Here is the progress report for Project 565 from September 2010
Len.
Project 565 Progress Report for August 29 and September 4, 2010
Hello All,
I didn't do a report for workday 29Th. because of rail fest the next weekend , so now I'm reporting on both days.
On Sunday August 29Th. We had Tender wash day.
I spoke to Willy about having our tender move to stall 14 so we could was it, He said we would have to have it compleated before 2pm, because the 3254 was going to be put there for a boiler wash on Monday. He said he would move the tender in late morning for he had to move some locomotives around for rail fest displays for that next weekend.
So mean time Jim and I worked on the valve gear grease sliders picture in closed.
Jim and I removed this and Jim clean the channel out with the wire wheel brush and I clean the block with the parts cleaner over in the loco shop, We didn't get around to cleaning the rust off the blocks yet.
At 10:30 Am Willy let me know that they were ready to move our tender over to stall 14 for power washing, We started close to 11am. and we were all done by 1:30 Pm. We both took our lunch at 2 pm.
The tender is nice and clean, just a little surface rust showing.
After lunch Jim started on painting parts that were sand blasted at prier workdays and I was over sand blasting other parts for the piston housing. once i was done that, I join Jim in painting of the parts. We started to clean up around 3:30 Pm. when Mark Birtel came through and let us know we could stay a little longer, so we could set up for our display for rail fest the next weekend.
So we placed lights in the fire box and smoke box and one pointing into the tender. As photo shows.
Then we both left for the locker room.
Saturday September 4, 2010 was a mini workday as well as Rail Fest.
I got to steamtown around 7:30 am and got to work right a way I brought out the head light and had little mike help me place it in the smoke box floor and hook it up. It was a great hit to the tourist coming through they saw 565 with her head light lit , Next year we 'll have it mounted on the smoke box cover.
After placing the light in the smoke box I opened up the stall doors , The photographers that were out side around the turn table area all went " wow, he just open up the stall doors on 565" , this was neat to hear.
I under stood from a park ranger that this was only the second time that 565's stall doors were open for the Lackawanna Rail Fest. So we are making history. I know it was the first time in the history of Rail Fest, that her head light was lit.
Looking in from the turn table area.
Mr. O'brian walk over and told me how much he liked what we were doing with 565 , I ask if I could have a photo with him and the 565 , " he said sure" He's a very nice man , I first met Mr. O'Bian at the grand opening back in 1995. Oh how the years fly by.
Here is some responses from our fans from our Face book's page for Project 565.
" Jon Young Yes! Keep the pics coming. I show them to all my friends and everyone thinks what you guys are doing is so cool. "
"Mike Del Vecchio Gotta say, Len, that it's looking like an early 1900s tender again. Nice."
"Mark Zachary Yerkes i wish we could see her run again, but i understand Len's view on why she shouldn't"
"Robert John Davis There's no better life for a machine than an operating life. Give #565 time. These guys are doing what is needed now. Who knows what her future holds?
"
" Jeff Terry Looks good!"
"Mark Lacari The eye of the locomotive. Its just saying "I'm watching progress""
That is just a hand full of what our fans have said about our project.
Over on our Web site we have had visitors from all over the world checking out our project. here is a list of what countries and places who have visit our site this year for far.
Out of the U.S.A. Visitors
2-23-2010 APO, AE, U.S.A Nigerla
1-28-2010 Germany
8-7-2010 Bremen,
8-8-2010 Tehran, Iran
Canada Cities
Abbotsford, Toronto, Newmarket, Kitchener, Etobicoke, Cochrane, Oakville , Montreal, Guelph
The United Kingdom
2-12-2010 Salford, 3-18-2010 Manchester, 3-23-2010 London,
Wellington, New Zealand 6 - 22 - 2010
7-15-2010 Brazil 7-16-2010 Melbourne , Australia
We had a Special Visitor 8-17-2010 Washington D.C. Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. I checked the IP No. and it came out to be him. So we thank you for taking time out and visiting our project web site, Sir.
We had a visit from the St. Louis County's Museum of Transportation 3-31-2010
We had a another visit from the St. Louis County's Museum of Transportation 6-23-2010
We had a another visit from the St. Louis County's Museum of Transportation 7-15-2010 this time from a office computer. Makes you wonder.
OK on to new business.
At our next workday Saturday September 18Th. we will have a special guest show his face, Our Leader Steve Boonestra.
So please if you can make the workday please do so you can meet Steve and find out what Ideas he has for Us. I will still be staying on as Co-Volunteer Lead.
Now on to the agenda for our next workday, I was talking to Matt via Internet the other night and he would like to start on the out side of the smoke box in cleaning with the air wire brush including the smoke stack. It's a break from the in side for now.
We also need to see about where we stand with the tender on when we can get it over to the shop to remove the body from the chassis. We can start on taking off the wooden beams on the front of the tender though.
We need to get a list together on what we need to get made for the Lead Truck and the Front Driver.
There still quite a bit of small parts to be painted rust converter and we also need to sand blast other small parts. Also there is a few larger parts that needs sand blasting, but we'll have to get to that later on when we have some one qualified for Respirator. those parts are Cow catcher , main air pump, a few large parts for in the smoke box, smoke box cover hand railing, and a few others I don't remember where they go.
Well that all for now.
Take care and God Bless,
Leonard F. Shaner, JR.
http://projectdlw565.webs.com
and journal boxes to their final dimensions.
Brass is installed and finished.
Also the front flu sheet is riveted in and they are cleaning up the rivet heads. Still lots of work to do, but making very good progress. I think we can all agree this is going to be a "bran new" engine when she rolls out.