Merry Christmas, Jack!

Jack taking a short break
in Santa's chair inside
chapel car 5 Messenger 
of Peace.

Jack Christensen has had a long railroad career.  He began as an engine wiper for the Northern Pacific Railway in the Auburn roundhouse.  He first operated a steam locomotive on Christmas Eve 1943 when he was just 16 years old.  16?  Yes, apparently the locomotive engineer called for the Auburn yard had been at a party and wasn't fit for duty.  During WW II there were labor shortages everywhere and Jack was the only person fit and available to run a locomotive.  So with a little encouragement and guidance, he was called upon to run a switcher in the Auburn Yard for several hours.  Jack went on to experience a long career with the Northern Pacific Railway, the Burlington Northern Railroad, and then the BNSF Railway, as a fireman, engineer, road foreman, and more.  He retired in 1999.  Along the way he became an accomplished artist.

Walla Walla Valley Railway 770  
as the King Street switcher in the
1950s.

For more than 20 years, Jack has been painting the annual greeting card for the Northwest Railway Museum.  (This year, members received a greeting card featuring Jack's painting of the 770.  This locomotive is in the Museum's collection and moved to Snoqualmie in November 2021.)  The Snoqualmie Depot, 924, the rotary snowplow, and many other artifacts have become the subject   of Jack's many carefully researched works of art.  

Jack and Mary on the 
deck of 924.

Jack remains active in the Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association, and has been closely following the Northwest Railway Museum's restoration of steam locomotive 924.  During Santa Train 2021 Jack got a little surprise: he had an opportunity to see the 924 operate.  It was a damp December morning when his daughter Mary - herself an accomplished museum professional at the Museum of Flight in Seattle - drove Jack to Snoqualmie to see the 924 under steam.  It had been a few decades since Jack had been on a "hot" steam locomotive, but when he was invited to board the 924, this spry 95-year-old was up the ladder like a new hire.

Jack on the right side of
the cab, where he belongs! 

Jack enjoyed seeing and hearing the 924 "bake a cake" and when he was invited to engineer the 924 into the siding, he lit up and quickly made his way into the cab.  A few minutes later, he had the Johnson bar in position, the cylinder cocks open, and the throttle slowly admitting steam to the cylinders.  The 924 quickly sprung to life and an unmistakable grin appeared on Jack's face.  How many people in the world today can say their steam experience spans nearly 80 years?

Enjoying the moment.

Mr. Christensen: thank you for all the beautiful artwork that has raised awareness about the 924 project, supported ongoing fundraising, and given enjoyment to thousands.  Merry Christmas, Jack!

Steam locomotive 924 updates

Steam locomotive 924 is an 0-6-0 constructed in 1899 by the Rogers Locomotive Works.  By 1901 it was owned by the Northern Pacific Railway and had been shipped west to Seattle.  It served a distinguished career in the Seattle region switching docks along Elliot Bay, building passenger trains to originate at King Street Station, and even switching industry in Everett, Tacoma and Auburn.  

Even by mainline standards of the early 20th Century, the 924 is a light locomotive.  So by 1924 it had been retired and found a second life working for a paper mill near Spokane.  In 1968 it was donated to the Northwest Railway Museum and was leased to the Chehalis Centralia Railroad.  It was moved to Snoqualmie in the late 1980s.  It listed on the King County and City of Snoqualmie Landmark Registers in 2015.

The 924 has been undergoing restoration and rehabilitation at the Northwest Railway Museum's Conservation and Restoration Center for the last several years.  Since completing the hydro-static test in September, efforts have focused on plumbing the locomotive.  Heavy steel pipe (schedule 80) is being formed to attach appliances located in their original positions.

Replacement injectors now hang from each side of the boiler.  They were extensively rebuilt by Backshop Enterprises and will soon be used to inject water into the pressurized boiler.  Before that can happen heavy piping will connect the injector with the tender water tank, steam from the turret valve, and a pipe for the product of steam and water to be delivered to the boiler check valve.

Towards the rear of the locomotive, a rebuilt Detroit hydro-static lubricator has been attached to the boiler shell with a big stud.  This device will inject steam cylinder oil into the cylinders and the steam air pump.  It relies on boiler pressure to push lubricating oil into the steam cylinders against boiler pressure, which may sound almost like a perpetual motion machine, but it does work.

On the boiler back head, new try cocks and water glass valves have been installed.  These important safety devices are used to measure the height (amount) of the water in the boiler.  Originally the 924 had just one water glass but Federal regulations now require two.  So one will be visible to the locomotive fireman and the other to the locomotive engineer.

Another important feature is called the blower.  It uses a small amount of steam that it exhausts into the smoke box to help enhance draft.  This helps the boiler build steam a little faster.  It is pretty simple: just a valve and steam pipe running from the back head all the way to the smoke box, exhausting therein.  There are drains so that condensate may be drained from the line when the locomotive is shut down.

While all the plumbing has been happening, other members of the crew have been working on mechanical components including driving boxes, connecting rods, and the main rods.  So progress is evident on more than one front, and Spike will produce another update in a few weeks to show you even more progress.

The 924 project is one of the largest rehabilitation projects the Museum has undertaken, and work is in the final phases.  Your support can help bring this project to completion, and really does make a difference!  Your donation in any amount may be made on the Museum's web site here and is tax deductible to the extent provided by law. 

Giving Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Giving Tuesday is a day of charitable giving held every year on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, and this year is officially Giving Tuesday in the City of Snoqualmie as declared by Mayor Matt Larson.  The Northwest Railway Museum is part of the Giving Tuesday movement, and invites you to support programs and initiatives.  This year support will be directed towards continuing work on NP steam locomotive 924, to assess Puget Sound Electric Railway interurban car 523, and help move former Northern Pacific Railway parlor car 1799 to the Museum from an island in Puget Sound.  And the Museum is grateful for General Fund support too!

Specifically,


Locomotive 924.  Rehabilitation of this former Northern Pacific Railway steam locomotive has been underway for the last two years.  This multi-year effort will allow this 1899-built steam locomotive to operate again!  924 is a City of Snoqualmie and King County Landmark. The locomotive cab and running gear are two of the undertakings contributions are supporting this year, and some additional boiler work will be taking place early next year.  Recent work has included rehabilitation of the steam appliances.  

Parlor car 1799.  Parlor cars were extra fare cars on passenger trains that catered to the needs of the more affluent.  1799 operated between Seattle and Yakima on through trains.  This former Northern Pacific Railway parlor car is located on an island in Puget Sound, and is included on the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation’s Most Endangered Places list.  The owners have offered the car as a donation provided it is removed from the site.  The project is ready to proceed pending receipt of development permits, which is expected to occur early in 2018.  Support is being directed towards the cost of crane, barge and trucking fees.

Interurban car 523.  The Puget Sound Electric Railway operated electric trains between Seattle and Tacoma from 1902 through 1928.  Car 523 is the only known surviving car, and originally served as a combination coach/parlor/observation car. It arrived in Snoqualmie in September.  Support towards this project will help funding a complete assessment, and the first phase of its structural rehabilitation to repair side sill damage caused by the car’s reuse as a residential home.

The General Fund is a great way to support the Northwest Railway Museum without designated a specific project or initiative.  Support received designated towards the general fund will be used for regular programs including School Train, operation of the Snoqualmie Depot, and the operation of web sites like www.WellingtonRemembered.org

Giving Tuesday is an opportunity to support the Northwest Railway Museum.  Please visit the donate now page and choose your favorite project!

Northern Pacific 924 work continues

The Museum's former Northern Pacific Railway steam locomotive 924 has moved a little closer to operating under its own steam.  This year rehabilitation of the locomotive appliances has been completed, and was undertaken by Bernie Watts at Backshop Enterprises.  The Northwest Railway Museum is grateful for support from the Heritage Capital Projects Fund of the Washington State Historical Society - and the Washington State Legislature who approved this agency's appropriation - which funded this work.

Appliances perform a variety of functions.  The air compressor provides compressed air for the brakes.  The steam dynamo provides electricity for the headlights.  The steam injectors provide a means for "injecting" water into the boiler while it is under pressure.  The hydro-static lubricator uses steam pressure to push lubricating oil into the steam cylinder while it is operating.

The Westinghouse 9 1/2 inch steam driven air compressor is a relic from the early 20th Century.  Many steam locomotives operating today have a more efficient cross-compound air compressor, but this single stage 9 1/2 was installed on locomotive 924 around 1910 and has remained there ever since.  Unfortunately, it required extensive work, including replacement of the steam cylinder, the original of which was cracked.  The compressor also required a new steam piston, piston rings, a variety of steam gaskets, oil cups, air valves, and more.

The steam dynamo uses steam to spin a turbine.  The shaft in the turbine spins an electric generator and produces direct current at 32 volts.  This energy is used to power the headlights, but also for the cab lights. The era the Museum is representing with the 924's restoration is before the locomotive had an electric headlight.  However the original-style oil lamp just isn't bright enough to allow for safe operation over the 20 public and private railroad crossings on the Museum's railroad.  So the Pyle National K-240 steam dynamo has been fully rebuilt to its original specifications and will be used to power an electric headlight, though it will resemble an oil light.

The dynamo is a distinctive feature on most steam locomotives operating today.  It emits a high-pitch whine while operating, and exhausts expended steam out a short stack.  The Museum's K-240 was tested by Bernie Watts prior to shipping back to Snoqualmie, and the results were brilliant!

The hydro-static lubricator lubricates the steam cylinders, including the steam side of the air compressor.  Steam pressure is used to inject lubricating oil into steam cylinders while they are under pressure.  The 924's lubricator was made by the Detroit Lubricator Company and has three feeds.   It is a vital component, but the function can also be performed by a mechanical lubricator.  Some steam locomotives in operation today have instead replaced the hydro-static lubricator with a mechanical lubricator.  However, this lubricator is original equipment for the 924.

The steam injector is an ingenious device that allows water to be injected into a boiler under pressure.  The 924's original injectors mysteriously disappeared some years ago, but replacement injectors were acquired and have now been fully rebuilt to original specifications.  Two Ohio type A number 8 injectors are now fully operational and ready to be an integral part of the 924's operation.

Rehabilitating and restoring a steam locomotive to allow its operation is an expensive and complex undertaking, and your contributions will help complete the project.  Rehabilitation of the appliances was just part of the equation, but also represents a very significant investment of time and materials.  Historical research, technical specifications, regulatory compliance, funding, and project management are just a few of the many considerations that govern the outcome.  Stay tuned for the next chapter!

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.

A tender behind?

Historically, steam locomotives consumed large quantities of water and fuel.  The nature of the technology - the state-of-the-art in its day - was essentially a giant tea kettle that boiled water to make steam, allowed the steam to build up pressure, used the pressurized steam to perform work, and exhausting the remaining water vapor to the atmosphere.

Light locomotives such as the SCPC 2 or those that operated with limited range may have used a tank to carry extra water.  Thomas the Tank Engine is another example.  Larger locomotives and those requiring greater range used a tender behind the locomotive.  Which brings us to the point of the story: locomotive 924 is under rehabilitation at the Northwest Railway Museum and is receiving a new tender tank.


The lower half of the original tender

tank is worn thin and will no longer

hold water.

A tender tank carries water.  The inside of any tank is almost always wet and will eventually rust from the inside out.  924's tank was constructed in 1899 and today portions of the sides resemble decorative lace, but are made of iron oxide and steel.  Repairing this type of deterioration is time consuming, and often results in additional water leaks just a few years later.  It is difficult to keep ahead of this type of problem and with the price of water in the Northwest, it can get expensive.


New steel parts for a new tender tank

arrived on a trailer from Portland.

924 is expected to operate reliably and a tender tank that does not hold water without measurable loss will never meet that expectation.  So a new tank - an exact copy - is being fabricated inside the Conservation and Restoration Center. The project team thoroughly documented the tender and created a drawing set.  Then, early in February, all the components arrived from a supplier who cut each piece to size and formed shapes such as the radius on the front of the tank.


Rivets are heated and driven with a

pneumatic rivet gun.  The job is

particularly demanding for the person

holding the buck (at left), which backs

up the rivet gun blows.

The heavy work and time-consuming portion of the new tender fabrication is the assembly.  Each piece was moved into position and then lightly tack-welded using an electric welder.  Holes were drilled where rivets were located on the original tender.  Then staff and volunteers applied (or continue to apply) more than 2,000 rivets.



The original tank was removed with a

large excavator and was placed in

long-term storage in the Museum's

yard.

Meanwhile, castings, fixtures, and any other part that could be reused from the original tank were carefully removed.  The old tank was unfastened from the deck and frame.  A large excavator was used to lift the tank off the deck and frame and set it aside for long-term storage.


The tank fabrication is nearing

completion, but more rivets are

required.

The tank will remain on the shop floor and many more weeks.  The tender frame requires rehabilitation too, and the tank requires are few more rivets, some hardware, and some paint.  It work continues to progress at the current pace, a fully rehabilitated tender - with new tank - will emerge from the Conservation and Restoration Center in late spring or early summer.  Work will continue on 924 for at least the next 18 months, especially because of the awesome volunteers and staff.  And there is an opportunity for you to help support the project by participating in the Seattle Foundation's Give BIG event on May 5!  Stay tuned for more information.
 

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.

Steam begins to simmer

Museum's Curator of Collections peers

from the 924's firebox door opening.

Rehabilitation of locomotive 924 is underway!  Some important progress has already been achieved with significant and positive news emerging since bringing the locomotive into the Conservation and Restoration Center this past fall. 

Inside the boiler barrel, scale is removed

from the inside of the tube sheet.

The first objective was to inspect the inside of the boiler, which required the boiler tubes to be removed.  To allow for tube removal, some other appliances and components had to be removed first including the master mechanic’s front end (helps direct exhaust and improve combustion), smoke box front, steam dome lid, and throttle valve.  Once that work was completed, then all the boiler tubes were removed to allow scaling and inspection of the boiler barrel interior.  The process has yielded some wonderful news: the inside of the barrel is in great shape.  Some of the witness marks used to lay out the rear tube sheet can still be seen!

Boiler sheet thickness measurements

were entered directly into a spreadsheet.

With a clean boiler barrel and access to the firebox, the team measured the thickness of the boiler sheets using an ultrasonic thickness tester.  Measurements were taken along a grid and provided data that was entered into a spreadsheet, which performed preliminary "form 4" boiler calculations.  The form 4 is what the Federal Railroad Administration uses to evaluate a request for approval to operate a locomotive boiler, and at this point in the project it represents a sort of acid test as to whether an historic locomotive is feasible to rehabilitate.  And the 924 successfully buffered the acid: preliminary calculations suggest an operating pressure of approximately 170 pounds per square inches, and without any major boiler work, provided there are no serious issues on the exterior.

A Federal Railroad Administration

inspector examines the 924's firebox.

During the annual inspection of SCPC 2, inspectors from the Federal Railroad Administration were able to make a brief visit to the 924.  They reviewed the initial work plan and looked inside the firebox.  Ensuring the Federal inspectors remain apprised of the work plan and progress is also an important part of the project.

An area of firebox side

sheet is being removed

to allow for replacement.

Certainly there is work to perform on the boiler that is desirable and will help ensure a full 1472 days of operation before the operating approval expires.  One area of attention involves the side sheets inside the firebox.  This area received some type of repair many decades ago, and the repair was performed with gas welding.  Today, such repairs are generally performed with electric welding and to ensure the integrity of the vessel, the old repair is being removed and replaced with a new patch.  this process will also require the stay bolts restraining this area to be replaced, in all numbering about 200 items.

So as 2014 draws to a close, the 1899-built locomotive 924 has a wonderful New Year to look forward to, and your support can ensure that the work continues!  Please consider a tax-deductible contribution to the "steam program campaign". All contributions will be used to rehabilitate and restore locomotive 924.



Cutting around stay bolts in the firebox side sheet.