The Heber Valley Railroad is currently gearing up for our 2011 season which kicks off on May 26th with Day Out With Thomas. Over the winter we did not run any trains which gave the shop staff the chance to work on projects including Great Western 75.

As a contract job the Heber Valley Railroad rebuilt this caboose and painted it. It will be shipped to the customer soon.



In the next picture you will notice a semaphore. This semaphore was rebuilt by an all volunteer crew and put up last fall. It is completely operational and is used as a switch point indicator.



On Great Western 75 work has been focused on building a new lead truck, running gear work and the tender. The tender's frame had deteriorated significantly over the years. It has now been rebuilt and is about 85% new. Also, the original arch bar trucks were completely disassembled, rebuilt and now match the original drawings. Below is a picture of the trucks going back together.



This winter also gave the shop staff the opportunity to increase the volunteer program. While there has always been a volunteer program at the Heber Valley Railroad, it has been a while since we actively recruited new volunteers and had formal volunteer work sessions. Now the program is growing and we hold at least one Saturday volunteer session a month. Last month the volunteers started working on installing rivets in the new steel on 75's cab. If you have interest in volunteering at the Heber Valley Railroad please contact me by email at gregudolph@gmail.com.

I will send out another update in the coming months with more pictures of the work on 75. For now, enjoy these pictures and please visit us soon.

My Caboose looks nice...
-Jugger

Nice work!

Is the recenet flurry of activity on 75 due to the funding that Wasatch Railraod Contractors provided?

What is the the status of the boiler work on #75?

What is the status of the proposed takeover of operations and maintainence by WRC?

The "flurry of activity" on ex-Great Western 2-8-0 No. 75 has been taking place over the course of the past year. Throughout the past 6 years, the shop has gradually been refurbished and equipped with appropriate machine tools and specialized tooling for this type of work. Heber Valley Railroad was awarded a transportation enhancement historic-preservation grant for refurbishment of a different locomotive in 2008. After re-evaluating the condition of 75's firebox, the grant was modified and executed in February 2010, and work has steadily progressed since that time. While "peeling the onion" on this project, we learned that it was necessary to start over with the lead truck (which had been damaged and repaired several times in its previous life). We also found that corrosion and "wasting" had claimed the tender frame and running gear under the coal bunker. Innovative methods were used to fabricate center plates and other structural components, keeping costs to a minimum.

In addition to the work described by Greg Udolph, the boiler has been removed from the frame and the smokebox has been removed, most of the firebox has been removed and a backhead patch has been made, the drivers have been machined, the pistons have been reworked, components for full mechanical lubrication have been acquired and refurbished, all locomotive and tender springs have been renewed and the brake rigging has been refurbished. When No. 75 was purchased in 1999, she came with a full set of original drawings. With the exception of a few in-service modifications and upgrades, the components are being brought back to original dimensions and specifications. Although there is a lot yet to be done, the project is going very well.


Craig Lacey
Executive Director
Heber Valley Railroad

Nice work! I drove by there today and wondered what the B&P caboose was there for. Good to hear about progress on #75.

Outstanding to hear of all the progress, the caboose looks great!

I look forward to taking the drive from Ely to Heber City when 75 is up and running again! Is their any update for 618, or is she just waiting her turn?

Anthony

It certainly is nice to see a steam locomotive tender getting rebuilt age-and-appearance appropriate tender trucks, including those hinged journal lids.

Howard P.

When I was at HVRR on 4/16, #618 was on display near the depot with two of the most recently restored HVRR passenger cars and a caboose. I think her 1472-day time is up. I hope she's back in service before too long!

Greg:- It all looks great.

Rod Crawford

I hauled an old wooden boxcar out to Heber Valley years ago on
My semi. As I remember it came from California. Does anyone remember this?

The boxcar may have been Salt Lake, Garfield & Western No. 100, one of the only boxcars owned by "The Saltair Route". The car was located at Old Las Vegas (also the former home of Eureka & Palisades steam locomotive No. 4), and was slated for immediate demolition in May 1997. We mounted a "rescue mission", brought the car to Heber City and made repairs to the side doors and walls (where access doors and windows had been installed). The car was subsequently repainted in "Saltair" livery and is currently used for storage and period-film projects.

Craig Lacey
Executive Director
Heber Valley Railroad

Sounds familiar. I stayed over and took the train trip. Sure had a great time. Im a member of Tvrm Chattanooga. We have just completed the rebuild of 630 and it runs like a top. We will again be on the NS main this year.