In the days following North Pole Express, besides locating green dotted hats in injector feedwater lines, we moved the yellow caboose and a short coach into the shop. The caboose had its trucks removed and disassembled in the following weeks. Now it was time to sandblast the wheel sets, inspect for defects, and paint.
Here are two of the axle sets before being brought outside.
John G. places a protective cover on the bearing surfaces before sandblasting.
Evan P. tests the large sandblaster and then begins the process of cleaning the 4 axle sets.
The caboose's trucks are held together by large bolts. Braden G. uses the wire wheel to remove the rust and built-up dirt from the bolts.
Some of the threads were damaged during disassembly. Scott D. and Braden G. use a die to chase the threads.
This is the project that will pleasantly surprise many MCRR members. The office's carpet was beginning to show wear and tear. Often it was said that a road grader was needed to vacuum the carpet after the Reunion. Despite the deep steam cleaning from last year, something needed to be done.
The ever resourceful Dave O. was able to get a large supply of nearly new carpet tiles. The process took 4 steps.
(a) Remove most of the furniture
(b) Remove the old carpet.
(c) Install the new carpet tiles.
(d) Replace the furniture.
Dave O. inspects the stack of carpet tiles.
Removing the old carpeting and inspect the exposed concrete floor.
With the concrete cleaned and vacuumed, the placement of the carpet tiles begins.
Randy V. applies mastic to the concrete floor and with Dan H's help, begin placing the tiles.
Kendall O. relaxes after the work is complete. You can see the pattern of the carpet tiles. surrounding his chair.
Grant D. and Dylan D. observe some of the shop activities.
Several members choose to inspect No. 12's tender. In general, the condition of the floors and walls was excellent but there was a large amount of scale collecting around the feed water inlets.
This picture discloses why: the baffles within the tender were flaking and demanded some attention.
Matt W. uses the angle grinder to remove some of the rust from the tender manway hatch.
After a new manway gasket is cut, Matt W. fits it to the studs so the center section can be removed.
Matt W. emerging from inside the tender.
Using the pneumatic needle descaler to remove the rust.
-steam.airman
