Rich Thomas has begun installing and fitting the new steel floor underneath the firemen's side
Here he has laid out the new steel floor and some parts that will be secured to it!
Dennis, our in house welder, working on a support bracket for the boiler
Another new volunteer from Quincy Illinois has built two new doors for the cab!
Rich is cutting the sheet steel to fit.
Here the new floor is being test fitted onto the frame. Yes another new volunteer from northern Illinois is assisting him.
Another view of the test fit. The object is to get the new floor in place so that we can finally install the cab frame.
Just a view of part of the shop. The reader should remember that this is one of three steam locomotives currently being worked on.
This last Sunday February 4, saw the last cross head shoe being filled with hot molten metal. The temperature is about 1600 degrees. Sure could quickly fry a hamburger!
The molten Babbitt is being poured into the frame. This also has to be heated and thinned to accept the hot metal.
Another view.
This is the final result. It takes about three days for the metal to cool! This is another team effort. Those involved are getting pretty good at pouring. They better for the next big project will be pouring the Babbit into the driving wheel journal boxes. This team was comprised of Tom, Nick Dey, Jeff, Chris and
