Here with apologies in advance for any unintentional omissions, is a brief summary of what has transpired at D.H.C. work meets since our last "Around the Shop" update.
The Pontiac Chieftain Hy-Rail Car No. 26:
Jim L. installed a new air valve at the rear of the Pontiac. The original valve body assembly which we installed had been cut back too far, exposing too much of the valve and causing problems with blow-by when we tried to air up the rear shocks.
Ed Sr. with his Muhammad Ali like 82 inch reach managed to install and secure the clamps on the lower radiator hose. Following another shopping trip to our friendly neighborhood NAPA store I managed to acquire all the necessary hoses and moulded 90 degree bends to replace all the Pontiac's heater hoses. Hopefully this coming Saturday we can enter the final phase of reassembly in the engine bay, i.e. installing the generator, battery box, etc.
The OCR Woodings CBL Speeder:
Work continues on the OCR Speeder, Charles, Jim L., Jack and Ian, are continuing to make excellent progress with the refurbishment of the speeders fibreglass body shell. Charles is continuing with the fabrication and application of fibreglass replacement sheets to damaged areas of the body shell. He also added some sheet metal (galvanized) to lower leading edges of the body shell where cracking and impact damage had occurred and mounted an expanded metal grill to the front nose of the body over the air intake opening.
Jim and Jack had to completely remove the left side floor and notch the plywood sub-floor and diamond plate aluminium floor cover to accommodate the mounting bolts associated with the bracket for the sliding lift handles! The duo are also putting the finishing touches to the new instrumentation panel and accompanying wiring harness.
The Central Vermont Steam Crane Tender:
John B. and Duncan installed the bracket and handle for the air reservoir release mechanism. Dave Boyd with a stencil he fabricated painted the water and coal capacity specification data on the end of the tender, which in effect completes the restoration project!
Saturday the unit was pulled out of the shop into the bright sunlight day by No. 10 and pulled down to the storage track. Duncan and I coupled it up to the Steam Crane and idler car. The tender looks like it was freshly out shopped by C.N. shops. A great effort and end result made possible only by the efforts and countless hours of work undertaken by all the DHC folks!
The Jordan Spreader:
Andrew once again assumed the role of "Ye Olde Village Smithy" and with the previously purchased 3/4 inch bar steel, forged the balance of the large oval loop fasteners required for the rail anchor assembly. We now have the required 8 loops ready.
The balance of the "twisted link" lift chains Bob Hobbs fabricated have been installed and Bill W. and Felicity utilizing No. 10 positioned the spreader on the storage track ready for winter plowing operations .
Sundry Bits:
Bob "Sawdust" Moore continues to work on the thirteen replacement window frames for the Bytown heavyweight coach. At this point he is putting a wood preservative/stain on the mahogany frames.
Dave Stremes, Ross and Paul have completed and mounted the new steel door, (complete with all the original period hardware and fasteners) on the shop side of the baggage car.
Almost everyone in the DHC over the last few gatherings, have also lent a hand in the mechanical refurbishment of the Schramm 125psi Portable Air Compressor. The Nerf bar has been removed as well as the hood assembly. This was necessary to facilitate the removal of the radiator. It has subsequently been out-shopped where it was recorred and had its fittings and gaskets replaced. The radiator was picked up last week and sits at the shop ready for re-installation.
Saturday, following the units being steam cleaned, (my God the unit is painted Canary Yellow, not battleship grey)!, we towed it outside with the fork lift. Here it was drained of old gas and extremely old oil!
Regards...
Steve Harling
0 comments:
Post a Comment