Our Thanksgiving family photo
(family photos on shutter fly thanks to Kathy Hemp Delker)
Again as a reminder - THE BEFORE PICTURE here below as delivered 6/14/08
12-24-08 Update ... Finished with all the Graphics as per Howard Zeller yesterday .. a photo of Howard is just below in the cab in the fireman's seat.
12-06-08 Update ... Our shake down run was fantastic!!
This engine is so powerful and smooth and solid .. 4 adults in cab
at times and not even crowded... But .. In the weekends since I have
replumbed the boiler pressure gauge and also ran it into the cab
with a nice large
gauge .. Dave Helped me drill and punch a hole thru the stubborn steel cab.
I used 1/4" looped copper tubing to condense the water first.
I also replumbed and re-routed the whistle and added a slide
valve for the quilling effect (the lonesome whistle sound) will add
photos later.
Yesterday (till 9pm last night) I drilled and tapped 1/4" holes
for the left side rail and fabricated both copper hand rails for
the boiler shell sides. I also routed the wiring from the head
light thru the left side hand rail and mounted it to the engine.
And tested the light for the 1st time .. halogen and BRIGHT!
Howard Zeller also came out last Friday for more graphics .. we
still have one more day left .. He is fantastic and utterly
amazing!
My new engine shop allows me for the first time to work during
the winter in the cold and at night .. will be so much fun
doing the maintenance and fabricating now in the winter too.
12-20-08 .... Took "Big Bubba" out again today .. Dave Moeller had
his family up for Christmas vacation and the weather was dry,
sunny at first and cold .. 38 degrees .. tested out the new 7"
gauge .. works great .. but had some steam leaks .. used my
emergency shut off ball valve and fixed them .. the slide on the
whistle works just like I designed it too .. lots of quilling ..
water in the tank was very cold .. is good with steam injectors ..
not so good with mechanical pumps .. lots of btu's wasted putting
very cold into a very hot boiler .. but still worked fantastic ..
stopped for about 3 minutes every mile to bring pressure up to
the pop off pressure.
Howard Zeller will be here Tuesday to finish up the graphics
.. then will post more photos .. will also show new whistle, gauge
and side rails .. Have a very Merry Christmas