link to the fascinating story of home-grown ingenuity in tackling a problem.

http://forum.wwfry.org/index.php/topic,2760.0.html

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Fri Nov 24, 2017 1:32 pm

Dennis Storzek wrote:

softwerkslex wrote:

Quote:

The notches in the flange are needed so the two bends can be made in the sheet.

In the old days, I guess these were formed without cutting and welding. How did they do that? More swearing?

Like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeTpqHGWfOM

I notice there aren't any fat guys in that video.

Dennis Storzek · **Posted:** Fri Nov 24, 2017 2:20 pm

WVNorthern wrote:

The WW&F in Maine built their own flanging machine and are using it to form boiler parts for their 2-foot gauge Vulcan locomotive. Here is a link to the fascinating story of home-grown ingenuity in tackling a problem.

http://forum.wwfry.org/index.php/topic,2760.0.html

You are missing the point. I am told that a flanging machine can't do the inside bends for sheets for a "keyhole" firebox... that's the reason for either doing it by hand or leaving notches where the inside bends are. Of course, if you build a full die set and have a really big forming press, it can be done mechanically, as someone pointed out.

Randy Musselman · **Posted:** Fri Nov 24, 2017 7:39 pm

Kelly,

Impressive shop made steady rest on the LeBlond, filled to capacity. Ditto on the planer, wonderful!

Strasburg has an erecting hall! Very impressive overall!

Regards,

Randy

Kelly Anderson · **Joined:** Tue Sep 14, 2004 7:52 am **Posts:** 2477

Richard Glueck · **Posted:** Mon Nov 27, 2017 10:40 am

Terrific update. Thank you.