Saturday my brother-in-law who is a member of the IRM invited me for my first ride in a locomotive cab. But first he had to drag me away from my first love - machine shops and machine tools - not that I wasn't thrilled with the ride. But before our ride I took some photos of the shop and its equipment.

Too often I feel that rail fans don't appreciate the importance of the machinists and the machines that make it possible to restore this equipment.



First, a big thank you to my brother-in-law Joe (above in White Sox gear) who invited my out for my first cab ride. This is taken inside the machine shop with the IRMs' 1630 decapod behind.





I believe they have been in the process of rebuilding this unit for the last 4-5 years.



What I believe to be is a steam piston chucked up in a big engine lathe. Piston skirt (?) was getting turned.



The IRMs' Shay undergoing FRM maintenance.



Here is a Bullard VTL (verticle turret lathe) with a journal on the chuck/table.



This is their wheel lathe which is still not running. The IRM has had this lathe for something like 10 years.




A pair of driver wheel sets.



Here is a hydraulic planer made right up here in Rockford Illinois.



Here is a Kearney & Trecker horizontal mill with a verticle head attachment. This was my first time to see a horizontal mill with a head attachment in use.



A volunteer doing some welding with a Hobart stick welder.


I plan on going back there and taking more photos. They have the biggest Monarch engine lathe I've ever seen sitting outside. I'm particular to Monarchs since I own one - albeit much smaller than the IRM Monarch.

Steve

Monarch lathes are aptly named. Great machines.
Seems like the IRM steam shop moves at a slower pace the last few years or maybe it's just my imagination. Hard for a museum like IRM to keep all those balls in the air all the time. Impressive place.

Absolutely. I consider them the Cadillac of engine lathes and their 10EE was a match to the Hardinge tool room lathe. Only a Rivett tool room lathe could top a Monarch but for twice the price IMHO.



I guess revenues have been down - the economy has hit many places hard.

Steve

While revenues may be a factor, at WRM the greatest constraint on our productivity is available volunteer hours. Pick a museum that is doing work you support and find how to change your description of that museum's shop work from "Their project" to "Our project."

I've thought about it but I have a commitment to a couple of museums first to fulfill.

All of the Whitcomb research I've done is now going back into volunteer work for displays at two local museums and a WW II event at the IRM May 18-19.

My brother-in-law was twisting my arm to join IRM. As a machinist I could be useful there.

Steve

Steve -

Your brother-in-law Joe wears the right team paraphernalia. Go Pale Hose! (I know...off topic, but I just had to do it!)


Les

This is my Monarch CK-12 the day it arrived and how it was delivered.

The IRM does not have a Bridgeport mill in its shop which surprised me.

Steve

Oh yes, he's a season ticket holder. Just like his father, the Cubs are not to be mentioned in their homes without a hiss.

Steve

The 1630 has already undergone several hydraulic tests and inspections and a test fireup. The hold back is a firebox fix which may get nailed down soon.
Its a "when its done" deal, but the engine is very "close"

I think thats a good choice of an engine to run.

The Shay I think is next on its ladder of projects it may be ongoing as well.

A good summary of the continuing progress on the 1630 is at:

http://www2.irm.org/blogs/categories/41 ... Department

(I'm not an IRM volunteer - just read their blog)
Bob

Some other photos, this of the engine that we rode in:

http://www.irm.org/cgi-bin/rsearch.cgi? ... +Edison=15



Me posing in front of the EMD SW1.



Joe getting his dry run before taking the controls.



Front shot.



And in front of a rotary.

Not sure if this will work:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=45 ... 1983596036

It's a video of Joe operating the EMD SW1

Steve

Thank you for the photos inside their shop! Did you get photos of UP 428, the 2-8-0 in the shop or 2-6-0 #26 outside the shop? Thanks!

The cab roof line of that SW-1 is interesting, don't remember seeing another like that. The B&M unit at my museum has the complete rounded roof, not stepped.

Just to be clear, the photos are of IRM's Steam Shop, location of the biggest toys. There's also a diesel shop, an electric car shop, and a woodworking shop. The latter would also have some interesting machine tools.

Steve

IRM's steam team does have a Bridgeport Milling machine in it shop. We have 2. When you were right next to 1630 there were a couple of doors, if you go through those doors they are in there along with our smaller lathes and other small machines.