It’s been a while since we’ve updated our News Section. Let’s get caught up.
Last Autumn, 470’s trailing truck was brought inside the shop for a tear down. Disassembly was not easy. The brake system had to be removed as well as the leaf springs. The springs are being replaced with a new set thanks to a generous grant from the Mass Bay Railroad Enthusiasts. New England Steam ordered the new springs early last year and we are still waiting for them to arrive. They have been backordered that long! We hope to receive them soon.
The wheels and axle needed to be removed next. In order to accomplish this, the booster engine had to be removed first, and then the Delta Truck frame had to be lifted off. However, the journal boxes resisted and didn’t want to slide off the pedestals. So, they were pressed apart ( down and out ) with bottle jacks and plenty of lubrication. Every inch was a hard-won victory.
Once the Delta Frame was ready to be removed, the whole assembly was returned outdoors where our crane lifted it. The truck was placed on a heavy duty shop flatcar and rolled back indoors for needle scaling and repairs. The wheels have been loaded on a truck trailer and shipped to the Strasburg Railroad Shops. While there, the original wheels will be pressed off the axle, new wheels will be cast and pressed back on. The new wheels will be turned to original Maine Central Railroad Specs. Machine work will also be done to the axle journals.
Work also continues on 470’s boiler. Needle scaling commenced on the exterior of the wrapper sheet and the interior of the firebox. A grid pattern has been drawn on the steel and Ultrasonic Testing has commenced. More on that during the next update!
