Steam & Excursion > Currant WMSR Fundraising Status for #734 and #1309

It's been almost four months since the Western Maryland Scenic started a fundraising for their two steam locomotives #734 and #1309 shortly after the new year.
#734 needs a complete overhaul to operate again.
#1309 needs new piston rods in order to
run this summer.
I was wondering what the their current fundraising progress on #1309's new rods 
as well as #734's restoration.
P.S. We Don't want #1309 miss another summer like last year. Otherwise,
some people like me would risk postponing a vacation till Autumn like 
the past year. WMSR is eyeing the mid summer either July or August.


 

"New piston rods" won't solve a problem with 'seating' 
the piston-rod steam seals...
There's an a art to producing current type, soft meatal rod seals.

To form a tight fit, the rod must be virtually cylindrical the entire
distance of the sealed surface.  The rod's surface should be 
smooth, but not a 'mirror' surface; the surface has to retain
an oil film --- while flashing through the seals around the piston rod.

Piston rod speeds, at high track speeds can be scarily FAST ....
So, the process of seating the seals is greatly accelerated if
the engine has a heavy load to pull.  Steam pressure in the cylinders
also applies pressure on the sealing elements of the "rod packing 
assembly".   Running a light engine, with a partial throttle setting,
or pulling light trains does not promote seating pressures in the cylinders,
needed by the new packing elements.

You would want to take the time to measure ( with a Micrometer) the
piston rod down its full-length, to ensure true concentric dimensions.
A true and smooth, cylindrical piston rod is CRUCIAL to initial seating
processes.  But it doesn't require 'new' piston rods.

Piston rod wear is greatest in the center region of the rod's travel..
where velocities are the greatest.

So, if the rod is smaller in the center, by the wear pattern, then the
new packing cannot re-adjust to the piston's changing diameters & 
direction reversals, hundreds of times per minute..

​W.

( Hint: find a 'Centerless' grinding specialist shop for your best piston rod
  finish, to ten-thousandths of an inch concentricty over the entire stroke.
   0.0001"....)


 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/24/24 17:21 by wcamp1472.

MiketheMikado Wrote:
> WMSR is eyeing the mid summer either July or August.

Come November, they'll still be eyeing July or August, even though mid-summer roared by at track speed four months earlier.
/Ted
 

Wcamp, did you offer your services or advice and/or did they turn you down?
CR

Posted from iPhone

Hopefully they have it done by the fall, their busiest time of the year. 🤞

Posted from iPhone

Nobody has brought that up.
There is obviously much more to this challenge than we are being told...
So, any outsider would want to do a thorough analysis of the situation,
before developing a remediation schedule.

I also suspect that there are 21st century materials, methods and tools 
that can be combined to form the solution.
I was lucky enough to have been able to learn from very experienced 
loco boiler and machinery experts.  

During WW2, they used many tricks and shortcuts to keep engines 
running. Not every 'problem' crippled a loco for a long time.
 From their experiences, I learned a few ways to keep them running,
until a more optimum solution and more time can be used --- but, today's  
costs may be considerable.

Not often do breakdowns all require overhaul-type tear-downs and delays.
Obviously, before being returned to service, individual cylinder lubrication
systems need to be in place to protect the LP pistons, cylinder sleeves,
as well as the piston valve sleeves and the valves' renewable seals.

In 1972, I examined both 1309 & 1308 when both were on display in WVa
& Kentucky(?).. and, it looked to me that one or both had their pistons cut-off
the piston rods, prior to being put in parks.
RRs did that when preparing steamers for moving dead locos to parks and
display sites.

The piston rods, without internal pistons will lie on the bottom of the packing
gland hole.  If pistons & rod are intact, the piston rod will be centered where
it passes through the gland's outer plate.

Another trick is to use a convenient steel bar to see if the piston rod
is movable, up and down --- an in-tact piston/rod will NOT be able to be moved
....I didn't take the time back then to try the "bar-test ..."
If the rod freely lifts, or moves, there's no piston on it.

​W.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/24 09:43 by wcamp1472.