Speaking only for #1118, I will answer that question with one word. Kroil............:)
(in very large quantities)

We are planning on writing a formal restoration plan for the locomotive, it is a necessity for fundraising. Our first steps will be reinstalling the pilot beam and coupler pocket (both items were in the weeds beside the engine at the scrapyard), putting the smokebox door back on, and opening up a cylinder to see what's inside. We're also going to be rather busy with painting #662 for VMT.

Gary, first and for most congrats on doing the impossible! And good luck. I put together a restoration plan for DL&W 565. It's posted on the forum may want to take a look and get some ideas. Have Fun! I know we are with 565!

I visited the Trainfest in Owosso Michigan, they had the old Mississispian 2-6-0 there, ( this engine was featured on a sound record), they had the cylinders open, and they were rusty. If you find them in that condition its hand polishing time, before you even push the pistons out.
The pistons have rings just like any car so they're replaceable.
regardless you may be working the piston interior surfaces anyways to fix/smooth the surfaces. Your simple emerycloth and armstrong power can do that, but a precision smooth will take professional equipment perhaps even milling off a layer of metal to round it true.
The rings secure the seal so not much worry there.

Bigass hone kit from McMaster. Half inch drill motor.

Jack Anderson taught me how to make rings fit out of round bores. I taught myself how to make rings seal when the pistons are not replaced after a couple borings of the cylinders and the clearance is HUGE - a quick and dirty job when there wasn't time to make new poistoins with the correct clearance.

Not rocket science and very forgiving tolerances here.

I think the Miss had 2 - 2-8-0's.

dave

Our goal with 1118 is a towable, cosmetically restored static display. We have no intentions of restoring her for operation. (several miles of track and an extremely large bank account come in handy for that.......). We are thinking that way to go is that once the pistons are out, don't replace them. Less to lubricate when you are moving it, and it tows easier when not impersonating an air compressor.

Ok. There is a gurgling of interest of 1134 back to steam, but like always its the long road. Hope you can keep 1118 conditioned. Every once in a while once restored its good to "roll" the engine for excersize on the bearings.

Famous last words, but I never knew 765 would come out of display and back running which I helped with. Good luck so far, now the engines getting moved you can plunk back and take care of the "rest of the story."

double checked, yep SRI has MIsssiisspian #76 2-8-0. -crossedeyes- found my record album featuring those engines under steam. Interesting 2 brothers owned the line with 2 Frisco 2-8-0's, each brother "owning" ones engine, and the other brother " conductored" while the "owner brother" engineered" his engine.
That line ran steam in the 60's.

BTW on 765 in its initial restoration, we used a nail gun, it was an air tool with what looked like a grouped bunch of nails held in one hand sorta like a hand power drill.
These "nails" warbled around smacking the metal surface as you move it around, pretty good at removing rust. Also a lot of sandblasting was done in the boiler and outside of 765. We found a hammer at the bottom of 765's boiler also heh.

Try the term "needle gun." A "nail gun" drives nails one at a time into a surface to stay there.

I've used air-powered needle guns over the years; wonderful weapon against rust if you can stand the noise (WHAT?!?!? DID YOU SAY SOMETHING???) and take breaks every once in a while--all that pounding takes a toll on the muscles, let me tell you.....

We are actually very familiar with these devices, having worn out several of them over the years. We are also rather good at wearing out sanders, wire brushes, grinders, and sandblaster nozzles.....................:)

Needle Scalers. AKA "Death Cannons" at RMNE. A wonderful and useful tool; make sure you have ear protection. One of our guys likes anti-vibration gloves for that job.

Howard P.
Rust-Never-Sleeps, CT

Anti-vibration gloves? Where were they when I was in the Navy? We wore out a few of them back then! We called them jitterbugs.

Later!
Mr. Ed

There is now no rail equipment left at the Jefferson St. site of Virginia Scrap Iron & Metal. The tenders at the scrapyard moved on Thursday, the 15,000 gal. is now at VMT behind 1151. The 16,000 gal. traveled up I-81 & I-64 to North Fork Inc. in Goshen Va. On Friday, the North Fork crew started moving the two Chesapeake Western Baldwin VO-660's to 9th St. 663 arrived and was unloaded on Friday afternoon. During 662's move there was some sort of mechanical failure on one of the dollies, which resulted in 662 arriving at 9th St. too late to unload. The unloading was finished at about 12 pm. on Saturday, just outside the gate to our facility.
Shortly afterward, our Alco T-6 # N&W 41, which spent 21 years as Chesapeake Western #11, coupled on to the two Baldwins.
Engineer for the move inside the fence was retired NS System Road Foreman of Engines and Roanoke Chapter NRHS founding member S. R. Winegard. S. R.'s father and uncle were Chesapeake Western engineers, and S. R. started his railroad career in his teens as a hostler for the Chesapeake Western. He regularly ran the Baldwins when they were new. North Fork Inc.'s crew will be working at the scrapyard this week removing all the loose "stuff" on the ground, and doing site cleanup, including removing the rail.
We're planning an open house and cookout at 9th St. on Saturday Sept. 26th. If any RYPNr's are able to come, we'd love to have you. I'll post more details, and photos of the moves as soon as they are available.

wow, love to be there, but over in michigan, take plenty of pics.

Congrats Gary. Now the fun really begins. You have truly saved history. :) This year is really turning into a great year, lots for everyone to be proud of! Can't list them all but, SR 401 is almost ready, SR 153 well under way, SR 385 back in the public eye, CNJ 113 getting close, Black River #60 ready to go, and DL&W 565 is getting put back together. Congrats to all!