Engineer side, up

This is an example of how we mark parts. Although many parts look identical, subtle differences preclude their interchangeable use.

The machinists drill holes, for instance, to match the companion part. Often, the parts will not fit when reversed.

Keith and Alberto manufactured a pair a brackets two weeks ago. The brackets will be riveted to the water tank and will hold the ladder in place. The ladder hangs off of the rear of the oil tank.

Last week, Keith stamped each piece so we know which side it fits on the ladder. The pictured bracket, left, fits the engineer's side of the Diamond and Caldor No. 4. The backing plate was marked as well. Companion pieces were measured and drilled for the fireman's side mount.

Mounting the Shiphon Elbow, Part 2

Once we spotted the Diamond and Caldor No. 4 Shay on the tail track last Saturday morning, Doug Youngberg and Garrett Augustus had to mount the siphon elbow on the fireman's side of the water tank. Our original intention was to complete this project the Saturday before (before Westheimer's Rule kicked in).

In the photograph, Doug peers out out the water tank filler port as Garrett prepares thread the bolts.
Sometimes you have to make things fit! Here Garrett re-bores the last two or three holes for the siphon elbow.

Mounting the Shiphon Elbow

Keith Berry, Eric Stohl and I started installation of the water tank siphon elbow last Saturday. We also laid the cribbing and cut it to size.

The plan was to complete as many smaller tasks as possible last week. These small tasks have a way of delaying larger projects (like mounting the oil tank today).

We quickly ran into difficulties when four of the eight existing nuts wouldn't break free. I quickly un-threaded the first four bolts in 15 minutes with my son's help inside the water tank. (None of the adults couldn't slip down the filler port into the water tank!.)


The remaining four bolts were hopelessly locked in place for the moment. Keith then handed Jacob an impact wrench. Keith and I quickly realized that he didn't have the experience to handle the tool with any real progress.

We gave up after two hours.

To complete the task, Keith returned Thursday evening with a friend who fit inside the water tank. Impact wrench in hand, Keith and Wayne were able to remove the remaining four bolts and nuts in 30 minutes.

Water Tank Brace Pictures

This blog comes to you in real time ...

Here's the promised photograph of the rear water tank brace to the Diamond & Caldor No. 4 Shay locomotive. You can find Tuesday's blog on the water tank braces here.

Boiler project manager Doug Youngberg said Tuesday that the spacer will be removed once the rivets are installed. He said the appropriate sized spacer may be installed once the water tank settles into the wood deck planks.

The bottom photo shows the bolt as it comes through the frame to the locomotive.

Water Tank Braces

I stopped by the engine house this afternoon after I spotted Doug's truck in the parking lot. Doug and Keith are meeting tonight for a few hours to discuss the placement and riveting of the braces. They plan to do it in the next few months.

Doug showed me the location of each of the four braces. Two are installed on back end of the water tank. The other two braces, which secure the water tank to the locomotive frame, are located inside the cab.

In the photo, the lefthand brace is visible above the grinder. Unfortunately, this is the only photo that I've taken of the water tank. I'll take a few shots of the brace detail this weekend.

The bottom of the "L" on the brace sits about two inches above the deck, just above the rivet line on the tank. Doug said the water tank will settle once the locomotive starts operation. Approximately 20,000 pounds of water and oil (the oil tank sets on top of water tank) and the motion of the Shay will encourage the underside rivets to dig into the wood deck.