MNGRR Steam Team Work Session Report 5/3/2008

Mechanical Department Work Session, May 3, 2008
By Hans Brandes
Photo By Rich Currie
Description:#4 Being filled with water

A Double Header Day

May has arrived and that means one thing: steam season by the end of the month. But, judging by today's damp and cool weather you would never know that Memorial Day is only three weeks away. This would be a day where two steamers would be pulled out and worked on. So today, # 4 and #7 were hauled out of the house for another day of hard work.

In attendance today were Rick Knight (CMO), Gerry Bagley, Hans Brandes, Rich Currie, Joe Monty, Trevor Hartford, Bill Piche, Bob Meckley, Larry Urbanski and Larry McCarthy. #7 would continue to have tubes removed while #4 would start the process of reassembly and pre-hydro. This necessitated switching positions of the two steamers.

Once in position, tube cutting started where it left off. Rich got Trevor started inside of the firebox while Hans took up residence once again in the smokebox. More tube ends had been cut in the firebox than in the smokebox so any cutting in the smokebox resulted in immediate tube removal. This was an all day affair that turned out very well. A one day record of 35 tubes were removed. This leaves 42 tubes to be cut and another 14 to be removed. It seams like we are on the home stretch on this part of the project. All those good tubes will go to the scrap yard for hopefully a reasonable price to help offset #7's overall cost.

Rick worked on annealing the gasket for #4's steam dome so that it would fit snugly in place. Rick then also worked on brazing one of the wishbone pipes for #7.

In the mean time, Gerry, Rich, Joe, Bob and the two Larrys went to work on #4. First order was to lap the throttle valve, put on the dome cover and install all of the plugs so that water could be put in. Getting a large amount of water in is never a simple task. Since the hose spigot at the PYS office building was not turned on, #4 had to be taken down to building 7 so that it could be filled with the fire hose. Both boiler and tank had to have water. The first try resulted in a leak around the steam dome gasket. With the gasket reheated and reset, the second try was a success. This is important as we need to do all we can to ensure a success when the FRA inspector comes for the annual pre-season inspection.

A lunch break was taken with our favorite fallback meal of 'round steaks' from the golden arch. Thank you Bill for being the runner today even though you took the 'scenic route' to the Falmouth McDonalds. At least you are getting to know Portland's roads a little more.

We were graced by a visit from one of our 'chief inspectors': Mary Lou Sprague. She brought along her daughter, Happy and her grandson, George. George is a little young to join the steam team at this time but we told him the next time he showed up that he would be promoted from visitor to volunteer.

By the time the pre-hydro was done on #4, the afternoon was getting long and a cloudy day turned wet. By 4:30 equipment was being put away and the engines were being pushed back into the engine house. Everyone called it another successful day.

Our time before operating season is quickly coming to a close. We have at least one more work session scheduled with the next one being on May 17. At this we need to continue to remove tubes on #7 and finish getting #4 ready for the operating season starting on Memorial Day weekend. As always, every volunteer hour spent on #7 saves us money that would be spent at Boothbay.

Please send your monetary contributions so that #7 can be under steam once again!