Keeping cool

The Museum's primary locomotives are Baldwin-built RS4-TC switchers built for the Army Transportation Corp and the Air Force in 1953.  Their original cooling systems consisted of a large radiator cooled with a fan driven directly from the prime mover, a V12 Caterpillar D197. In the early 1950s this was a typical design used by nearly all locomotive manufacturers.

Beginning two years ago, following a problem with the mechanical drives, the cooling systems were altered with the addition of six electrically-driven fans.  The mechanical fan drive was disconnected from the prime mover and abandoned in place.  

The electric fans were in theory a brilliant solution to an expensive problem.  And they are of high quality intended for use in Kenworth and other large trucks. (Kenworth trucks are built by PACCAR who until 1983 produced legions of freight cars and cabooses.)  However, after two years, shop forces discovered the fans are susceptible to water running down the drive shaft and corroding the electric motor bearings.  When used as originally intended, the fans are not directly exposed to rain because they are located under a hood.  So a modification has been implemented that flips the fan upside down, reverses the motors, and mounts the fan blades upside down.  So far, the system is performing well, but a fall and winter will be required to fully test the alteration.

This is another example of the many small behind-the-scenes projects that keeps the Northwest Railway Museum railway operating.  Consider taking the grand tour on the first Saturday of August to learn more about the workings in the Conservation and Restoration Center!

Snoqualmie Depot celebrates 125 years!

Snoqualmie Railroad Days 2015 included a special celebration, one that occurs just once in an historic structure's life cycle. Sunday, August 16, 2015 commemorated the 125th birthday of the Snoqualmie Depot.  

It was a beautiful day in historic downtown Snoqualmie.  The temperature was in the low 70s and there was not a cloud in the sky.  More than 125 people gathered before the Snoqualmie Depot's distinctive octagonal turret to hear a dedication by Museum Board President Dennis Snook.  Surrounded by historic reenactors dressed in their late 19th Century finery, President Snook spoke of the Depot's construction in 1890, how it was completed in 90 days, and cost just $4,200. Constructed by the firm of Anderson and Scott, the Seattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway commissioned this unusually elaborate depot designed in the late Queen Anne style.    

City of Snoqualmie Councilmember Bob Jeans presented a proclamation from Snoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson acknowledging the Depot's birthday, its importance to the community's past, present, and future, and declaring Sunday, August 16, 2015 as Snoqualmie Depot Day. The success of the Depot as the centerpiece of historic downtown Snoqualmie has been a cornerstone of the redevelopment of the district and the City of Snoqualmie has been an important partner with the Museum.

The next presentation was by Mike Seal, one of the founding partners of Sigillo Cellars in Snoqualmie.  They dedicated a special limited bottling of wine in commemoration of the Snoqualmie Depot's 125th anniversary.  "Cab 125" is 2013 vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon available at Sigillo Cellars in Snoqualmie (right across the street from the Depot) for $25 per bottle until it is sold out.  The spectacular artwork was developed by Sharon D. Siegel and donated to the effort.

The event was capped off with a splendid "coming together" of steam and diesel in front of the Snoqualmie Depot.  Snoqualmie Valley Railroad locomotive 4012 and Santa Cruz Portland Cement 2 made a ceremonious coupling to the delight of all in attendance.  Then all attendees were invited to join the Museum's Board of Trustees for cake and lemonade. Happy 125th Anniversary Snoqualmie Depot!

Photos courtesy of Dave Honan.  Special thanks to the Northwest Railway Museum Board of Trustees for organizing the Snoqualmie Depot 125 Celebration.

Gearing up locomotives for Santa Train!

Santa Train is the Northwest Railway Museum's annual family event held after Thanksgiving.  First hosted in 1969, this seasonal excursion has become a tradition for thousands of Northwest families.

Locomotive 4012 as it arrived in 2000.

4012 was acquired from the Yakima.

While preparing for this year's event, an engine crew caught locomotive 4012 being a little too much in the spirit of the season: it was a emitting a sound strangely similar to the Ghost of Christmas Past from Dickens' A Christmas Carol.  The 4012 is a 1953-built Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton RS4-TC that has operated for the Museum for many years.  It has been a very reliable locomotive and has rarely been out of service.  A quick assessment found that the culprit was the engine cooling fan, which had suffered a partial failure.

The cooling fan is an important part of any diesel engine.  On the 4012, it is powered with the diesel engine by coupling a universal joint to the end of the engine driveshaft.  The universal transmits power to an angle drive and the cast aluminum blades are mounted directly on top. The speed of the fan is directly proportional to the speed of the diesel engine.  

After the fan drive was disassembled, the problem was evident: a number of gear teeth had stripped off one of the miter gears.  So each rotation of the shaft caused the gear to slip, which also damaged the universal joint.  If left unchecked, continued use would have stripped all the teeth off the gear and resulted in an overheated diesel.

Broaching a keyway.

Fortunately, an identical  6 diametrical pitch, 30 tooth, 45 degree miter gear with a 20 degree pressure angle was available from a gear manufacturer.  Unfortunately, the bore was too small for the existing driveshaft.  So Curator Pappas has his work cut out for him.

Gear mounted on shaft.

Using the Museum's Monarch engine lathe, the bore was enlarged.  The second step was broaching a keyway in the bore to engage the key present in the shaft to assure power transmission rather than slipping.  Rather than purchase an expensive broaching set or contracting this work out, this was handily achieved by grinding a broaching single point tool and running it on a boring bar by hand with the lathe carriage.  This yielded a perfect keyway that needed no hand fitting.  The final step was facing the hub of the bear so as to set the lash.  The gear pressed on the shaft with no problems and the gearbox has been reassembled.

A test run of the 4012 quickly established that everything was correctly fitted.  Now locomotive 4012 is ready to pull nine days of regular Santa Train 2014 to North Bend, and to support steam locomotive SCPC 2 on the special Friday, December 19 Steam Santa Train.