Hi All,<Disclamer, this is unoffical, and not a communication from the NMSL&RHS, just my ramblings, about our efforts.>I am a member of the NMSL&RHSS, and am going to start an ongoing list of what is happening with our restoration. Along with the occasional question regarding some of the projects we are working on. I am going to try to updadte after every work session <Wens. and Sat. every week> as my Mid shift work allows me to hit all the work days. Work prior to the start of this log can be seen at, http://www.nmrhs.org/To day, we almost finshed wiring the container we use as a machine shop, and finshed opening and cleaning the roller bearings on our 8 wheel buckeye trucks <for the tender> we plan to have the tender finshed, assembeled, and painted by the end of the year. The roller bearings are in almost perfict shape, with the oil removed looking like it we put in last week instead of 40+ years ago, sampels have been saved for each rollerbearing and will be tested at Sandia labs for metal content and other indications of wear in the bearings. Our Timken source has been slow to respond about the oil we need to reinstall to the bearings, any Ideas? Also prrogress has been made on the patterns for the Builders Plates we need to replicate <the orignals were lost during the Locomotives years as a park display> We have an example of a 1941 plate <photo with dia mesurement> but still need to establish the thickness of the plate. Also needed is the boiler spec. plate from the cab that shows the MWP and other data. Future projects include the removal of the Appliances, and the abatement of the asbestos, and the pelim testing of the boiler for the FRA compliance. The overall condition of the Locomotive is very good, <we owe a lot to the AT&SF shops the preped the 2926 for display> the mud ring is very clean, and shows little or no scale, the lubricators are working and lubed the running gear during the movment to the storage and then to the work site. all rods have roller bearings installed, and the appliences look like they will need only a little work to make them fully funtional. On the down side allmost every thing in the cab was vandalized during the park years and will require replacement or re construction. the wrapper around the lagging was patched over the years with pop rivets and galvanized steel and is usefull only as a pattern. and all the wiring will need to be replaced.<Disclamer, this is unoffical, and not a communication from the NMSL&RHS, just my ramblings, about our efforts.>I hope this is of intrest,Gunns

Please send me the serial number of the locomotive and the year. I will check my collection to see if I have a plate that is close. If I have one, I can email you photos of the front and back of the plate. I can also get you the thickness of the plate. Please let me know and I would be pleased to check this for you.

Thanks very much, AT&SF 2926 was built as BLW # 69814, in 1944, she was part of a 30 loco order, #s 2900 - 2929 BLW #s 69787 to 69817 I have personaly verified our serial # on the steam dome, and a D&RGW plate photo blown up to full size fits the studs on the smoke box <the photo is of BLW 64183 and is dated 1941>Again thanks very much, as this will enhance our restoration greatly.Kevin Evans akaGunns

What are the long range plans / goals here?

Keivn, I have the following plate in my collection - BLW #70818 1944, from AT&SF 2-10-4 #5012. It is a cast iron round wartime Baldwin plate. It has the thick rim that is contoured to fit the boiler. Please send me your email address and I will get some photos and dimensions emailed to you. My email address is: steamfan@patmedia.net. This should be close to the plate style that you are looking for duplicate. Please make sure that the plates are marked on the back as a reproduction. This helps to keep down "problems" at a later date. I would be glad to help in anyway as long as this is a legitimate restoration Look forward to hearing to hearing from you.

we intend to oppereate excursions on the BNSF main possably from Albuqurque to Raton Pass and back or run the "El Pasoan" from Albuqurque to El Paso. As the finish of restoration is some years off yet plans are not set in stone. Be assured that an opperating restoration will happen. I every thing woks out we would like to be ready in 2012 to run during the New Mexico Centenial.. much like the trip now in progress in LA for the luoisiana purchaseGunns

Well, today <Wendsday> we finshed the shop wiring, and I got in the first cuts on a new rivit set for our 3/4 rivits. <I got tired of looking an will just make my own....> the Tender wheelbearing covers are all back in place and we are wiring the saftey wires through the bolt heads, <had to drill some of them> the contractor came by to put in a bid for the fill connections for the water tender, we are going to put in a 4 inch pipe from the bottom to fill from Fire pumpers, and also a connection so we can use an Aux tender if needed. the fill pipe will be accesable from both sides of the tender an will have an adapter set so we can connect to most types of fire hoses. <Note the fill pipes will have backflow preventers and be "Y"ed in to a stand pipe 5' tall inside the tender tank so we wont lose all our water incase of a break> the fill Idea was Gleefully appropiated from the folks opperating the 3751.Gunns

Sat. workday,Ahh, long day, installed the last outlet in the work area next to the shop. <Now I can quit pretending to be an electrician and get back to my lathe> We then set up and finshed a rivet header to shape the rivet heads on our footer plate under the tender <this plate also is the mount for our tool boxes> this "header forms a rivet head approxametly 7/8 by 1/2 high from a rivet shank 1/2 in dia. <any one wanting construction details let me know> Heat treating will be compleated Wens. The finale inspection report on the tender wheel beaarings has been written and filed in our growing file of stuff for the FRA inspector. And work proceeds on the trucks, now its brake rigging, we are calling it "Art in the Park", peeling off 40 years of acumulated paint from adjustment links and fittings. It took three of us to un screw one link <I managed to break the jaw off of a 24" cresent wrench and snap the head off of a 5 lb. hammer> Brute streangth an ignorence prevailed <along with penetrating oil and breaker bars> and the adjusting rod was disassembled sucessfully, with out damage to the parts in question. We have an allmost compleat folio from the AT&SF shops regarding the 2900 series locomotives, faulting only Vol. II the list of heat treated parts and the "numbers" for heat treating them. Not a show stopper as refrences elswhere in the foilo are mostly avalible to cover the missing data, but if any one knows a source for the voll II it would help a lot. The bigest job remaining with the tender trucks are the bearings in the brake rigging, and pivot points in the Buckeye frames. Data we have calls for them to be driven out and replaced with "Case hardened material" where needed, some of the bearings are in allmost new condition and a few have been worn egg shaped but none luckly past the bearings them selves. Also welded shims put in place by the last shoping need to be restored and welded back in to place. The oil bunker is almost compleate, with the brackets for alining the Dunnage re fasioned from angle iron and welded in to place, now we need to replace thw wooden spacers and lower the bunker back in to place. prior to replacing the bunker we need to verify the opperation of the emergency oil shut off valve, one of the moving handels that wes well used during the park years. And also while both the water and oil tanks have been primed with "Rust Bullet" <we are skiping the red lead paint...> we still need to get the black paint on the surfaces that will be covered with the oil bunker in place. To be continued......Gunns

Wendsday June 29, 05,Another hot one to day, to day I finally got my rivet set/headers done, found that the one I made to the dimensions of the 7/8ths head rivets was too deep for the length of the rivet shank we had purchased. Therefor I made a second rivet set, that would shape and set the rivets we do have. Saturday will be rivet the foot board day <Grin> Meanwhile out in the sun we worked on the tender trucks, we have two 8 wheel buckeye trucks, numbered 13 <rear> and 4 <front>. We are rebuilding the trucks rear first then the front tender truck. work compleated on 13 today was the removal, rust treatment, and replacment of the 5 coil spring sets on the firemans rear spring box. this set of 10 springs was held up untill we had replaced the sacrifical wear plates around the spring box. Each truck weighs 11 tons, and our 25 ton car jack got a good work out as we raised and lowered the truck frame so as to set the springs in properly. Concurrent to the truck work, another crew was cleaning and rust proofing the hard to get at spaces on the front of the tender. We are using a product called "Rust Bullet" that bonds to the rust and base steel forming a rust proof paintable surface, as the product actually makes a chemical bond to the metal, future rusting is elminated or greatly reduced, much better than red lead and less toxic too. <Grin> Mean while back at the <ranch?> office a fourth crew was transfering our documents to cd rom and documenting recent work compleated for our FRA inspection. At the end of the day Ken our CMO went around to set up Satuerdays work session, plans include, removing all worn bearings for mesurment and fabrication of replacements, removal of brake rigging <link plates ect> so that the wear plates can be renewed, <Our welder is coming Sat.> and of course the foot plate riveting job. Also on the list is the 9 inch hone for the tender truck brake cyls. And the test manifold for the brake lines will be attached and pressurized to test for leaks.More to come,Gunns

Saturday 2 July 05,Sorry I'm late,Today we made some noise <G>, with work on the tender foot plate <currently detached and on the ground> this is the part of the tender that the apron from the cab rides on. And gives a safe connection between tender and cab. The assembly was removed in the course of spliting the fuel bunker from the water tank, and showed some damage, with the top plate warped and a number of the 1/2 inch rivets broken. The broken rivets having been previously removed we heated and hammered in new rivets, the rivet tool we made earlier this month worked well, making well shaped rivet heads, but the air hammer was like shining a flash light on the rivets... It seems we had a tool that wasnt up to the task, and need to size up the tool, to rivet with ease. So we ended up heating the rivet in place, hammering, and reheating untill we obtained solid seated rivets. Present today was Greg Rader, from the Texas Railroad Preservation Association, we shamelessly picked his brains for our benifet,<G> and he runs a mean torch, a skill of great utility when hannering recalitcent rivets. Three rivets remain to be installed, and the foot plate will be ready for paint and installation. Also today we removed some of the brake rigging on tender truck #4 so as to complete the welding of the wear plates on it. Needle scaling of brake componets continued on truck #13 to day, and plans were finalised for the construction of a hone for the 9 inch actuators mounted on the tender trucks. <it looks like the 9 inchers were an upgrade made by AT&SF as the plans show the Locomotive was delivered with 8 inchers>. Also black paint began to apper on the tender, painting was begun on the seams and rivets of the tender prepretory to spray pinting. In the office a second computer wes set up and the drawings and shop folios were uploaded to it, also the draft of our "lesson plan in a box" was reviewed, these boxes will be in the hands of teachers of the Albuqurque Public School system for the 2005-2006 school year, the lesson plans and resources promote Railroad Safety, highlite the importance of railroads in history, and provide activities for students.More to come,Gunns

Wendsday, 06,05Work,continues on the Tender trucks, Needle scaling on brake rigging, mounting plates for the brake cyls. were reinstalled on truck 13, the cyl hone for the tender cyls has been compleated, cyls will be honed and new rubber cups will be fitted. Work on the pattern for the Builders Plate is nearing compleation. Drawings and folios continue to be transfered to CD-Rom.More to come,Gunns

Sat 9 July 05First somthing I forgot for last Wends., we found the air brake lines on the tender tucks badly corroded, <up to 80% under the clamps> and are inspecting and replaceing all air lines showing any damage, our thought is that it is much easier to do it now while the trucks are in the open than doing it later when we would have to crawl around under the tender. we also found that while many companys make the hi pressure unions we need, the unions them selfs are not compatable with each other, requiering care in how thw piping is assembled. Today, we saw the end of riveting on the tender foot plate, http://www.railimages.com/gallery/kevinevans/aae the pic shows some of the rivets replaced and the tool made to "head" them. now rhe plate will get a coat of "Rust Bullet" and its Black paint, and then be reattached to the tender. http://www.railimages.com/gallery/kevinevans/aak Pic of the tender, from the rear, currently on cribbibg with trucks and oil bunker removed. work on the tender continus with black paint applyed to the surfaces that will be between the oil bunker and the water tank, cribbing under the oil bunker can now be moved so the dunnage brackets can be welded on. Paint on the outside of the tender will wait untill we have "it" assembled, with only inaccesable areas being painted now. Needle scaling of brake parts continues, and identifcation of bearings needing replacement is underweigh. New bearings will be fabricated onsite, and the maintence folio calls for them to be case hardened. http://www.railimages.com/gallery/kevinevans/aab Pic of the Pivot point on the Buckeye truck that will need to be bored out and new bearings installed. Work on the Builders Plate patteren continues, http://www.railimages.com/gallery/kevinevans/aac with a light metal foundery to be built for the various casting jobs we need done. In the office the transfer of drawings and folios continues, http://www.railimages.com/gallery/kevinevans/aal http://www.railimages.com/gallery/kevinevans/aam and has allready paid off as the drawing for the bell clapper, <lost during the park years> was printed today and handed off to the machine shop for fabrication. survey of the engine is ongoing, in preperation for abatment next year. http://www.railimages.com/gallery/kevinevans/aadMore to come,Gunns

Wends 13 july 05,Today we opened up the 9" brake cyls and started on the refurbishment. Work also progresses on puting the drawings in to the computer. Painting progresses on the tender. Tools are beeing prepared for Saturdays work session, and the cribwork will be moved to allow painting and installation of dunnage brackets.More to comeGunns

Keep the updates coming, very interesting stuff. Thankfully there are several 2900's out there, which should make the job of replacing missing parts easier if they can be used as patterns. Too bad you didn't get 2925 out of the Belen roundhouse, that would have been a slightly better candidate for restoration, and it makes me shudder to think what has happened to her since. I'm curious to know how the Rust Bullet will hold up long term.If it works the way they say it does on their website, it should be a good product for restorations. Just curious about your relationship with "Wheels", and is it a possibility to use one of the old At&SF shop buildings in Albuquerque as her future home? Good luck with the big girl.

Sat. 16 July 05Today we finshed painting all the hidden surfaces <the ones between the oil bunker and the water tank> Black. The Crib work was moved to the rear of the oil bunker so the last replacement brackets can be attached, allowing the dunnage that sepperates the bunker and water tank to be reinstalled. Replacment of air lines continues, we have found that the piping is badly corroded where ever it is/was tightly held in a bracket. I managed to finsh the bracket that holds the bell clapper in the bell <Clapper and bracket were lost during the park years probably to a neibor that was tired of the kids ringing the bell <G>> We have a scrap dealer looking for a chunk of wrought Iron to make a replacement Clapper, Wrought Iron is no longer avalible commercially in the US, in the sizes we need. In the office the maintence notes have been scaned in to the computer, and the indexing and crossrefencing has begun, first fruits of this were the drawings for the bell project. All drawings and notes will be transfered to .pdf format.Over all the tender is nearing completion, the biggest remaining project will be the replacement of the wear plates, and brake rigging bearings, then comes reassembly, and then painting the extrior of the tender.Photos for to day,http://www.railimages.com/gallery/kevinevans/aayEgg shaped bearing needing replacmenthttp://www.railimages.com/gal ... abcBearing from the pivot point of the Buckeye truck that need replacmenthttp://www.railimages.com/gal ... l=1looking down the truck, note freshly painted oil bunker in back groundhttp://www.railimages.com/gallery ... ans/aawthe boiler data plate showing MWP and test data, lost during the park years, Photo was supplyed by the Voulenteers at the IRM near Chicago, who have the 2903.http://www.railimages.com/gallery/kevinevans/abalooking forward over the side rods, from the last driver.Rust Bullet, It works great, it was applyed to the oil bunker and Tender allmost a year ago, and hasent shown rust yet, also we had some riveting to do on the foot plate that mounts on the front of the Tender, http://www.railimages.com/gallery/kevinevans/aae and as the photo shows it resisted heat damage very well. <we had to heat the rivets multiple times due to a small rivet impact hammer>The Wheels group has a web site and latest news describes what is going on currently with the Barellas shops.Lastly a -->Rumor<-- The Tricentenial celibrations have started here in Albuqurque, there is a group exploring the possibility of a vist by the 3751, as it opperated from here at one time. I don't know if it is even likley, but I would like to "pick thier brains" if they get out heremore to come,Gunns