Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have been reading on here for quite some time, and now have come to something that I think is worthy of a post. I am a volunteer at the Passumpsic Railroad in VT. It's a private museum owned by the Kendall Family. We are in the process of doing some major work to their Heisler to get it back out and running for the August timeframe. One of the big things I have to do involves removing the packing glands (amongst other things). Doesn't sound like a big deal, but we don't have a wrench to get in on the nut. I was wondering if any of the Heisler guys out there could tell me
A. What you have made to do it
or
B. Where can I find an offset spanner of that size to get onto the nut and still clear the Crosshead guide casting.
Thanks in advance for your help, I'm very new to working on logging locomotives, so I hope that some of you guys with a lot more experience will be able to help me out from time to time as I am getting my feet wet. We have machined up a "contingency plan", but if I can get the right tool, I would rather do that.

Brett Goertemoeller

My experience was with a Stearns built Heisler of 1899 vintage so this information may not be relevant to your engine. Check to see if there is a keeper for the packing gland threaded into the cross head guide and engaging the ribs of the packing gland. If there is one there, remove it and stick a piece of round bar with the end ground flat on the top. Use the guide casting as a fulcrum and press against the ribs on the packing gland, trying to rotate the gland in the loosening direction.

I will be a little east of Burlington in August and would like to see the locomotive. Can you post a link to a website where I can get more information?
Thank you,

-Paul

Thanks for the info! there is a keeper on our engine. It's kind of a pain to get in and out, but I will give that a try. That will be a lot better than fighting with the gland. The railroad is private, but we do invite people to come and visit as long as they get a hold of us first to make sure that we are there. Work days are every Sunday (for the most part) and a few other days here and there depending on who is around. We are always looking for more people who are interested in helping out with everything from working on the locomotives to trackwork. When you come up, you can see the second Heisler that is still waiting restoration. The web site for the railroad is at
http://www.passumpsicrailroad.com

Other than that, feel free to PM me and I will give you my contact information. I have a little flexability in my schedual so I can make some time to meet you at the railroad.

Thanks Again,
Brett

I've gotten some PMs asking about the Heisler, so I figured I would put out the information for everyone here. I don't know how many people are interested in our little railroad, but here goes nothing.
Our running Heisler was built in 1922, and it came to us from Phenix Marble. She is a petit 22 tons, and runs well. This is the locomotive that went to Sacramento for Rail Fair back in the 90s. There are a lot of pictures of the engine on our web site, as well as other shots of some of our equipment.
The other Heisler we own is not running. She is awaiting restoration sometime in the future (when money and time becomes no object, and we have nothing else to do). She was built in 1920, and is also a 22 ton loco. This engine came to us from Holly Ridge Lumber Co. Currently she is sitting on a flat car on the "dead line" out near the station. That rounds out the "steam" side of things save a 1922 Model 740 B Stanley Steamer that needs a little work to get out and running again. Maybe after I finish the Heisler, who knows......

Some time ago I was advised that a turntable had been obtained for future use at this operation. Below is what I've been given and wonder if I can get a confirmation that it is correct, or get whatever corrections would be appropriate?

2003 – A 50’ Maine Central (later North Stratford Railroad) turntable from Beecher Falls, VT, was acquired by Dr. Marvin Kendall and moved to East Barnet, VT, for eventual use on his private Passumpsic Railroad.

I believe that is correct (not sure about the 2003 date, but I will ask Marvin or Jim next time I talk to them). The turntable and stones that lined the pit are all at the property in the upper field. At this point the table is on the long list of things to do, but I don't have any more information as to how soon.

Brett

Brett -

How about a quick list of the other railroad equipment there? I see what looks like a caboose (no cupola or bay window) and wonder if this is what it was, and also its heritage. Also, other stuff that is there.

Thanks.

Les

It is a caboose. It will take me a little while to compile everything for you, but I will try to get it put up here soon. I have to call Jim and Marvin for this, because I do not know the lineage of some of the equipment. I'll get back to you guys as soon as I can with the info you requested. Thanks,

Brett

I know that it has been a LONG while since I did any posting on here about the Passumpsic, and there was the question above as well as a few others. So to start with the roster question....

LOCOMOTIVES
NUMBER TYPE SERIAL No. BUILT RECEVED NOTES
1 2 Truck Heisler 1468
3 2 Truck Heisler 1415
W3 GE 25 Ton Ex North Stratford W3.
10 GE 44 Ton Ex Aroostook Valley 10.
12 GE 44 Ton Ex Aroostook Valley 12.
16 GE 44 Ton 27976 Ex Maine Central 16, Aroostook Valley 14.
5214 Plymouth 5214 1993 Ex New England Power Co. (Fifteen Miles Falls RR)

PASSENGER CARS
NUMBER TYPE BUILT RECEVED NOTES
3 Caboose Ex Fonda Johnstown & Gloversville 3.
59 Caboose 1920 2012 Ex Rutland RR 81, 31, St Johnsbury & Lake Champlain 59.
4013 Caboose 1910 1988 Ex Central Vermont 4013.
Caboose 1921 Ex Boston & Maine 104620, Barre & Chelsea C3, Montpelier & Barre 25.
Open AIr Ex Maine Central, Conway Scenic

Maintenece of Way (MOW)
NUMBER TYPE BUILT RECEVED NOTES
21 Flanger Ex Vermont Railway 21, Steamtown 21.
X104 Plow 1924 Ex Rutland X104, Green Mountain X104.
Crain 1922 1993 Ex New England Power.
Flanger 1994 Ex Maine Central.
Plow Ex Aroostook Valley 1MW (Double ended plow made from a steple cab)

FREIGHT CARS
NUMBER TYPE BUILT RECEVED NOTES
4578 Boxcar 2/1930 Ex Central Vermont
27433 Tank 10/1929 2003 Ex UTLX, Wolfboro RR
43030 Boxcar 7/1912 Ex Central Vermont
57623 Flatcar
Boxcar Ex Central Vermont, Lamoille Valley.
Boxcar Ex Central Vermont, Suncook Valley.
Boxcar 2004 Ex New Haven
Boxcar 2003 Ex Central Vermont, Montpeiler & Barre, Washington County.
Flatcar PASX has 4 Flatcars from Rock of Ages Ex Boston & Maine.
Flatcar PASX has 3 flatcars from New England Power Co.
Side Dump 1980’s Ex New England Power
Tank 1990’s Ex Barrets.


And yes, we do have the double ended plow made out of a steple cab electric.

We have been doing a lot of work on the 5214 as of late. The air assited clutch is out of it, and we have pulled the radiator to rebuild it. There has been an issues with shifting the engine and some coolant leaks, so we hope to get rid of those little "gremlins" as soon as we can.

Heisler #1 is still resting in the enginehouse soundly. We have still not been able to find a wrench for removing the packing gland nuts, so if anyone has any ideas I would be very grateful. Nothing wel have tried so far has worked (however, that being said we have not really tried that hard as of late). I have included a picture of the plymouth from the other work day, and a picture of #1. Enjoy, and I will be happy to answer any questions anyone may have. Work days are every Sunday, and we can always use a hand.

Brett

Like one of the other posts said:
1. Make sure the keeper pin is all the way out, sometimes takes a helper to hold it out.
2. Use a straight pry bar about 2 feet long with one end flat and at a slight bend to the shaft. Move the packing nut one slot at a time until loose enough to turn by hand. If it has just been running it will be very hot, we usually try to install new packing in the morning for that reason. Depending on the angle you can work at. sometimes you need to turn the curved end up or down to engage the slot. Takes some practice, but goes fairly quick once you get the hang of it.
3. Reverse to tighten.
4. Enjoy the lack of steam blowing by the old packing as you cruise down the track.

Eric Wunz
Sumpter Valley Ry

Brett-
Thanks for the roster. I have always wondered what Dr. Kendall had and where it all came from.

Mike
your old boss

@Eric,
Thank you very much. I'm all for that, but the owner doesn't really like that idea too much. We may have no choice though, if that's what all the other Heisler owners are doing, then it must be the way to go. Next steam day I'll give that a try. Would it also make it easier to do if we heat the nut a little and then apply preasure with the pry bar? I'm not a fan of using the tourch for every nut on the thing....but in this case....may not really have a choice.



For everyone else,
I have recieved some other questions, and I figured I would give the answers the good old college try.

Heilser #3- This is kind of like what Strasburg did when 475 got there with the big DON'T ASK painted on her parts. I have no clue when where why or how, but she is sitting (or what is left of her) on a flat car on the junk siding. The plan is to restore everything on the property as time and money allow....that's all I know about #3

5214 (the plymouth) is the normal power on the railroad. She is in good shape, as the Dam Railroad never used her too much. Some of the bugs we have found in here are due to parts being in backwards....the people doing stuff to her at the Dam were definately NOT railroad guys, but they kept her in good shape.

Yes we still have the Stanley Steam Car model 740 B. She is under a tarp in the enginehouse awaiting her turn to return to service. At the present time, there are no plans to do anything with her....believe me....I have asked.

Excellent! I grew-up in presque Isle, ME. and watched the sad, slow decline of the Aroostook Valley railroad. I always wondered what happened to thier GE Locomotives. Glad to hear they have found a nice home.

Thanks Terry,
They are in need of a lot of work....they were in sad shape towards the end of the Aroostook Valley. They have fired one of them up since it's been at Passumpsic, but that was before I satrted working there, so I'm not sure what the outcome was. Couldn't be too good as all three of them are still in the "dead" line.

Brett,

I just noticed the double ended AVR plow survived as well. I remember taking photos of it when I was a kid thinking that someday I would build a model of it - never did but I am glad it still exists.

The only other piece of AVR rolling stock I know of is a wood caboose sitting on private property just south of Mars Hill, Maine on route 1. Its been for sale for a number of years.