Here are more pictures.
Someday I want to fly out there and do this trip, sounds like one heck of a good time...steam or diesel...yee haw!!!
Ace posted:I haven't been in the Cheyenne roundhouse since 1981.
The work is done in the Steam Shop, which is the last remaining portion of the original Cheyenne Back Shop. The remains portion of the Roundhouse, is only used for storing equipment inside, protected from the Wyoming weather.
I've got dome seats on the Frontier Days Special this year. My wife and I entered the lottery last year and we rode the Katy Flyer coach to Cheyenne and back. What a day, what a great time!
I'm the train nut, my wife loves horses and the rodeo. This trip is an experience like no other. Halfway through the trip last year my wife said we're coming back next year! No argument from me on that one.
I'm excited about the possibility of 844 pulling this train. If not this year then next. The Denver Post revived this annual trip to Cheyenne 25 years ago. The whole day is enjoyable from beginning to end. The food is great, the people you meet are great, and the rodeo is second to none.
Sure I'll be disappointed if the 844 doesn't make it this year. I didn't buy my ticket for steam I bought it for the whole experience and tradition.
Before winning the lottery, I tried for several years to even get on this train. Now that I'm on, it's going to take someone to throw me off. You get priority ticket purchasing once you get on.
After reading this entire thread I'm very optimistic that I'll be looking out of a dome car at the 844 steaming on the 23rd of July! Go UP Go!!!
Congratulations Kevin. Maybe you'll have company from some other forum members.
jmiller320 posted:Congratulations Kevin. Maybe you'll have company from some other forum members.
Only those forum members who enjoy riding behind diesels. 
Come on Rich, tell the truth, You and Hot Water both entered the lottery.
jmiller320 posted:Come on Rich, tell the truth, You and Hot Water both entered the lottery.
Not me! Having "worked" the CFD Special, I would no way in the world PAY to do THAT.
jmiller320 posted:Come on Rich, tell the truth, You and Hot Water both entered the lottery.
LOL! Absolutely no way.
Ace posted:jmiller320 posted:Come on Rich, tell the truth, You and Hot Water both entered the lottery.
Rich is too busy driving the 765 and OGR etc. And HW ain't gonna take a back seat on the Cheyenne run.
Driving a steam engine? Are we in the UK?
Dominic Mazoch posted:Ace posted:... Rich is too busy driving the 765 and OGR etc...
Driving a steam engine? Are we in the UK?
Sorry, my mistake. Rich will beoperating the full MU lash-up of 765 with the coal car.
ACE In another thread you posted pics of Omaha. Thems some old shots in one you can see the basement from the World Theater which was razed and most of the buildings pictured are all gone in your photos. The freeway pic is just a memory too.
Expect to see the E units for the CWS. An I wouldn't be surprised if one or more of the Heritage units shows up . Been seeing several recently.
aterry11 posted:ACE In another thread you posted pics of Omaha. Thems some old shots in one you can see the basement from the World Theater which was razed and most of the buildings pictured are all gone in your photos. The freeway pic is just a memory too.
Expect to see the E units for the CWS. An I wouldn't be surprised if one or more of the Heritage units shows up . Been seeing several recently.
Yes, Omaha has changed a lot since then. The University of Nebraska appears to have expanded a lot and made park spaces where there used to be businesses and parking lots near Dodge Street (near where I lived). The Omaha Shops and original UP headquarters building are all history.
Ooops, thread drift. Omaha is HQ of sorts for 844.
Attachments
In remember a certain Webmaster jumping in on a thread when there was talk of firing up the 611. The queen of the fleet now has taken center stage over the berk. He rained on that parade too. Turn the frown upside down Mr. Webmaster. The 844 will steam to Cheyenne.
N&W 1218 posted:In remember a certain Webmaster jumping in on a thread when there was talk of firing up the 611. The queen of the fleet now has taken center stage over the berk. He rained on that parade too. Turn the frown upside down Mr. Webmaster. The 844 will steam to Cheyenne.
Sometimes you really got to wonder
N&W 1218 posted:In remember a certain Webmaster jumping in on a thread when there was talk of firing up the 611. The queen of the fleet now has taken center stage over the berk. He rained on that parade too. Turn the frown upside down Mr. Webmaster. The 844 will steam to Cheyenne.
Er, I think the 844 will steam FROM Cheyenne first!
Dominic Mazoch posted:N&W 1218 posted:In remember a certain Webmaster jumping in on a thread when there was talk of firing up the 611. The queen of the fleet now has taken center stage over the berk. He rained on that parade too. Turn the frown upside down Mr. Webmaster. The 844 will steam to Cheyenne.
Er, I think the 844 will steam FROM Cheyenne first!
Maybe, if they can get the boiler to hold water and pass a hydro test.
N&W 1218 posted:In remember a certain Webmaster jumping in on a thread when there was talk of firing up the 611. The queen of the fleet now has taken center stage over the berk. He rained on that parade too. Turn the frown upside down Mr. Webmaster. The 844 will steam to Cheyenne.
Absolute, Total BS.
Several of my friends are on the 611 crew. Members of the FWRHS have helped the 611/VMT team with some of their trips. There is no jealousy on our part with the success of the 611 program. They did it RIGHT, bringing in members of the former 611 crew to work along side several new crew members to bring the 611 back to life. My hat is off to them and the "Queen of the Fleet."
As for the sad state of affairs in Cheyenne, put me in the group who do not believe that the 844 will be ready for these announced trips.
N&W 1218 posted:In remember a certain Webmaster jumping in on a thread when there was talk of firing up the 611. The queen of the fleet now has taken center stage over the berk. He rained on that parade too. Turn the frown upside down Mr. Webmaster. The 844 will steam to Cheyenne.
I'm sure (well I'm not SURE actually) that it will steam, the question is when and then for how long? A member of the Ed Dickens Love Fest Facebook page says that 844 will have completed it's FRA hyro test, have it's jacketing back on and the cab reinstalled by tomorrow. I would have thought that if even ONE of those had happened, it would be world news by now......
Dieselbob posted:I'm sure (well I'm not SURE actually) that it will steam, the question is when and then for how long? A member of the Ed Dickens Love Fest Facebook page says that 844 will have completed it's FRA hyro test, have it's jacketing back on and the cab reinstalled by tomorrow. I would have thought that if even ONE of those had happened, it would be world news by now......
It didn't happen. They still can't get the boiler to hold water, prior to even hooking up the hydro pump.
Hot Water posted:Dieselbob posted:I'm sure (well I'm not SURE actually) that it will steam, the question is when and then for how long? A member of the Ed Dickens Love Fest Facebook page says that 844 will have completed it's FRA hyro test, have it's jacketing back on and the cab reinstalled by tomorrow. I would have thought that if even ONE of those had happened, it would be world news by now......
It didn't happen. They still can't get the boiler to hold water, prior to even hooking up the hydro pump.
HW,
This wouldn't have to do with the modifications to the flu tubes diameter and boiler the Ed claimed was needed to correct flaws in the original design. I remember reading about that awhile back. Of course I never saw anything in his bio that said he had a degree in industrial engineering and boiler design.
In what sense is the boiler not able to hold water?
Are there internal leaks and/or external leaks?
Please explain as this statement needs some clarification.
Thanks
The tubes/flues are rolled and beaded into the rear tube sheet then are usually welded on that end, so that should preclude any issue with the end they "re-engineered". More likely either the patches in the firebox or the front tube sheet leaking.
Allegheny posted:In what sense is the boiler not able to hold water?
Well,,,,,,the same reason your water heater at home, or your car radiator does not hold water, i.e. it isn't TIGHT!
Are there internal leaks and/or external leaks?
What do you mean by "internal leaks"? If the entire boiler is totally filled with water, it can ONLY leak EXTERNALLY, i.e. out of the staybolts, out of the front tube sheet, out of the rear tube sheet, or out of the various welds inside the firebox.
Please explain as this statement needs some clarification.
OK, prior to hooking up the hydro pressure pump, the boiler must be COMPLETELY filled with water, and as much air space eliminated, usually done by opening the vent valve on the very top of the boiler steam dome. Thus, if the house water supply is unable to completely fill the boiler because water is already leaking out of the various places that had been worked on, as fast as the water is going in,,,,,,,,,,,,,,THAT is a bit of a problem!
Thanks
Did they find the leak?(s)
suzukovich posted:Hot Water posted:Dieselbob posted:I'm sure (well I'm not SURE actually) that it will steam, the question is when and then for how long? A member of the Ed Dickens Love Fest Facebook page says that 844 will have completed it's FRA hyro test, have it's jacketing back on and the cab reinstalled by tomorrow. I would have thought that if even ONE of those had happened, it would be world news by now......
It didn't happen. They still can't get the boiler to hold water, prior to even hooking up the hydro pump.
HW,
This wouldn't have to do with the modifications to the flu tubes diameter and boiler the Ed claimed was needed to correct flaws in the original design. I remember reading about that awhile back. Of course I never saw anything in his bio that said he had a degree in industrial engineering and boiler design.
Odd. The 844 I saw running on the old MP line along the Hardy Toll Road was based on the original design.
Dominic Mazoch posted:suzukovich posted:Hot Water posted:Dieselbob posted:I'm sure (well I'm not SURE actually) that it will steam, the question is when and then for how long? A member of the Ed Dickens Love Fest Facebook page says that 844 will have completed it's FRA hyro test, have it's jacketing back on and the cab reinstalled by tomorrow. I would have thought that if even ONE of those had happened, it would be world news by now......
It didn't happen. They still can't get the boiler to hold water, prior to even hooking up the hydro pump.
HW,
This wouldn't have to do with the modifications to the flu tubes diameter and boiler the Ed claimed was needed to correct flaws in the original design. I remember reading about that awhile back. Of course I never saw anything in his bio that said he had a degree in industrial engineering and boiler design.
Odd. The 844 I saw running on the old MP line along the Hardy Toll Road was based on the original design.
The "modifications" to the flue tubes, was because the current manager measured INCORRECTLY the large diameter holes in the rear tube sheet, and thus specified an INCORRECT swedged diameter from his supplier, the MIL 261 group. The MIL 261 groups offered to re-swedge the flues, but the current manager decided to try it himself. I do not know how many flues they cracked in the process. There was never any "flaws in the original design", that is standard BS from the current manager, i.e. American Locomotive Company didn't know what they were doing.
I do not know how many flues they cracked in the process.
Would that mean there would be water in the fire box?
Gregg posted:I do not know how many flues they cracked in the process.
Would that mean there would be water in the fire box?
Yes.
To clarify, the water would be leaking into the firebox but it would drain out through the bottom of the damper onto the floor. .
HW
My understanding of the Hydrostatic testing is water or oil is pumped in at a temperature of 70 degrees or more. Then the machine increases the pressure to 1 1/2 have times above the maximum operating pressure for it to pass. This requires that everything is hooked up as if it was in operation. The original plans allowed for expansion due to heat. If I remember correctly Ed had claimed that the tolerances that were built in that allowed for expansion was incorrect and that his new numbers corrected this by eliminating those tolerances. Seems to me and I am just an Army guy. If you remove the allowances for expansion due to heat. Things break and this would include the welds. At 100 degrees the metal is already expanding, and that's before any pressure from the machine has been applied. I would also think that with todays technology, that they would of inspected all welds and any other work prior to filling it with water.
Of course like I said I just an Army guy what do I know.
steam fan posted:To clarify, the water would be leaking into the firebox but it would drain out through the bottom of the damper onto the floor. .
Or,,,,through the burner port, or forward through a leaking flue/tube and into the smokebox.
Edit: Except the firepan has not yet been reinstalled, so any leaking water from the firebox or combustion chamber area, would simply run out into the pit that 844 is parked over.
suzukovich posted:HW
My understanding of the Hydrostatic testing is water or oil is pumped in at a temperature of 70 degrees or more. Then the machine increases the pressure to 1 1/2 have times above the maximum operating pressure for it to pass.
The FRA requirement is to hydrostatic test to 125% of maximum rated working boiler pressure.
This requires that everything is hooked up as if it was in operation.
No, as only the pressure vessel, i.e. the boiler, is being tested.
The original plans allowed for expansion due to heat. If I remember correctly Ed had claimed that the tolerances that were built in that allowed for expansion was incorrect and that his new numbers corrected this by eliminating those tolerances.
I member that "claim". As a result, he removed the "slack" in the boiler braces. Can't wait to see what happens if and when the boiler ever gets really hot at 300psi, and everything expands!
Seems to me and I am just an Army guy. If you remove the allowances for expansion due to heat. Things break and this would include the welds. At 100 degrees the metal is already expanding, and that's before any pressure from the machine has been applied. I would also think that with todays technology, that they would of inspected all welds and any other work prior to filling it with water.
All good points and suggestions. However, there is nobody there to "inspect" those welds, as THAT is not the responsibility of the FRA inspectors. They, the FRA inspector, is there to witness the hydro test, period. Any "discrepancies" he, the inspector, finds would be written up, and would then have to be corrected prior to the next hydro test. That is why virtually ALL of the current steam locomotive operating groups conduct their own "advance" hydro test, first with house/hydrant city water pressure ( say about 125psi), then conduct a REAL hydro at 125% of working pressure, fix anything they find, and lastly, schedule the formal hydro test for the FRA folks.
Of course like I said I just an Army guy what do I know.
The 2926 group has been using compressed air and soapy water to test all their repairs prior to even putting water in the boiler. There's another group of amateurs who collectively are doing better than the "pros" at UP.
NKP 765 successfully completed its annual hydro test last Monday, without fanfare...and without any water on the floor.
Hot Water posted:suzukovich posted:HW
My understanding of the Hydrostatic testing is water or oil is pumped in at a temperature of 70 degrees or more. Then the machine increases the pressure to 1 1/2 have times above the maximum operating pressure for it to pass.
The FRA requirement is to hydrostatic test to 125% of maximum rated working boiler pressure.
This requires that everything is hooked up as if it was in operation.
No, as only the pressure vessel, i.e. the boiler, is being tested.
The original plans allowed for expansion due to heat. If I remember correctly Ed had claimed that the tolerances that were built in that allowed for expansion was incorrect and that his new numbers corrected this by eliminating those tolerances.
I member that "claim". As a result, he removed the "slack" in the boiler braces. Can't wait to see what happens if and when the boiler ever gets really hot at 300psi, and everything expands!
Seems to me and I am just an Army guy. If you remove the allowances for expansion due to heat. Things break and this would include the welds. At 100 degrees the metal is already expanding, and that's before any pressure from the machine has been applied. I would also think that with todays technology, that they would of inspected all welds and any other work prior to filling it with water.
All good points and suggestions. However, there is nobody there to "inspect" those welds, as THAT is not the responsibility of the FRA inspectors. They, the FRA inspector, is there to witness the hydro test, period. Any "discrepancies" he, the inspector, finds would be written up, and would then have to be corrected prior to the next hydro test. That is why virtually ALL of the current steam locomotive operating groups conduct their own "advance" hydro test, first with house/hydrant city water pressure ( say about 125psi), then conduct a REAL hydro at 125% of working pressure, fix anything they find, and lastly, schedule the formal hydro test for the FRA folks.
Of course like I said I just an Army guy what do I know.
HW
I understand what FRA responsibilities are. What I am saying is that Ed should be doing this. Before the FRA shows up. One other thing. With all the damage with caused by the changing how the water was treated and other maintenance changes by your buddy. Could there have been damage to the integrity of the boiler and other components that were unforseen until they tried to fill it with water? IE, chlorine is corrosive. That perhaps they will not be able to fix all the leaks. 844 would never come back to life. That would be sad. Then who is he going to blame.
3 years ago I went on a trip west and on the way home I found 844 parked next to the baseball stadium in Omaha. You could walk right up to it and the engineer on duty even let me into the cab and had me pull some valves while he looked out the Fireman's side window to check that they were working! Engine was pristine in my opinion. I don't think it's widely known but there is a huge 844 shield emblazoned on the cab floor. MTH and Lionel need to add that to their models in my opinion!
A win-win situation! Congratulations!
I hope we'll see her in PA again!
