Steam & Excursion > Wasatch files bankruptcy; Ed Dickens Vindication?

With Wasatch filing for bankruptcy, perhaps some of you owe an aplogy to Ed Dickens.  This seems to roundabout prove his previous claims of poor maintenance.  Wasatch utilized past steam crew for these repairs so it seems to be a smoking gun that Ed was right about equipment negligence.  This was pulled from another thread.  What I dont think anyone should apologize still, even as this comes to light is the demeanor of Ed with regard to any equipment the old crew used.  He despises 3985, got rid of the caboose and other equipment.  That seemed to be a vendetta and he seems to lack maturity on that subject.  But still, he may have had a point with the poor state of equipment.

Links copied from another thread and provided by user: Boilerkiller

https://bkdata.com/business-bankruptcies/cheyenne-wyoming/09-14-2021/wasatch-contractors-20392

http://hsengco.com/anchors/14Evaluation1-1.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2iZvGh2LCkZ2OOSC_RfjMipyU6XrwZnQknSv1Ke5JfDim3aOYg-YdKC-U

-CSN



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/21 07:33 by CaliforniaSteamin.

It's never in good taste to celebrate another mans failure unless you have a perfect life track record showing you've never made a mistake.

   Part of me is sad because John Rimmasch was a dynamic, well spoken young man who obviously had a passion for historic rail equipment restoration especially steam. Lord knows the industry needs all the good young talent it can find.

  On the other hand there is more that enough evidence that shows the WRRC was frequently guilty of cutting corners and doing shoddy work, that if not discovered and fixed, could have resulted in terrible failures. The K&T case being a real life example.

   Let's hope it serves as a wake up call to anyone considering an historic rail equipment restoration to CAREFULLY and COMPLETELY VET all candidate contractors.

   As to those owed money by WRRC my WAG is that they'll be lucky to get a few pennies on the dollars owed.

   Sad but true.  Ross Rowland 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/21 08:18 by co614.

Damn.

(After looking at K&T 14 report...)

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/21 08:01 by MaryMcPherson.

How well known was the companies lack of quality work? I have never heard anything said about it in the before.

Posted from Android

They over promised and then  balked trying to do some work on a royal Gorge full length dome I had heard, i think their bread and butter was freight car repair, they operated a  repair place near Shoshoni WY, IIRC

they have done a lot of cosmetic restorations, that looked great,

All n all they seemed to be an valued assett, hopefully they will learn and prosper.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/21 09:02 by dan.

When it comes to the previous crew in the steam program I have to say that we took all safety precautions and followed all excepted practices for steam locomotive maintenance.
I am not sure about some of the claims about 3985's status but I know it was said to be almost ready for operation in 2010. 
I am sorry that Wasatch is in the shape they are. It was hopeful that they would survive. I know John and the gang and wish them all well.
 

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

I know nothing about the issue other than what has been posted on forums like this one, but one has to wonder if they just got ahead of themselves and settled for some employees that weren't up to snuff, followed up by a bad lack of oversight.  I don't claim to know what the story really is, and I know zip about proper boiler repairs, but even to my untrained eye, the job down Kentucky was as sloppy of workmanship as I've seen.

MaryMcPherson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Damn.
>
> (After looking at K&T 14 report...)

As a retired U.S Navy Boilermaker and "Nuke" welder, seeing that kind of work really makes me cringe and pucker! 

Bob3985 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When it comes to the previous crew in the steam
> program I have to say that we took all safety
> precautions and followed all excepted practices
> for steam locomotive maintenance.
> I am not sure about some of the claims about
> 3985's status but I know it was said to be almost
> ready for operation in 2010. 
> I am sorry that Wasatch is in the shape they are.
> It was hopeful that they would survive. I know
> John and the gang and wish them all well.
>  

I was informed by a current UP Steam Crew member 2 years ago that 3985 had boiler cracks and it's up to the high-up officials if they want to keep 3985 or retire it. Sure enough, it's retired. Again, not sure if the boiler cracks are true or not.

What's a "boiler crack"?

Out 

Ed has likened 3985's front tube sheet to a Pringles Potato Chip. His taking 3985 OOS was in no way to simply make Steve look bad. The man his significant and disciplined military training, not to mention his many years of steam and railroad experience and training. He knows how to identify and judge wear and defects in a piece of operating machinery.

This is all way more personal for many of the lineside observers than it is for Ed.

TrackGuy

Posted from Android

Read the detailed report. Damning. I'm a so-so welder. Even I know some of that stuff pictured is crap. d

CaliforniaSteamin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> With Wasatch filing for bankruptcy, perhaps some
> of you owe an aplogy to Ed Dickens. 

Why?

This seems
> to roundabout prove his previous claims of poor
> maintenance. 

What does/did Wasatch RR Contractors have to due with ANY "maintenance" on 844 or 3985 prior to 2011?

Wasatch utilized past steam crew
> for these repairs so it seems to be a smoking gun
> that Ed was right about equipment negligence. 

WRONG!  Try listing by name any of the crafts from the previous steam crew that worked for WRC. Also, kindly specify "equipment negligence".

> This was pulled from another thread.  What I dont
> think anyone should apologize still, even as this
> comes to light is the demeanor of Ed with regard
> to any equipment the old crew used.  He despises
> 3985, got rid of the caboose and other
> equipment.  That seemed to be a vendetta and he
> seems to lack maturity on that subject.  But
> still, he may have had a point with the poor state
> of equipment.
>
> Links copied from another thread and provided by
> user: Boilerkiller

> -CSN

For starters, Steve Lee was employed by Wasatch and participated in/oversaw projects, no?

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CaliforniaSteamin Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > With Wasatch filing for bankruptcy, perhaps
> some
> > of you owe an aplogy to Ed Dickens. 
>
> Why?
>
> This seems
> > to roundabout prove his previous claims of poor
> > maintenance. 
>
> What does/did Wasatch RR Contractors have to due
> with ANY "maintenance" on 844 or 3985 prior to
> 2011?
>
> Wasatch utilized past steam crew
> > for these repairs so it seems to be a smoking
> gun
> > that Ed was right about equipment negligence. 
>
> WRONG!  Try listing by name any of the crafts
> from the previous steam crew that worked for WRC.
> Also, kindly specify "equipment negligence".
>
> > This was pulled from another thread.  What I
> dont
> > think anyone should apologize still, even as
> this
> > comes to light is the demeanor of Ed with
> regard
> > to any equipment the old crew used.  He
> despises
> > 3985, got rid of the caboose and other
> > equipment.  That seemed to be a vendetta and
> he
> > seems to lack maturity on that subject.  But
> > still, he may have had a point with the poor
> state
> > of equipment.
> >
> > Links copied from another thread and provided
> by
> > user: Boilerkiller
>
> > -CSN

CaliforniaSteamin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For starters, Steve Lee was employed by Wasatch
> and participated in/oversaw projects, no?

First, I don't know the exact employment status that Steve had with Wasatch (do you?), but personally I thought he was  a "consultant".

Second, note that I said "Try listing any of the crafts from the previous steam crew....". In other words, Boilermaker, Welder, and or Machinist.



>
> HotWater Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > CaliforniaSteamin Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > With Wasatch filing for bankruptcy, perhaps
> > some
> > > of you owe an aplogy to Ed Dickens. 
> >
> > Why?
> >
> > This seems
> > > to roundabout prove his previous claims of
> poor
> > > maintenance. 
> >
> > What does/did Wasatch RR Contractors have to
> due
> > with ANY "maintenance" on 844 or 3985 prior to
> > 2011?
> >
> > Wasatch utilized past steam crew
> > > for these repairs so it seems to be a smoking
> > gun
> > > that Ed was right about equipment
> negligence. 
> >
> > WRONG!  Try listing by name any of the crafts
> > from the previous steam crew that worked for
> WRC.
> > Also, kindly specify "equipment negligence".
> >
> > > This was pulled from another thread.  What I
> > dont
> > > think anyone should apologize still, even as
> > this
> > > comes to light is the demeanor of Ed with
> > regard
> > > to any equipment the old crew used.  He
> > despises
> > > 3985, got rid of the caboose and other
> > > equipment.  That seemed to be a vendetta and
> > he
> > > seems to lack maturity on that subject.  But
> > > still, he may have had a point with the poor
> > state
> > > of equipment.
> > >
> > > Links copied from another thread and provided
> > by
> > > user: Boilerkiller
> >
> > > -CSN

CaliforniaSteamin, thanks for links, especially Jason Sobczynski Next Generation Rail Services report:
Links copied from another thread and provided by user: Boilerkiller

https://bkdata.com/business-bankruptcies/cheyenne-wyoming/09-14-2021/wasatch-contractors-20392

http://hsengco.com/anchors/14Evaluation1-1.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2iZvGh2LCkZ2OOSC_RfjMipyU6XrwZnQknSv1Ke5JfDim3aOYg-YdKC-U

Looking at the report and pictures, it looks to me like a lot of that work was old.   Who had worked on that engine before WRRC?  Things in those photos that I can't imagine anyone doing.

It was decided by a court that the work was Wasatch as they got hit with a near million dollar judgement against them just on that one judgement.  In total, it appears they have 20 debtors nearing $1.9 million in debt.  I hope they have to repay every penny.  It is not fair to these other small organizations if they are able to skate away scott free.  For as much ego as I have seen John R. convey on here and in other encounters, it is surprising his house was in this much disarray.  


Frisco1522 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Looking at the report and pictures, it looks to me
> like a lot of that work was old.   Who had
> worked on that engine before WRRC?  Things in
> those photos that I can't imagine anyone doing.

Posted from Android



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/21 17:15 by CaliforniaSteamin.

Sounds a bit like Mr. Ellis.

Out 

When you decide to just use plain old Home Depot all-thread for staybolts, well...

Posted from Android