OK, you got the wrenches covered. Do you have to make your own bolts? What in the world needs a wrench that size? I thought they used rivets on bridges.

Trainwire (Steve),

What do you guys use to cut Rail - an Oxy-Acetylene Cutting Rig, or do you cut with Saws?

Also, what size (code) Rail is commonly used on your Main Lines? Code 83 or larger/smaller?

Has your Company decided to upgrade Main Track Rail to CWR, or is it still Jointed?

Lastly, does your Company have any Shay type Locomotives?

It's been awhile since discussing R.R. stuff with 'ya, so feel free to reply with a bunch of information.

Scott35

MAN!

Y'all got some BIG NUTS over there !!

(The kind you use wrenches on you perverts!)

Your pics remind me of some of my Dad's photos from his days at General Motors / Electromotive Division (they build railroad locomotives).

Talk about a SHOP!

Uh, lesee.

When you get into that size of hardware, the local "True Value" is usually out of stock. So we make them. The other thing is that by the time you get to that size, the bolts most of the time have a taper to them, 1/16" to the foot or so, and they are made for the specific hole, and then driven home with an air hammer ( and not one of those things they use to knock muuflers off ), the taper actually holds the bolt in place and the nut just keeps it from working once it's in service.

I will see if I can come up with a picture of where some of these are used.

We cut rail with an oversized gas powered abrasive cut off saw. Like you see the fire dept use. It has a clamp that goes over the rail, so you can get a straight cut and control it. All of our rail here is at least 90 lbs to the yard, and most of it is 114. Our locomotives are 10 tons to the axle, and lighter rail protests. Since we use "relay" rail, it is jointed, and for what we are trying to do, the "clickity clack" is part of the atmosphere of the place.

ThinkGood, we use a lot of rivets too. Heat em up with electricity. We have this antique gizmatron with copper jaws that works in the same way as the worlds largest soldering iron. Takes about 6 seconds to heat a 1" x 6" steel rivet to white hot and sparking.

Sorry Scott, fresh out of Shay's. There are a few cadavers across the street in the museum, but they are long dead. Lots of noise and commotion, not much movement.

I will try to get some picutres later today.

TW

[This message has been edited by Trainwire (edited 04-23-2004).]

How big are the spools of solder?

Goodness--you could make the worlds largest circuit board with that thing.

And what kind of current does this "gizmatron" demand ??

Probably about as much current that can pass through a Stab-Lock breaker without causing it to trip...
Edited to fxi me abd speeling

[This message has been edited by sparked (edited 04-23-2004).]

If it's turned up all the way about 75@240v.
no it's not a stab lock. Sq D QO.

TW

Could someone post some links that explain what you do Trainwire? I saw your photo next to what looks like a mini-steam engine. Is that a real steam engine? I could search (and will if no one responds) but I have a feeling I'd have to sort through alot, and I'm on my way to bed right now.

This is the company I work for
www.strasburgrailroad.com

I work as the company electrician. Which involves anything on the property that uses electrons to work. From the 480 that we run the machines on to the computer network to the phone system to the steam driven generators on the locomotives. I wind up knowing a little bit about a lot of things. I joined this site for some help on wiring up the light posts in our station to make sure that I did it right and to code. I haven't taken any code classes so I wind up trying to decipher the book by myself and with the capable help from here, and a few friends in the electrical biz. I have fussed on this site a few times about why the code needs to be written in "philadelphia lawyer" and that's why.

I still need to get some promised pictures.

TW

Edit to answer the original question
Yup, that's a little steam engine. runs on anthracite coal, like you heat the house with. The big engines run on bituminus, or soft coal.

[This message has been edited by Trainwire (edited 04-29-2004).]

TW-
Love the pix, we have some old (1920's) hydraulic presses that had the cylinders sand cast. The bolts for the head plate are 2 5/8 inch. We cut out our own wrench on a laser cutter.

The plant I work in makes all kinds of stuff from steel, so we have all kinds of CNC toys to play with if we need to make tools.

My grandfather ran a steam threshig engine. I got to ride on one just like it in a parade once, 90 hp Case steam engine weighted in around 35 tons.

My favorite part was getting to blow the steam siren, nothing else makes that noise.

Thanks for the link Trainwire. Looks like a very cool place to work. I'm glad to see people keeping historic technology alive. I appreciate how far we have come and what it took to get here. People of the past were just as bright, if not more clever working with what they had access to.