BUFFALO CREEK #43
ALCO HH660
Updates 2011
| Its been quite a while since I've brought you up to date on our Buffalo Creek Locomotive. Western New York went through a very harsh winter with over 100" of snow and bitter cold until April. This offered very few good work days on the outside. However, in the cab it was possible to finish the last two "Mercon" polycarbonate windows and the weather beaten plywood is all gone. |
) |
The front and rear headlights have both been replaced and really bring back a finished look. Both lenses have been replaced also with "mercon" polycarbonate. I'm sure this will frustrate the ballast throwers who pass in the night! | ) |
) |
The bell motor was reinstalled into the bell and connected to the air line. After charging the system with our portable compressor the valve in the cab was moved to "on" and nothing happened. When the assembly was bench tested last fall, it worked fine, so the problem had to be in the air line. Upon closer inspection it was found that wasps had completely sealed the hole in the pipe fitting! Using a 1/8" drill bit, we dug the mud out by hand and blew the line clear. With a flip of the valve the old bell rang loud and clear! |
) |
Over the fall and in late winter, the battery covers were removed and a new mess presented itself! When the locomotive was moved from Georgia, the 14 - 8volt batteries were dead from inactivity and over the first winter in North Collins froze, split open and the nasty residue made a real mess of the battery compartments. To work on the racking system the batteries had to be removed. With each battery weighing 273 lbs, |
| I was able to get 7 batteries in the back of my 1/2 ton pickup for a trip to "Metalico Scrap." After two 1950 lb trips, we gained almost $1100 for supplies. Both compartment covers were dented and bent from "near misses" so they had to be straightened with a 12 lb maul using the railhead as an anvil! |
) |
When the engine was delivered to us, we received the engineers seat but no mounting pedestal pipe for the cab floor. A 4" pipe and 1/4" steel base were fashioned into a new pedestal mount and the seat re-upholstered in black naugahyde. The spring shock absorbing system was also freed up and works well. | ) |
) |
The three most valuable paint preparation tools we use are a 7" grinder, 4 1/2" grinder and a 5" crimped wire brush. With four thick layers of paint to deal with each tool is invaluable to get in the nooks and cranny's. However, a pneumatic "needle scaler" has been added to our arsonnel. It works wonderful on the cast iron surfaces and leaves an excellent primer finish. | ) |
| The WNYRHS greatly appreiciates all the generous donations to this project to date. However, we could still use your help! All Donations to the WNYRHS, Inc. are Tax-Deductable! If you would like to mail in a donation, send it to WNYRHS Inc., PO Box 416, Buffalo, New York 14231-0416 or |
| Click the PayPal Button to make a Secure Electronic Donation. THANK YOU! |
Web Site Hosting by TRAIN WEB
The WNYRHS, Inc. P.O. Box 416, Buffalo, NY. 14231-0416 is an independent organization and has no affiliation with any other local or national group.
The Society is a fully qualified organization under 501 (C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and all donations to the Society are tax deductible.
©Copyright 1999 , WNYRHS Inc. all rights reserved
