924 rides the rails again!

Steam locomotive 924 was built in 1899 by Rogers for the St. Paul and Duluth, a shortline railroad extending between the Minneapolis/St. Paul and Duluth.  By 1901, that road had been purchased by the Northern Pacific Railway and the 924 0-6-0 was reassigned to Seattle, Washington.  Soon it was switching docks, building trains at King Street Station and building freight trains in freight yards from Tacoma to Everett.  

By 1924 the 924 had been retired and was sold to the Inland Empire Paper company to switch their paper mill near Spokane.  In 1968 the 924 was donated to the Northwest Railway Museum and in 2014 it was listed on the Snoqualmie and King County Landmark Registers. A significant restoration effort returned the 924 to its appearance circa 1908 and during the worldwide pandemic lock down of 2000 it re-emerged under steam, and remains the only operating Northern Pacific Railway steam locomotive in the world.

The 924 is a precious historic resource and operates only a few days a year.  The next two opportunities to see this treasure are on the first weekends of October and November.  Tickets are available for North Bend departures here and Snoqualmie Departures here.

Please enjoy our photo gallery from our recent August Snoqualmie Days demonstrations.

924 on the point

The Northwest Railway Museum has substantially completed a major rehabilitation effort on steam locomotive 924. Sunday, November 1, 2020 was a beautiful fall day in the Snoqualmie Valley, and the 924 was under steam to pull its first passenger train in more than 40 years. This momentous occasion occurred six years to the day after the locomotive was retrieved from long term storage and moved to the Museum's Conservation and Restoration Workshop.

   

History - Locomotive 924 was a product of the Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works, and is a light switcher with an 0-6-0 wheel arrangement. It was built in 1899 for the St Paul and Duluth in Minnesota, but by 1901 it was under ownership of the Northern Pacific Railway and was reassigned to the Puget Sound region. It served in Western Washington until 1923 and went on to serve the Inland Empire Paper Company near Spokane.

Highlights - During its first 24 years of service, the locomotive saw a numerous changes, many of which were required to correct damage caused by dock failures, switching accidents, and regulatory changes. As part of the effort to research and recognize the importance of the 924, it was nominated to the King County and City of Snoqualmie Landmarks Register.  For the restoration efforts, a period of significance between about 1906 and 1908 was selected allowing a replica of the second cab (it had at least three) to be fabricated and installed. The selection of that period also dictated the selection of a headlight, lettering style, size and location of air tanks, pilot beam size and shape, the boiler jacketing material, location of running board, and the appearance of the spot plate on the smokebox front.

Selecting a fuel - The 924 was built to burn coal, a fuel that transformed the world in an industrial revolution. Coal is not readily available in Western Washington, and it has some negative environmental implications. So the Museum has committed to burning wood products instead of coal.  For the time being, 924 is burning Douglas fir firewood, and lumber cutoffs from the Conservation and Restoration Workshop.

Performing the work - Much of the effort to rehabilitate a steam locomotive could be characterized as loosely directed labor accentuated with highly skilled machining.  The total effort may approach 20,000 hours, but some aspects of the work have entailed a significant learning curve. And certainly it would not have been possible to undertake the work without highly skilled individuals including Jon B., Gerry P., Steven B., Josh K., Gary J., Brian W., Mike D., Lyle E. and others.  Together, they have conspired to overcome the secrets of a largely forgotten manufacturing process completed more than 121 years ago.

Funding the work - Steam locomotive rehabilitation is costly work, and for the 924 is valued at more than $700,000.  The effort would not be possible without generous support from individuals, foundations, companies, and public funders, but also the generous volunteers who donated their time and talents.  Washington Heritage Capital Fund was the largest funder.  Important support was received from hundreds of individuals, King County 4Culture, The Emery Rail Trust, Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association, Osberg Family Foundation, the Schwab Fund, Boeing Match, Microsoft Match, and more.  The Northwest Railway Museum is very grateful for this generous support.

Watching the spectacle - A key objective in rehabilitating a steam locomotive is to be able to demonstrate it for the public.  The 924 will still require ongoing work - budgets were just not large enough to replace or renew every working part, which could easily have exceeded costs of more than $1 million.  However, the locomotive is compliant with applicable regulations and will be operating regularly on the Museum's interpretive railway between North Bend and Snoqualmie Falls.  The locomotive will make another appearance later this year, and then appear regularly in 2021.

More on the 924 debut

The Museum's Northern Pacific Railway steam locomotive 924 made a brief public appearance while testing earlier this month.  The 1899-built Rogers 0-6-0 has been undergoing rehabilitation and restoration for five years in the Museum's Conservation and Restoration Workshop. An earlier blog post shared some highlights of the two hour session, but today this blog features a few moving pictures of this milestone event.  This video shows some rare views from inside the cab, which are particularly clear because the roof of the cab had not yet been added.  The new boiler jacketing is also visible, which was applied from the outset to protect the safety of the cab crew.  

This author is also pleased to share news that the 924 will make another public appearance this fall - all aboard!

A new cab for a locomotive

More progress for steam locomotive 924!  Despite the encumbrances of the Covid 19 crisis, a skeleton staff has been able to advance the project with installation of the new cab.

The cab was moved out of the Conservation and
Restoration Center by the Museum's Pettibone
Speedswing.

The former Northern Pacific Railway 924 was built in 1899 and is nearing the end of a multi year rehabilitation.  The Rogers-built 0-6-0 has received extensive boiler work, and work is continuing on the brakes and running gear.  A new tender tank has been built, and a replica cab has been fabricated from white oak as part of the effort to restore the locomotive to its appearance circa 1908.

The cab was held in position above the locomotive
while clearances were checked.

An important milestone was reached a few days ago when the wood cab was restored to the locomotive boiler and frame.  The heavy oak structure was swiftly placed by Scott Imhoff from Imhoff Crane in Snoqualmie.

The new cab was slowly lowered onto the locomotive.

The fabrication effort was led by the Museum's shipwright Gary James last year in a 4Culture-funded project.  Volunteers were extensively involved, too, but especially Mike D. who created a complete set of drawings scaled from historical photos, and from field measurements taken on locomotive.  Support for this work was also received from the Washington Heritage Capital Fund administered by the Washington State Historical Society, and from individual donors.  Your tax-deductible contribution to the Museum's steam locomotive fund will help continue and complete the effort.

With the new cab in position, the 924 is beginning 
to look like a complete locomotive again.

Work on locomotive 924 is continuing this month, though at a much slower pace than anticipated due to health and safety restrictions necessary to protect volunteers and employees from Covid 19.  Notwithstanding, the cab is an important milestone with others anticipated in the near future for this long-term project.

Locomotive 924 fall 2018 update + Giving Tuesday

Substantial completion in 2019 for the 924 is the Northwest Railway Museum's objective for this year's Giving Tuesday , an online global charitable giving event.  Donations received by the Museum on Tuesday, November 27, 2018 will be designated for locomotive 924.

The Northern Pacific operated locomotive 924 in the Puget Sound basin from 1901 until 1925.  It is a King County and City of Snoqualmie Landmark, and is notable for its connection with regional development and settlement.  It was built by Rogers in 1899; the Northern Pacific assigned it to class L-5 in 1900.

The 924 has been undergoing rehabilitation and restoration at the Northwest Railway Museum for several years.  Prior work has included fabrication of a new tender tank, and firebox side sheet replacement.  It also received a new steam dome and exhaust stack.

Work has been continuing and progress has been significant.  However, much of the work performed on a steam locomotive is nearly invisible to the casual observer, and not likely to make front page news in the preservation press.  Notwithstanding, some important work is being completed.

The steam turret is the manifold that distributes steam to appliances such as the air pump, water injectors, and lubricator.  It features a large globe valve so that steam can be shut off, particularly if there is a broken pipe or fitting.  This device must be serviced so it does not leak, and its mount must be carefully checked for problems in the seat or the mounting studs.  All four of the mounting studs were found to be badly damaged so new studs were machined.  Machinist Gerry P. and Ron W. took leading roles on this project, and it is coming together nicely.

Over the last several months, additional stay bolt replacements have taken place.  More than 100 stay bolts were removed as part of the side sheet replacement, and 48 of those important fasteners had not yet been replaced.  Volunteers, staff and contractor Steven B. have together machined and installed these missing components, which are located above and behind the rear drivers.  As the name suggests, they are bolts, but are threaded specially for a boiler with 12 threads to the inch and a "tell tale" hole drilled through the center.  The "tell tale" is designed to show it is broken by leaking a trace of water or steam.

Some holes in the side sheet were drilled to a larger diameter than originally designed, this requiring a larger stay bolt.  This created a new issue because a larger bolt would be stronger and less flexible, which could lead to breakage.  So a machinist tapered the larger bolt in the longitudinal center, allowing it to behave much like the smaller-diameter bolts.

On another assignment, the team removed the boiler check valves for servicing.  These devices allow water to be injected into the boiler without letting any pressurized steam or water escape.  However, once disassembled, the old valves were found to have cracks in their castings that had been previously brazed, and internal wasting (material worn away) from years of use, and that appeared to be more than 50% of the original thickness.  In addition, the studs that affixed the valves to the boiler were in poor condition.  In short, the valves and mounting studs were not suitable for use on an operating boiler.  The team led by Lyle E. machined two flange plates that were then lapped into the boiler plate.  Then the machinists produced new studs and installed them in the boiler, which in turn hold the new flange plates onto the boiler.

Most railroad track is not completely level so spring rigging is critical to keeping the locomotive riding level, and providing proper weight distribution and equalizing so the locomotive does not derail.  The 924's rigging was just plain worn out.  The team took everything apart and in the end machined a variety of new components; repairs just weren't practical.  It was a great opportunity to dust off the Museum's metal shaper and put it to work.  Jay B. got some great experience with this old-school machine, which provided parts all ready for the milling machine to finish up.

One of the more noticeable 924 assignments now under way in the Conservation and Restoration Center is fabrication of a new locomotive cab.  Modeled on the cab constructed in Seattle after the 924 fell through a dock in Seattle, the cab restoration is constructed of white oak and eastern ash.  The Museum's collection technician Gary James - who is a journeyman shipwright - has led this effort, with help from many skilled craftspeople.  Engineer Mike D. designed the new cab and has created a detailed set of drawings documenting what the old and new look like.

The Johnson Bar is a storied part of nearly every steam locomotive.  It can best be equated to a gear shift, and controls the cutoff of steam to the cylinders.  There was wear in the moving parts and linkages in the 924's Johnson Bar, and Ron W. took the lead in rehabilitating this iconic part.  It has now been reinstalled on the locomotive.

The 924 continues to progress, but remains one of the more costly restorations the Museum has undertaken.  On Giving Tuesday please consider supporting 924, and help us achieve the goal of substantial completion in 2019.

Locomotive 924 Landmarked

Snoqualmie Landmarks Commission,

key Landmarks staff, and Museum

Executive Director Richard Anderson

pose for a post-vote photo in the

Snoqualmie council chambers.

The Northern Pacific Railway steam locomotive 924 has been successfully nominated to the City of Snoqualmie and King County Landmarks Register.  The Snoqualmie Landmarks Commission met in Snoqualmie on November 19, 2015 and voted to designate the 1899-built locomotive.  Officially, the commission considered the nomination that was submitted by the Northwest Railway Museum earlier this fall.  Commissioners toured locomotive 924 now undergoing rehabilitation in the Conservation and Restoration Center, and asked a variety of informed questions.  Commissioners later convened in Snoqualmie’s Council Chambers to vote on the staff recommendation to place the object on the Snoqualmie and King County Landmark Registers.

The staff report made a number of interesting observations about locomotive 924:

Catalog cut from the Rogers Locomotive

Company catalog of 1900.

• The NPR Locomotive 924 is significant under (King County Landmarks) Criterion A1 for its association with the growth and development of King County.  Locomotives were the engine of the industrial revolution and western expansion, and the Northern Pacific Railway (NPR) was instrumental in setting broad patterns of settlement and development in King County and across the northern portion of the country from Minnesota to Washington.  NPR 924 served this railway for twenty-five years.


• NPR 924 is significant under Criterion A3 as an excellent and rare example of a classic late 19th century steam locomotive. It features many of the common elements of both larger and smaller locomotives, and in many respects was “state of the art” for the era. There are very few locomotives originally owned by mainline railroads that survived beyond WW II.


• NPR 924 is also significant under Criterion A5 as an outstanding and rare example of a switching locomotive constructed by Rogers Locomotive Company in Paterson, New Jersey, the second largest builder of steam locomotives in America.  Rogers was an innovative manufacturer who developed many features that became common – or even standard – on nearly all steam locomotives.  Rogers produced more than 6,000 locomotives.  Only 20 known examples remain world-wide; 11 of those are in the United States.

 

924 at Millwood, WA, after retirement

from the Northern Pacific.

The Landmarks Register listing for locomotive 924 is important for the Northwest Railway Museum and its mission.  A listing on the Landmarks Register conveys certain legal protections for the object regardless of who owns it.  It provides additional public recognition of its historical importance, and its role in the interpretation of King County’s railroad history.  City and County landmarks are eligible to apply to certain grant programs, and for technical assistance.

The Landmark Register is an important initiative of King County, which is one of the largest counties in the United States.  A King County Historic Preservation Officer – Jennifer Meisner - is appointed by the King County Executive.  Under her direction is a full time staff in the King County Historic Preservation Program that provides technical advice, project impact reviews for public agencies, and Interlocal landmark programs for suburban cities including Snoqualmie and North Bend.  Other objects on the Landmarks Register at the Northwest Railway Museum include Chapel Car 5 Messenger of Peace, Northern Pacific Railway rotary snowplow 10, and the Northern Pacific Railway/Seattle Lake Shore and Eastern Snoqualmie Depot.

Engineering the 924 boiler

In September 2015 another major milestone was passed in the rehabilitation to service of Northern Pacific Railway steam locomotive 924. 

In November 2014, the boiler tubes were removed from the locomotive and a preliminary engineering package was created based upon the thicknesses and geometries of the existing vessel.  During this time, a complete ultrasonic thickness grid was laid out and measured from the water and fire side of the boiler sheets, and the results were more than encouraging.  However, for the locomotive pressure vessel to be legal under the regulations of the Federal Railroad Administration (“FRA”), the exterior jacketing and lagging had to be removed.  This allowed for a visual inspection and for documentation of the final ultrasonic thickness measurements of any critical areas that were not possible to reach from the inside of the boiler.  So following the abatement of the asbestos lagging in late July and early August, it was time to finalize the form 4 engineering package, external visual inspection, and ultrasonic grid. 

Preparing the pressure vessel for an external inspection and for ultrasonic measurements involved a variety of tasks.  First, the boiler shell was stripped of rust and scale, as well as any other appurtenances that obstructed the exterior of the boiler.  Then, a grid pattern was laid out with data points polished to bright steel so as to allow the ultrasonic transducer to couple with the material and give an accurate reading.  Any areas found to exhibit additional pitting or deterioration were also tested to find the thinnest points in each boiler component. 

Preliminary calculations indicated the pressure vessel to be in good shape, especially following the installation of new firebox side sheets in January.  However, visual inspection found questionable rivets and some cracking present in the steam dome barrel near these rivet holes.  The original design of the dome also included a longitudinal lap seam, which although legal to remain in service, would require additional inspection and care in service.  The dome ring at the top of the steam dome was also found to be cast iron, which was not a good choice for pressure vessel use due to its lack of ductility and low tensile strength.  Curator Stathi Pappas made the decision to replace the steam dome with a new fabrication using A-516-70 steel and butt strap riveted construction to provide for both safety and longevity of service. 

At this point, Curator Pappas brought in friend and colleague Jon Brewster - who is an expert in boiler calculations - to run the final numbers and determine the health of the pressure vessel with the alterations and repairs as noted above.  Although locomotives may operate with severely derated boiler pressures, these locomotives are often but shadows of their former selves in capability, power, and economy.  In order to be true living history, philosophically, locomotives should be rebuilt to behave as they would have in their period of significance.  This being the case, Northwest Railway Museum is pleased to announce that NP 924 will once again be legal for her original full working pressure of 180 psi, just as Rogers intended!!!

Following this achievement, no time was wasted in beginning the construction of the new steam dome.  A new upper ring was machined on the Museum’s 48” Bullard Spiral Drive vertical turret lathe from a 5.5” thick plate of A-516-70 steel to match the original.  This machine was able to bore the center hole removing up to 1” of material in one pass.  Now that is mid-century American machine tools being used as intended!  At the same time a new dome barrel was rolled by Liberty Metal in Portland, Oregon out of A-516-70 steel.  By mid September, the new ring and rolled round were fitted together and welded preparatory to riveting.  Although the rivets are more than strong enough to support the joints in this new dome, Curator Pappas (who is a certified 6G welder) welded the dome for additional strength, prevention of leaking seams, and dimensional stability during the riveting process.  By using appropriate riveted construction and welding, this dome may even outlast the rest of the pressure vessel.  During this time, the old dome was removed and all rivets from the dome saddle removed preparatory to installation of the new dome. 

Fall 2015 will see the completion and installation of this new dome on the 924. Following this achievement, the stay bolt work on the new side sheets can them be completed, tube sheets prepped, and the vessel will be ready for tubes and a hydrostatic pressure test. 

Stay tuned for continuing developments from the Northwest Railway Museum Conservation and Restoration Center!

 

 

"Engineering the 924 boiler" was a guest post by Northwest Railway Museum Curator Stathi Pappas.

Tender tank gets wheels

A major milestone was achieved on the Northern Pacific Railway steam locomotive 924 last week: substantial completion of the new cistern (tank) for the tender.  For more than five months, a replacement tender tank has been taking shape on the floor of the Conservation and Restoration Center.  Other than a couple additional baffles and the rear coal board, all structural and seam riveting was completed such that is was time to move on to other aspects of the project.  The tender frame had already been rehabilitated and prepared for placing the tank some weeks before.  

During this phase of the project, additional research determined that this tender frame is actually far more ancient than the locomotive and tank.  The tender frame and trucks were originally built for a Northern Pacific 4-4-0 C class locomotive in the early 1880s, predating the construction of 924 by more than 15 years.  Later in 924's service life for the NP, the original frame and trucks were replaced by the running gear from one of the many 4-4-0s that were being retired in the 1910s and 1920s.  Contemplating the implications, this tender frame hardware and trucks were potentially in service prior to completion of the Northern Pacific as a transcontinental railroad!

Before the tank could be placed on the frame, the water valves at the ends of the water legs needed to be remachined and installed in the floor of the tank.  The lack of access and upside-down nature of this work would have made it very difficult to install once the tank was in place.  The valve bodies were faced, bored, and valve seats recut using one of Museum’s large lathes.  Then the valves were fitted into position, holes drilled in the base of the tank, and mounted.  

With the bottom valves in position, it was finally time to install the new tank on the tender frame.  Weber Construction is the Museum’s neighbor and is also owner of the local rock quarry.  Their repertoire of machinery includes large excavators and loaders that each can lift tens of thousands of pounds.  So Weber was hired to perform the lift and arrived Friday, June 26th with a very large loader with forks mounted on the leading edge.  The 16,000 pound tender tank was picked up from the floor, removed from the CRC and placed on the frame.  Everything fit perfectly the first time, and the total elapsed time from start to finish was just two hours!

A significant amount of work remains to be done on the tender before it is ready for service. The tank requires installation of the rear coal board, filler hatch, four small baffles, hand rails, rear headlight, additional seal welding, and interior and exterior paint.  And not to forget, large white numerals proudly displaying her number!  However, the shop floor is now open and uncluttered so that Museum forces can begin placing and powering up the new large machine tools that were acquired earlier in 2015.  This will allow work effort to slowly transition to the locomotive and its many needs.

This achievement was made possible by the hard work and sacrifice of many museum volunteers and staff, and is a testament to the scale and quality of work that can be accomplished through teamwork.  At this time, there still remains much work to complete 924's return to operation.  However, the list just got a lot shorter!

 

 

--Special thanks to Dave Honan for taking photos of this special day, and to Stathi Pappas for providing the content of this post--

 

924 begins to progress towards steam!

(L to R) Nathan I., Mark S., Zeb D., Karl., Stathi P., Mike, Al, and CJ V. (center) are just a select few of the many people working on the loco- motive 924 project, some from as far away as California and Idaho.  All except Stathi are volunteers!

Hammers are hammering, saws are sawing, torches are torching, welders are welding, and progress is beginning to show.  Projected as a two year effort, the scope of work for the rehabilitation and restoration of Northern Pacific Railway locomotive 924 is extensive so success is inextricably linked with methodical and consistent efforts.  In plain English?  No rest for the weary!  For the past several weeks, efforts have focused on documentation, disassembly, and the beginnings of boiler repairs.  Now, more than 20 people are involved so progress has picked up! 

The locomotive 924 is being rehabilitated and restored following the Secretary of the Interior Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.  These are the same standards used for the chapel car 5 Messenger of Peace, Snoqualmie Depot, White River Lumber caboose 001, and Spokane, Portland and Seattle coach 218.  An important component of demonstrating compliance with the standards - and also a museum best management practice - includes thorough documentation of the object before, during and after.  So photographs, motion pictures, material samples, sketches, scale drawings, descriptive narratives, and more are used.

The 924 tender is intact but is in poor

shape.  The tank fabrication will be

replaced in-kind, but the frame and

trucks will be used largely "as is."

Thanks to several highly talented volunteers (Adam P., Dave H., Zeb D., and many others), the 924 tender has been documented.  A thorough evaluation has concluded the tank is in extremely poor condition.  Given the plan to operate the 924, the tender must be able to hold water.  Literally.  A steel tank that is more than 100 years old and riddled with pinholes throughout the lower half presents some challenges that are difficult to overcome.  So the tank will be completely replaced using new steel, but the existing frame, trucks, stairs, the post electric dynamo headlight, and pretty much every rivet (count 'em boys!) will faithfully replaced in the new fabrication.

The locomotive 924 cab has been

completely removed to allow boiler

work to be undertaken.

The 924 locomotive cab presents a dilemma similar to the tender tank.  While the cab remained intact, it was far from complete or suitable for an operating locomotive.  Extensive documentation has been completed by Mike, George, Russ S. and many others, and now the team is able to slowly deconstruct the cab.  Individual parts have been numbered and inventoried, and everything is being saved.  Removing the cab allows boiler work to be undertaken, and for the cab to be restored to its period of significance when it served the Northern Pacific Railway. 

The interior of the smoke box takes on

a surreal look with a work light shining

through the tube sheet.

Meanwhile, Mark and others are finishing up the scaling and cleaning process inside the boiler.  As reported in December, all the tubes have been removed and the interior appears to be in great shape.  However there will be some repairs required, including some firebox sheet replacement.  That work has begun and will be the subject of a future 924 blog report.

The 924 work is now well underway, but your support is critical to its success.  Costs to rehabilitate and restore two steam locomotives are projected at more than $600,000.  Your contribution in any amount will help allow work to continue, and is tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.  Please visit the Museum's donate now page and select "steam program."  All contributions received with this restriction will be used to purchase materials and services in support of locomotive 924 and (following completion of 924) locomotive 14.