Wanted: Steamtown update

Jim Montague · **Posted:** Sun May 25, 2003 10:57 pm

The Steamtown website reports that the steam excursions to Moscow were not run over Memorial weekend due to the 2317 not being road tested. It also says they didn't want to use the diesel to start the season off. They made no mention of the status of 3254. Can anyone provide an update? Will they be running steam next weekend?

http://www.nps.gov/stea/announcement.htm

Erik Ledbetter · **Posted:** Sun May 25, 2003 11:16 pm

> They made no mention of the status of 3254.

I can tell you 3254 has had her drivers dropped out and sent offsite for turning. Can't answer your other questions.

eledbetter@rypn.org

Steve Freer · **Posted:** Mon May 26, 2003 11:30 am

Wheels from 3254 are in Chattanooga at TVRM along with those from 765, 1361, etc.

Slightly lapsed shop updates
sfreer@tvrail.com

Tom Gears · **Posted:** Mon May 26, 2003 12:28 pm

When I visited the shop at Steamtown they had this big machine that had a bit of oil on it here and there and a lot of metal shavings. The way it worked they made a train wheel spin and shaved off some of the metal. If they have such a machine in Scranton why would they send wheels out to some other place to do this trick?

Tom

Erik Ledbetter · **Posted:** Mon May 26, 2003 1:32 pm

If they have such a machine in
> Scranton why would they send wheels out to
> some other place to do this trick?

I'm just speculating but I seem to recall that TVRM gave Steamtown a credit line for services as part of the "purchase price" for acquiring Steamtown's CN 4-6-2. Also, TVRM has the best, most proficient wheel shop in the country. Perhaps getting TVRM to do the work is "free" (less shipping) and allows the Steamtown folks to fry other fish with their time and labor. Again, just guessing--this is all speculation on my part.

eledbetter@rypn.org

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Mon May 26, 2003 5:02 pm

> When I visited the shop at Steamtown they
> had this big machine that had a bit of oil
> on it here and there and a lot of metal
> shavings. The way it worked they made a
> train wheel spin and shaved off some of the
> metal. If they have such a machine in
> Scranton why would they send wheels out to
> some other place to do this trick?

More wild-fannied speculation to join Brother Ledbetter's: SMALL wheel lathes are around and about, capable of profiling wheels on cars or diesel-electric locos. I have seen the technique used on one railroad: The truck is jacked off the ground, and the traction motor leads are disconnected, and the lathe spotted precisely in place. An arc welder is fired up, and connected to the motor leads, providing a steady, consistent rate of turning (ca. 25 mph or so). The wheel is them precision-turned via adjustment of the cutting blades by wheels guiding screws.

Now, you tell me how you propose to do the exact same thing with a steam locomotive's drivers, and get back to me.

As I understand it, Strasburg and TVRM have two of the last large, operable big-wheel lathes out there, although the Baltimore Streetcar Museum has had a former Canton big wheel lathe available for trade or sale for a while now........

lner4472@bcpl.net

Tom Gears · **Posted:** Mon May 26, 2003 5:20 pm

Sandy,

When I was there about a year ago they were turning a locomotive drive in a large lathe. I can't help wondering why send it out if you have a lathe in house.

With so few around it is sad that the one from Wilmington Shops get cut up for scrap back in the 1980's.

Tom

Wowak · **Posted:** Mon May 26, 2003 9:29 pm

> As I understand it, Strasburg and TVRM have
> two of the last large, operable big-wheel
> lathes out there,

Steamtown has one big enough for 1361's drivers. I saw the filings on the floor shortly after one had been turned a few years ago. What those same drivers are doing at TVRM now, I can't begin to speculate.

Wowak.Railfan.Net
mrwowak@yahoo.com

alzubal · **Posted:** Mon May 26, 2003 9:52 pm

> Steamtown has one big enough for 1361's
> drivers. I saw the filings on the floor
> shortly after one had been turned a few
> years ago. What those same drivers are doing
> at TVRM now, I can't begin to speculate.

I was there yesterday and asked about the 3254 and was told that they had found cracks in the casting it self and that they were out being repaired locally or at TVRM he wasn't shure.
Also herd a rummor that they don't have a trackage agreement yet.
al

azubal@nycap.rr.com

Faux Molder · **Posted:** Mon May 26, 2003 10:16 pm

> Also herd a rummor that they don't have a
> trackage agreement yet.
> al

But that would mean this press release is a lie. The government never lies.

http://www.nps.gov/stea/announcement.htm

Kelly · **Posted:** Tue May 27, 2003 8:20 am

> TVRM has the best, most
> proficient wheel shop in the country.

Best equipped I'll grant you, but most proficient? Strasburg Rail Road has turning and quartering wheel sets since 1983 for engines ranging from a 30" gage 4-4-0 to #3985. Ironically, we also turned the tires on TVRM's #610 before their wheel shop was put into operation. Just a reminder that we have a little practice in this work ourselves.

Strasburg Rail Road
kelly@strasburgrailroad.com

Erik Ledbetter · **Posted:** Tue May 27, 2003 9:34 am

Just intended to compliment G. Mark, not slight anyone else!

eledbetter@rypn.org

Kelly · **Posted:** Tue May 27, 2003 9:50 am

we also turned the
> tires on TVRM's #610 before their wheel shop
> was put into operation.

I have been reminded that it was GSM's tires that we turned. Got my army 2-8-0's crossed up in the cobwebs. Sorry!

Strasburg Rail Road
kelly@strasburgrailroad.com

G. Mark Ray - TVRM · **Posted:** Tue May 27, 2003 10:41 am

Maybe I can shed a little light on this subject.

The machine at Steamtown is Niles #23410 which is a Model AA86. If you have a copy of the 1947 Locomotive Cyclopedia, there is a small photograph of it in the Niles Company advertisement. This machine is a "three in one" with the ability to turn tires, hubs, crank pins and journals. To do this, it has both a journal turning attachment and a quartering attachment. This machine was the only one of this type built.

The 3254 work was obtained through a open bidding process that was available to anyone. The wheel work to be done in exchange for the 5288 is for the 2317. The scope of work for the 3254 includes some axle replacement and full tire renewal as well as journal and crank pin turning. I can not address why Steamtown chose to outsource the work but it could be simply that they don't have the manpower. I have heard that the crane that services that portion of the shop is out of service. Perhaps they do not have the ability at the moment to get the wheels into the machine.

As far as other wheels in the shop go, the 1361 wheels have been finished for quite some time but we still have them until the driving box work is complete (being done by Steam Operations). We are awaiting on one additional tire for the 765. We will install the new crank pins for the 765 this week and also sweat on the 7 tires that we have. The roller bearing repairs on the #1 axle are finished. FEC 253 wheels are awaiting installation of the new hub plates prior to getting their journals turned. Tires and crank pins have been turned on these wheels. The 1702 wheels are receiving new axles as part of its return to solid bearings. There will be more on this after the project is complete. We will also be receiving the wheels from K&T 14 shortly (ex-Union RR 77 of Tombstone RR fame).

G. Mark - TVRM

TVRM Shop Updates by Steve Freer
aw90h@cs.com

Ted Miles · **Posted:** Tue May 27, 2003 12:08 pm

Then there is a smaller wheel shop under construction at the Western Railway Museum. It is designed to handle streetcar and Interurban equipment up to (I think) 36".

We will be able to take wheels on and off axles and of course change the gauge.

Turn the wheels on another tool also. The equipment is now indoors and 440 volts AC is in the building. It will be a while but we are trying to become more self-sufficient all the time.

ted_miles@nps.gov