The Pneumatic News

Thanks again to our ABBC, or Air Brake Bureau Chief, Brian LaKemper, who sends along a report of this past weekend's activities in the land of pneumatics.

This weekend was more of the same in several ways.

A fourth S-16 Governor finished assembly, and I started assembling a fifth. This is the line of governors ready to set pressures and test. The one most recently completed is destined for CA&E 451.

This is where I got assembling the fifth S-16. I can't install the piston yet, as it's ring is currently stuck. This one, and the piston from the sixth S-16 will both need their piston rings freed before they can be completed. 

I didn't take photos but I finished converting the base for the fifth S-16 to an S-16C by threading the previously blanked hole for a spitter fitting. This governor is ultimately intended to be installed in our other running curve-sider, CA&E 460.

I started taking apart the seventh S-16 (this batch will total nine). I neglected to get photos, but it looked more or less like the others that have been taken apart so far.

Will finished rebuilding a Christensen straight air valve for CSL 144 and that was installed. We took the old valve from 144 and opened it, shown here. We'll get this one cleaned up and on the shelf ready for use again. I forgot to get a photo of the new valve installed in 144.

I also swapped tips on some of the finger bases for the S-16s that are still in the queue for assembly, here is a worn one next to a new one.

Pneumatic News

Thanks to our Pneumatics Bureau Chief, Brian LaKemper, who has sent in an update of work performed this past weekend in the Electric Car Shop's air brake section.

Less air brake work was done this weekend due to the marathon of switching, but I managed to get one more S-16 complete and ready for testing. This one was just waiting for its electrical "box" to be built, seen here before and after installation on the body.

Mikey also did some quality assurance on one of 1374s newly rebuilt straight air valves, but I neglected to get a photo. Similarly Will continued cleaning up the form-a-gasket S-16.

Meanwhile, Saturday night we needed to relocate the CLRV wheelset that had been on track 41. The forklift and straps made a relatively easy job of this task.

S-105 and the 1129 are seen in their new home in Barn 13, although not quite in their final positions. The switching will continue.

The shuttle from Cold Springs Shops is shown waiting at Car Line Junction with L10 and B48 recovered from the land without wire and heading to Barns 6 and 7 respectively.

This Week in Air Brake Miscellany

Thanks to our Pneumatics Bureau Chief, Brian LaKemper, who sends along this update of work he and Will were working on in the Electric Car Department's air brake shop over this past weekend.

First off, a photo of 306 taken while I was helping with 319's inspection.

I didn't take a photo, but another air gauge was calibrated Friday.

New stem gaskets/key washers have gone on the cleaned up stems for the M23s.

Streetcar straight air valves have been painted and are ready to be lapped to their slides.

One of the M23 bodies is shown being masked for sand blasting and painting.

The form-a-gasketed S-16 governor has been opened up the rest of the way.

Some insulation pieces for the S-16s have been glyptal'd and are ready to be installed next weekend.

Friday, the #14 double check valve was pulled off Milwaukee Electric D13 for servicing, and as a result of recent efforts to organize the parts supply, we were able to supply fresh gaskets with a minimum of searching. This is a spare double check that was located and will be serviced to be a spare valve for the future.

Lastly, 321's original M2B triple valve was retrieved from storage with an eye to rebuilding it and installing it on the 319 in the near future.

I didn't take photos of the other things done; but more parts were sorted and stored, a valve stem was lapped to the body for a streetcar valve, and a to-do list was put on the wall of the air brake room to help keep focus on goals.

Air Brake Work Update

Many thanks go to our pneumatics correspondent, Brian LaKemper, who sends along this photo essay of work he was involved in over this past weekend (in between inspecting CA&E cars!).

With S governors waiting on parts, attention is turning to beginning a batch rebuild of M23 motorman's valves. Here is a wagon load of valves hauled in from the air brake car for assessment and rebuilding.

One thing that did happen with S governors is work on converting one to be a spare for the CA&E curve siders which have spitters to actively drain water out of the air tanks when the compressor cycles. I didn't take a photo of the base, but here's what happened when I got a little too carried away with the easy out to remove the plug on it.

This S-16 (above three photos) was rebuilt by someone who chose to use RTV or "form-a-gasket" instead of the proper gasket between the base and body. Its been cleaned as time allows. I believe it can be salvaged, but its not a pleasant cleanup. 

One of the M23s that was opened up displayed this substance on the rotary valve. It has been dubbed barbecue sauce and we don't recommend eating it. Add that one to your IRM vocabulary. 

The end of the weekend shows quite the mess on the air brake bench, S-16s, M-23s, National Straight Air valves and feed valve pipe brackets all in various states of cleaning and repair. It looks like a mess but all of it will be rebuilt in time.

Air Brake Shop Update

Many thanks to the head of our newly reorganized air brake shop, Brian LaKemper, who sends along a photo essay detailing some of his projects from this past weekend.

The first five photos are CA&E 451's S-16 governor as disassembly began. This governor clearly had some issues, and will need to be completely stripped down and repaired on both the electrical and air sides.

This governor is particularly nasty and will require at least several more hours to get it all clean and back together.

This photo is the governor that was previously in North Shore 251. It had built up a carbon track and was contributing to blown fuses, so it was swapped with a spare. Now, this one has been completely rebuilt and is ready to have the pressures set, having received new Glyptal insulating varnish, a new air filter, new rubber gasket, and fresh lubrication.

We swapped CSL 1374's motorman's valves as part of the annual inspection because they were getting stiff; fortunately a spare pair of valves was ready to go. This is one of the valves that came off the 1374. It will be cleaned up and go into stock to be used on 1374 or one of our other operating cars that use this valve.

A Week in the Shop

Many thanks to our intrepid feature reporter, Brian LaKemper, who spent all of last week and both of the last two weekends working in the Electric Car Shop. He sent in this illustrated report of his activities. This provides just a small glimpse into the immense amount of mechanical and electrical work that goes on, largely unseen even by our blog writers, to keep our electric fleet running.

On Friday night 10/17 we put the Class B on the pit for its annual inspection. Here it is at Springfield Avenue, taking the long way to get to Barn 4.

Saturday we see Jimmy on the roof inspecting the roof hardware.

The failed air tank is seen with the failure circled with paint pen. Unfortunately I didn't get a photo of the operation to lower the tank, many thanks to everyone who helped with the unplanned removal of the defective tank. By the end of the day the tank had been removed and the feed capped so the engine can be charged with air. This tank's role is to feed the air horn, so for the time being the locomotives horn is out of service. 

Jimmy was also working on getting a broken air pipe out of the angle cock on the CCW 300, at some point the radial coupler swung around and the brake pipe impacted a solid object, causing the pipe to crack. 

In what should be a relatively familiar sight on the blog, here is a grid box beginning disassembly. This is 1565's #16 grid box which was removed due to some glowing that was noticed between a few of the grids during operation.

Midway though dismantling

The after photo shows just how many Mica shards were generated. Fortunately it appears that most of the grids can be reused, but we will need new Mica tubes and several new copper and Mica washers. Donations to the 1565's restricted fund to help pay for this and other work on the B would be greatly appreciated. 

Another project being done on the B during this week was sandblasting and repainting the grid covers. Here, Brian D from the steam department has kindly agreed to help spray fresh primer on them.

Black has now been applied to the backs.

Another project during the week was fixing straight air valves for VC 19 and CSL 144. Both were blowing by air causing a buildup of water and gunk which was further causing the brake handles to be stiff.

The condition of VC 19's brake valve when it was removed from the car - believe it or not, this valve was cleaned and oiled less than 3 months ago. Hopefully this work will reduce the amount of water buildup.

Two of the valves as finished side by side. In addition to 19 and 144s valves, a 3rd was rebuilt to be a ready spare.

Lapping work in progress on one of the valves, using one of our lapping plates to ensure a good smooth surface.

At the same time as the grid covers, we also sandblasted and primed the painted parts of the 1565's grid box.

More grid covers freshly sandblasted awaiting primer and paint.

Fortunately, we had a spare tank of the correct dimensions to replace the failed air tank on the 1565. The Steam Department was kind enough to help us get it hydro tested. Thanks to Chris and Blake for doing the test and to Andrew for helping drag the tank stands out of storage to set it up.

Behind Barn 7 during the switching to get the NJT 4 out of the barn. There's a lot of cars that had to be moved!

Grid covers freshly painted, loaded in the bed of the car shop's Mule to be delivered back to the car shop.

A strange view in Barn 6 at the end of the day Sunday 10/26. [Ed. note: That's the D13, 319, 300, 460, and 714, of which the three on the left are recent additions to Barn 6.]

A close up of one of the grid covers freshly sandblasted.