The PRR K-4s #1361
Steam Locomotive Restoration Project
Page 5
(This site is provided as a courtesy of the Altoona Railway Museum Club)
February 20, 2001
Chris Ahrens advised of the following: "Jeff Miller is off this week & part of next. The bottom washout casting received from the machine shop and are awaiting to be trial fitted to bottom of belly on 1st & 3rd courses. We have verbal approval on the dome course patch, awaiting written approval. The big step is get set up to do the pre-heat, welding & post heat treatment. One price away from sending drivers down to Tennessee Valley RR Museum for quartering, axle & crank pin etc replacement. (one of each). Small spring rigging parts are being machined. Jeff is finishing up riveting of the front tube sheet patch. The new stack is ready to pick up and apply." (posted 3/26/01)
March 19 and 20, 2001
On Monday, March 19 and Tuesday, March 20, 2001, Brian J. Behe (my brother) and I (your editor) made another trip to Steamtown. The following was observed to have been completed. Note that about two weeks of work were missed in February due to the re-surfacing of the shop floor.
The Front Left and Right waist-plates were bolted in.
The Front flue sheet had most rivets installed. The seam where the old and new sections meet had also been welded.
The new smoke stack was present on site.
The new bottom washout castings were on site: The original casting for the 3rd course of the boiler was cracked and the rivets holding it on to the boiler were deteriorated. The front (1st course) casting had deteriorated rivets. The decision had been made to replace both to ensure a quality job. The castings get riveted on to the boiler underside. An access plate is bolted on to the bottom of the casting. When the access plate is removed, it allows the insertion of a hose into the boiler. This is necessary for routine maintenance and cleaning of the boiler once in operation.
The front washout flange was test fit into place. Jeff Miller was honing the bolt holes of the rear washout flange on our arrival.
In the firebox, in the area where the fire bricks touched the side wall (both right and left sides), there had been slight deterioration. This was possibly due to acid and moisture from ashes or the bricks constantly striking the side. Jeff discovered that someone at sometime had placed weld over top of these areas. Because the weld was never ground down to be flush with the sidewall, Jeff ensured that this was done. After inspecting the area, he placed a thin layer of new weld in those areas.
The front right side piston and valve had been removed.
When Brian and I arrived, I went to work grinding down the weld Jeff had placed on the left inside portion of the firebox. This kept me busy both Monday and Tuesday. Brian went to work assisting Jeff in test fitting the rear washout flange, honing the rivet holes in the flange. Jeff had to hone the rivet holes located in the boiler which hold the washout flanges. They then bolted in both the front and rear washout flanges. This is a temporary measure until they are riveted. Brian then went to work preparing the new smoke stack.
When the smokestack was cast, it obviously was not an exact fit. Slight machining was required to get it to fit the contour of the smokebox. Jeff made a template of the curvature of the smokebox. Brian then had to make slight adjustments to the new smokestack to get a smooth and proper fit. He did this by using a grinder to remove the excess material on the smokestack. Brian estimates that he got approximately 40% of the grinding done before we had to go home.
Tuesday, also treated us to a visit by Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum Executive Director Cummins McNitt, Museum Board President Robert Lamorte, Museum Assistant Curator Edward Brinkel, Barry Claar, and EADS architectural firm employees Peter Folen, Brent Cartwright, and John Cavenaugh. Cummins needed to meet with Chris Ahrens to discuss the K-4 situation. EADS employees were there to survey design issues regarding the turntable and roundhouse in operation at Steamtown. Cummins also introduced Barry Claar. Claar was hired as a private contractor to oversee all issues regarding the K-4. This includes volunteers who want to work on the K-4 at Steamtown, Volunteer operation and maintenance crews when the K-4 is at Altoona, and making sure the needs of the K-4 are met during the construction of the turntable and roundhouse at the Railroaders Memorial Museum. He will report directly to Cummins. Claar's qualifications include being a Norfolk Southern Supervisor (retired) with experience in machining, turntables, brake systems, and more. Jeff spent the afternoon on Tuesday bringing Claar up to speed on the current status of the project.
Jeff is still working on this project alone, with the exception of the occasional help by Brian, myself, Wayne Leapple, and Walter Elvidge. The Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum is considering hiring a person to help Jeff, however VOLUNTEERS ARE DESPERATELY NEEDED . It is almost impossible to fathom that one person alone could finish the project by themselves. The Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum in cooperation with the Keystone Restoration and Preservation Society is planning to send a group of volunteers to Steamtown at the end of this month but this needs to be done on a regular basis.
If you are interested in helping with the project, contact Barry Claar at the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum. 814-946-9457. You may also contact me (Chris Behe) at cjbehe@hotmail.com. I can assist you with the appropriate contacts. Experience is not required. There are many tasks that can be done by anyone (male or female of any age).
March 19 and 20, 2001 Photos
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Jeff Miller honing the rivet holes in the rear boiler washout flange. 3/19/01 |  |
Brian J. Behe honing the rivet holes in the rear boiler washout flange. 3/19/01 |
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Jeff Miller and Brian J. Behe installing the front boiler washout flange. 3/19/01. |  |
Here, the front boiler washout flange is bolted to the boiler and is awaiting riveting. 3/19/01 |
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Here, the front boiler washout flange is bolted to the boiler and is awaiting riveting. 3/19/01 |
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Chris Behe grinding weld on the inside of the firebox. 3/19/01. Photo by Brian J. Behe. |
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Brian J. Behe using a template in order to machine the new smoke stack to the proper curvature. 3/20/01 |  |
Brian J. Behe machining the new smoke stack to the proper curvature. 3/20/01 |
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Brian J. Behe using a template in order to machine the new smoke stack to the proper curvature. 3/20/01 |
April 10, 2001
On Wednesday, April 4, 2001, I stopped in at Steamtown. I spoke with Jeff Miller. He advised that he had finished grinding the left inside portion of the firebox that I had been working on previously. Also, as planned, the K-4's drive axles had been shipped to the shops of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. On 4/9/01, Steve Freer of the TVRM wrote: "You can see photos of the 1361 wheels in East Chattanooga Shop by going to http://www.tvrail.com then going to "Bulletins" then "latest news".....or skip jumping through hoops by going directly to http://www.geocities.com/tvrm_classicsteam . There is one shot on the current update page and a better one on the previous update (link on bottom of page)."
Stay tuned for additional photographs of the PRR K-4s #1361 Restoration!!
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. The logos for the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum is a trademark of the Railroaders Memorial Museum, Inc.
Photographs are by Chris Behe unless otherwise noted)
