We’ve been busy
- April 7 Work Party
- at Dan’s shop on Wednesday evenings
- in Rick’s shop for the Gas Loco upgrade
- at the track for Switch posts and guard rail repair
- in the west shed for the G-scale display and general upgrade
Index – click the project below for more info
- Climax Loco
- Climax Follow-on car
- G-Scale Project
- Gas Loco upgrades
- Switch Post and Guard Rail Repair
- Waterwheel
- Restoring Little Toot
- Station Tie Repair
- West shed upgrade
- late winter Outdoor work parties
Climax locomotive
Progress: Mar 4-Dan, Andre, Bob, Dave; Feb 18 – Dan and Dave; Feb 5- Dan and Bob; Jan 28 – Dan and Dave: cab windows and boiler bracket; Jan 21 – Dan, Andre, Dave: mainly the cab; Jan 14 – Dan, Andre, Russ, Stephen, and Dave; boiler front and tender; Jan 7 – Dan, Bob, Russ, Karl, Rick and Dave met for plan discussions plus drilling work on the tender
Wed. Mar 4. Andre, Bob and Dan got 2/3 of the tender detail bolts on, and the second boiler support done.
More on the Climax project here:
http://qathet.prfhs.org/climax-locomotive-project/
One of two boiler supports installed Feb 18
Water/Coal Tender: Next: “detailing”; the remaining dozens of edge-screws. Dan and Bob got a few done; Photo: Andre/Russ on the Water/Coal tender Jan 7, plus Bob.
Half the screws installed Jan 14.
Tender 14.125, 8″ high, 18.125 wide. Corners welded, some with 1/2″square tubing, bottom with 1/2″ angle iron.
Cab: Based on a wood cab Dan has for another project.
Cab: Andre’s plasma cutter was sold, so Dan cut windows with the tablesaw. 17.5 high, 18 wide, 14 long. Need a roller for the top.
Boiler: Bolted on the frame by brackets near the cab and front bracket above the truck bolster-bolt
– Engines: The biggest sub-project not yet in hand is building the two engines for the Climax. We need to find a volunteer willing to take this on. The prototype is 80% complete and available for viewing
Engines: Dave took the prototype home to complete it so that making the build of two would be easier.
(Previous) The biggest sub-project not yet in hand is building the two engines for the Climax. We need to find a volunteer willing to take this on. The prototype is 80% complete and available for viewing.
Waterwheel On March 9, Russ completed important repairs on the aging waterwheel. The interior framework is mainly rotted out, and we’d be lucky to repair the framework without losing the outer walls.
Russ raised the “house” off the ground to try to prolong its life expectancy. The reservoir is no longer attached to the house making it super easy to remove and replace. Next: re-install the filter and pump
Waterwheel Discussion Lots of ideas were exchanged Jan 7 about the waterwheel. The main idea was to use a plastic tote instead of rebuilding the lined box for the water storage. Ideally, we’d raise the waterwheel on a mound of earth, and hide the tub using rocks. However, the structure is so fragile it might break apart.
Not known during the discussion was that Russ had already built the replacement box, so the plastic tote idea is irrelevant. Rocks can still hide the box. But the wood that held the waterwheel is rotted, so new wood is needed there. But to get at that, the whole thing might fall apart.
G-Scale project
See the latest here: http://qathet.prfhs.org/g-scale-garden-railroad
On Mar 2, Rob and Russ added an LED light strip and a hasp-and-lock system to discourage random passersby from opening the display cases. If it is considered too easy, we can install a lock system.
Gravel is now on site, awaiting delivery of the rocks
Jan 17: Russ obtained donated plexiglas and built the west shed summer display/storage system. 16′ x 7″ x 10″.
Jan 21: The platform will go here: 6.5′ from the tracks, 9′ x 21′ near the tracks connected to a larger strip 9′ x 34′.
See more here: http://qathet.prfhs.org/g-scale-garden-railroad/
Switch Posts and Guard Rail repair:
On March 2, Rick, Russ and Karl:
- installed two of the switch posts
- changed the connector bar on the installed post to 3/8″
- narrowed the gap on the guardrail in the switch by the west shed
Rick/Karl confirmed their intention to aim for completion before May 1. Dan/Rick decided to standardize on 3/8″ drill rod connectors; Dan offered some full unplaned 2″x2″ wood. First will be the three switches in the “Y” repeating the previous installation-design;
- the one leaving the station, combining the train and hand car tracks
- from the mainline backing into the south shed
- the final switch into the south shed that chooses left or right track in the shed
- Next: the in-station mainline-to-shed switch. We’ll have an on-site design session: it’s complicated
Restoring Little Toot: Dan will continue sourcing the three motors needed for Little Toot’s original trucks, so we can have three locos available for operations.
Climax Follow-on car. Essential that it be completed before or at the same time as the Climax.
- -Why? it provides the brakes for the Climax/Pax car, and storage for most of the four batteries and the compressor
- To get the Climax/Pax car pair done this year, it may be best to build it off-site.
- Rick offered to look at the design and may build it after a discussion of details with Dan
- Dave will update the design document for group approval
Gas Loco Upgrades In January, Russ/Rick/Karl took the gas loco off-site to Rick’s shop to continue oil-leak resolution, a brake issue, etc.
The main issue, a periodic oil leak, turned out to be a crushed O-ring. The hydraulic oil filter was replaced. Weight added to the front end to replace the removed flywheel weight. Most recent:
Station tie-repair to fix popped-up boards
On April 2, during and after the G-Scale gravel slinging, Bob led a team to replace the ties and boards. Hmmmm … forgot to take the completed photo …
- – we considered the big/best fixes: for longevity, use metal cross ties sitting on plastic or composite boards, or concrete;
- …. but in the end, decided to simply replace the wooden ties with the available wooden ties stored in the rafters
- – – – (the current ones lasted 13 years; 6 yrs in the open and 7 years covered by the Station)
West shed upgrade
Russ offered to add three central lights in the west shed. At the same time, this switch needs to be moved towhere the door closing bar won’t hit it.
Rob and I (but mostly Rob) finished the G-Scale display case on Sunday. The LED lights are now in and the display doors are able to be secured in either the open or closed positions.
But meanwhile, Russ has done lots of upgrades in the west shed, as seen in his report:
- I raked, tidied and blew out the debris from the West side of the shed
- The Blower now has a designated charge station, complete with a hanger for the small broom to clear occasional rocks off the ties (I chose a small, light, one-hand broom to hang, but the broom is clearly a personal choice by the person walking the track)
- The track sanding tool and the sand now have a designated place near the Blower stn – we can see if it remains useful there
- The Switchman flags now have a designated place under the G-Scale display case.
- I hope to be able to hang the extra safety vests on this wall too
- As an aside; Leif’s custom-built train stops work great with the addition of a small piece of rope
Had a great work party on April 7 from 10 am to 2 pm; thanks to Bob, Laura, Russ, Dawn, Dave, Louise, Dan, Lynda for attending.
Russ adjusted the water tank position; the initial install had water splashing out.
Bob replaced rotten ties on the mainline past the steam donkey.
Dave cleaned the gutters on the west shed
Russ reconnected the water tower to the gutter.
Bob and Dan levelled the track into the station and reset the three 24″x24″ tiles
Russ and Dawn painted the silhouettes
Dave stained the west door on the west shed
Dave tested a draft G-Scale sign. Well received. Kept small to fit 25:1 G-Scale. More here
Next outdoor work party: Could be April 21, 10 to 2 pm, with pizza, or perhaps a weekend to include those who can’t come Tuesdays
One task: reinstall the load-ramp track
(removed while installing the G-scale platform)
Already done April 2: the track repair in the shed, thanks to Bob, helped by Rob and Dave.