August 13,2009

Progress on Cylinders & Running Gear

Boiler work is expected to be completed in early October.  It will then be prepared for shipment to Muscle Shoals where it will be attached to the frame.  A whole section of a building at the TMC facility is being set aside for assembly of the 786 frame, driving gear and boiler.

Driver Bearing Boxes: The 6 new OTM (other than main) bearing box castings will be machined up to the point of installing the bronze.  Then the new main bearing box castings will be machined.

Cylinder work is moving along rapidly. The rear face is complete. Then it will be turned to the front face so pilot holes can be drilled for the lateral frame holes. Once this is complete the cylinders will be set back on the stand for machining the front faces, stud holes, seats and front valve cage bores. Then the cylinders will be ready to begin fitting onto the frame.

The Side and Intermediate rods are bored complete and all four new knuckle pins are finished. Bronze bushings will be machined to fit into the rod ends.

Design work is nearly done on the spring rigging (no pictures just yet).  This design will provide teh scope of work for the rigging repairs & new springs.

New driver bearing boxes ready to be machined:

In the background are the 5 OTM ("Other than main") driving box castings.  Middle pallet holds the 2 new main driving box castings.  In the foreground are the 6th new OTM casting and the 2 old Main Driving Boxes with their crown bronze.


Photo: Steam Operations Corporation
Closer view of the new OTM Main driving box castings.
Photo: Steam Operations Corporation
Initial layout of one of six Other Than Main (OTM) driving box castings. These castings will serve as bearing boxes on #1, #2 and #4 axle.
Photo: Steam Operations Corporation
This week saw the start up of machining the 6 OTM bearing boxes after spending time the week before in design and initial layout. Plan is to machine them to the point of ordering bronze then begin machining the 2 main boxes.
Photo: Steam Operations Corporation
   
New rear cylinder head prior to holes being drilled.
Photo: Steam Operations Corporation
New rear cylinder head casting during machining.  Machining operations consisted of both manual and CNC machines.
Photo: Steam Operations Corporation
   
Four completed new knuckle pins/nuts and a side view.  There is additional information on the Knuckle pins in the entries for July 26 and August 1.
Photo: Steam Operations Corporation
Intermediate rods after boring and facing.
Photo: Steam Operations Corporation
   
New cylinders turned on their side for drilling horizontal  pilot holes at frame bolt locations on casting.  The second photo shows the vertical surface on the casting where the pilot holes for frame bolts will be drilled.
Photo: Steam Operations Corporation
Cylinder casting showing valve cage and cylinder bores.
Photo: Steam Operations Corporation
Close up of a completed rear valve cage bore.
Photo: Steam Operations Corporation
 A view of the completed saddle and exhaust stand.
Photo: Steam Operations Corporation