D&S April Workdays
The D&S crew showed up midday Saturday April 12th for long awaited help on Kate. They dove right in and much was accomplished on day one.
Saturday D&S Update:
Removal of rivets for patch area.
Cutting out of patch area - inside & outside view.
Removing the patch was a slow process. The patch looked even worse out in the daylight!
New patch trucked up by D&S.
Overall update on the few days D&S spent in Como:
The Durango & Silverton crew were able to leave Como Tuesday morning, because frankly a LOT more got done than we had expected on the boiler:
The thin first course sheet was cut out on Saturday evening
Sunday the boiler was trimmed out to nice straight lines for the patch
Monday the patch was trimmed to fit into the boiler very accurately, it only took a couple times fitting it and grinding it to get it to fit really well. Tuesday morning finished fitting the patch into place.
Special thanks to Dan Silbaugh for spending the entire time with D&S, and to Tim Clay – who also put in time Sunday and Monday.
Tim Clay enjoying Sunday while cleaning out some small parts for the lathe. Who says working on trains isn’t relaxing?
The removed boiler course & visible line where the first course was torched out.
Welding the steam dome stud holes to re-tap the holes for new studs.
Matt Cunningham, Scott Kennedy & “Blue Sean” of the D&S lifting the replacement boiler course into the smokebox.
The new boiler patch fitted inside the boiler.
Sean & Scott using the Mag Drill to drill the rivet holes in the new patch.
Late night in the Roundhouse. Doors are closed, the fire is going and the smoke from the grill for dinner sure made for some neat photos!
Stamp found in the cylinder saddle - "B.L.W. 1024 1/4 D91 L”.
The bolt that was stuck in the left side frame rail ahead of the cylinder is also finally removed. It had to be cut out, and then pounded out with a heavy sledge, but Scott Kennedy (D&S) is like a wizard with the cutting torch. The bolt’s removal gets us fully ready for the pilot truck to be reinstalled.
The new boiler course installed with bolts (which will be replaced with rivets). It fit the original boiler really, really nicely.
Oblong Holes in the main/drive rods that will need to mill out and then ream to the proper taper. Every cycle of the piston wears the hole just a little bit more and more oblong. You can see the 10 24 1/4 D 91 R1 stamp on it too.
Pictures provided by Paul Blanchard, Dan Silbaugh & Sam Kunugi.