If I understand correctly, the pedestals have compressed due to the absence of the binders? Not likely too much if the boxes, shoes and wedges are still under the carcass. Frame bent down 2" between the back keys and the saddle center? I'm concerned about a few things in this report - one being the language used does not reflect a familiarity with the hardware, which leads me to wonder if the reports are accurate assuming I do understand it correctly. If accurate, there's some real frame damage to be dealt with before worrying about things like spring rigging going on.

I'm thinking there may be some joint rings missing from the drypipes rather than a real bad kink in the frames - but then, the initial tramming of the frame would indicate the extent of kinkiness of any at all. This assumes a decent tram job was performed to reveal the true condition of the frame.

You may have some real problems to deal with, or not so much - please get good qualified advice before starting to change heavy hunks of metal.

dave

Thanks for concern Dave. But we are working with the mechanics in the shop so they are really going to decide what will need to be done. The shop guys don't really want to move her too much until we have the front pilot in and the front drive axle journels in. But to that we have to jack her in place or gentle move her to the wheel pit. The wheel pit is over about 5 stalls away in the roundhouse. The shop guys feel once we get the pilot and journels in the we will have a good idea how much the frame is going to be a problem. Also we have to move her into the back shop to use the over head crane to lift and reset the boiler onto the chassis. The front of the boiler is not lined up, about 1/2" off, with the center part of the cylinder pedestal.
Dave sorry I don't know all the terms but I'm learning as I go. The shop guys are helping alot. The pipes I'm talking about is the main steam pipes coming out the sides of the smoke box to the top of the cylinders.
The front axle is just sitting in the slots where the journels go. You have to remember this engine was moved from New Hope and then moved around quite a bit before it ended up in the roundhouse.

Cab window frames need to be made of a good hardwood, Pressure treated wood is basically junk wood, especiall for this purpose. A carpentry shop really isn't needed, although a nice thing to have. I built most of the windows for SP1727 when all I had available was a table saw and a router. More work, but it can be done! Once done, the wood needs to be kept coated--leaving out in the weather is NOT good for them (or for many other parts of the engine either!).
Keep looking around for parts, when Portola recovered the UP/SP 4-4-0 they found parts everywhere, including the scrap pile (the cab roof, also found in a scrap pile, had a circle cut out of it, apparently for a vise stand base, or ??).
Steamcerely,
David Dewey

No, for stack caps on other locomotives in Vermont (believe it or not).

The roof was removed in the first place to make clearance for the flatcar move from down south to up north.

Steve

Steve,

did you know that that UP/SP locomotive is now at the
TTT Agricultural Museum in the Central Valley here in California?

She is at long last displayed indoors with a cover over her and with several other rail cars

Ted Miles

Has it been cosmetically restored yet? Any photos out there?

Thanks,

Steve

I have not been to the Double T Ag Museum but hope to one day soon.
Here is the official word on the engine:


http://www.thedoublet.com/SteamEngineRestoration.html


It seems sensible to restore this engine as the SP 216. It retains the steel cab in that configuration. However, the old photo of it at Steamtown appear to show that Nelson Blount had a wooden cab built for the UP 737 Representation. Probably just wood sheeted over the steel cab underneath.

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/up737.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pacific_737

More recent photo of the 216:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26179&p=117945&hilit=216+agricultural+museum#p117945

The recent call for volunteers on this project led me to bump this thread, and perhaps clear things up. My comments are in green, inside the quote and out.

Dave might be right, but the real decision is to be made on what the purpose of the restoration is. It will more likely be to assemble her parts before they get misplaced again, so soundness of boiler and kinkiness of frame might not be a big deal. Also, when you are alongside 565 at rail level, you realize how tall she is. You spend more time looking at her underbelly and firebox than admiring the whole locomotive. She seems better suited to be looked down upon from above. Other steamers don't give me that impression. 2009 might yet be an exciting year for this little loco.
tim o'm

Thanks Tim. Dave and I cleared things up over some PMs. And you are correct I'm only an organizer not a specialist, but I'm learning. My personnel goal is to have her ready for the convention next year. But time will tell on that. She doesn't have much rust so we don't have alot of that type repairs to do. Again we can always use more help.

Steve B.

Hey Steve when are you planing on going up again? I hope in the warmer weather,lol.

Len.

Hey Len! We have a date set. 18th of Feb. Probably be working inside, LOL. They found more stuff in the basement! In the spring the shop wants to move her into the shop so we can get going on the restoration. They are doing the annuals on the 2 Canadians right now so the shop is alittle full.

18 Feb workday! We found the last of the bins of parts for the engine. Some of the driver connecting rods pieces, The U-bolt that connects the main rod to the crossheads, we found the drop link to the equalizer but didn't find the bar that crosses from the front driver springs to connect the equalizer to it.

The next steps are in work. The historian now is working on the paperwork to let the powers to be in the NPS that restoration has started. We can continue working but we can only do some of the minor work. We are looking at the next workday to move the engine to the drop pit in the roundhouse to drop the front driver out and install the journels. That's going to be an all day project. Plus while we have to install the pilot truck. We have one of the brackets to hold the journels in so we will have to make another one up. We are still looking for the front springs for the front drive. We have a volunteer who lives close who is going to start sandblasting/priming parts.