State belt #4 Restoration Project
Restoration progresses as switch engine goes
back together!
In
2002 volunteers finished the frame with gloss black paint and
returned it to the inside of our shop. In 2003 we’ve purchased
new springs, cast new shoes and wedges, painted the driving wheels
and most importantly completed the task of tramming the engine-a
measuring process that assures the engine runs well on track.
This followed welding repairs to the frame -- donated by All Metals
Welding-- and the driving wheels repair -- by Koffler Electric
and the Golden Gate Railroad Museum Volunteers efforts over the
last few years.
What’s next?
The bearings for the axles and the mechanism
that anchors them are being repaired now. A new set of springs is
being ordered for the locomotive. As this reassembly draws to a
close we’ll turn our attention to the tender before returning
to the locomotive boiler.
Tender water tank:
This xxxx gallon water tank, damaged on the outside by fire in the
1960s when in the scrapyard, rusted thru from the inside, is to
be replaced.
Tender oil tank.
The fuel oil protected this from rust and it was not exposed to
the fire so fortunately all it needs is prep & painting.
Tender frame and trucks:
The frame needs time consuming sandblasting and painting. Fortunately
this is light enough to be trucked away and done offsite. The tender
trucks however are in worse shape and the spring material is not
a standard size. For operational purposed a similar pair of trucks
is sought for operation while the originals are preserved or used
under static display.
Cab repair/replacement:
Also damaged by the fire in scrapyard, two feet cut off the back
overhang, and mostly replacement pieces, another candidate for replacement
or major repair.
Turn of the 21st Century Work
When the dotcom boom and bust swept thru the Bay Area- taking the
time of many volunteers with it-our work became focused on a few
problem areas. The biggest hurdle of this restoration to date was
repairing the cylinders. A hole had rusted thru the top of the steam
delivery chamber and initial repairs of welding and brazing proved
ineffective despite the care and time spent on them. Removing the
contaminated metal and fitting new parts instead was undertaken
in 1999-2000. The cylinders were then pressure tested to check for
leaks or failure.
The Museum would like to raise funds for this restoration.
If you would like to help, send your donations to:
Restore #4
Golden Gate Railroad Museum, Inc P.O. Box
881686
San Francisco, CA 94188-1686
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