Thursday, January 22, 2009

BHC Shop Updates for January 23, 2009

Another busy week for the shop team at BHC Rilroad. We were able to accomplish many big tasks this week. With the 2009 season coming up quickly we are putting are efforts into high gear and striving to complete all our goals. Please check the 1880 train website for upcoming schedules and times for events for 2009. Also, soon you will be able to access this blog fro the train web site. Enjoy!
Joe Belczak (Crew and Staff Black Hills Central Railway)

Engine #110
-All rigid stay bolt holes are threaded, and stay bolts inserted into holes. Next step is to finish stay bolt heads off, and prep flexible stay bolt holes and insert the proper stay bolts. Fireman's side sheets are cut and awaiting the correct size holes drilled in new sheet. Once holes are drilled, new sheets will be welded into place and same process as other side. Below are the last two weeks of boiler work.













All high pressure valve rings have been made and await assembly into valve. Low pressure rings require some more machining in the next week. Once rings are assembled to valve, all cylinders will be put back together.

Car Shops
Mystic
-All new AB brake parts have been cleaned, assembled, and repainted. New manifold and valves await assembly to under carriage of car. Air reservoir requires some replacement gaskets and reassembly. Once reservoir is assembled, it will be installed under the car. Brake rigging will be hooked up including all plumbing.



The New Car
-Car frame is completely stripped, and awaits rebuild in certain areas.
-All brake apparatus has been rebuilt and ready to install on car frame.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

BHC Shop Update for January 16, 2009

Welcome to another addition of BHC shop updates. Please excuse the lack of photographs, but plan on seeing them in future Blogs. The Shop has been quite busy still with projects from last week, and we have added some more to the list. It is quite a major under taking to restore and preserve antique equipment, but it is well worth the labor involved. I especially look forward to the enjoyment on peoples faces when they take a trip with us! Hope to see more and more people ride the train every year with us, and share the experience with our future generations.

Joe Belczak (BHC Railroad Staff and Crew)

Engine #110
-Work continues on boiler side sheets. Engineer's sheets are in place and await their stay bolts. All stay bolt holes have been threaded, and lower rivets replaced on bottom of side sheet. I will have pictures next week, so stay tuned. Fireman's side sheets are currently being evaluated, and new sheet pieces will be added.

-Rear draw bar awaits new cushion springs, and coupler pocket rebuild is near completion.

-Valve rings are in the process of being manufactured and will be installed on valves in weeks to come.

Engine #104
-Minimal work has been completed this week on locomotive due to the large efforts being completed on 110. I will post current projects when work is completed.

BHC Car Department

-The Car Department is up in full swing with a couple major projects. With yearly car inspection done to all rolling stock, time is being focused on "Mystic" and our new car.

Mystic
-After reviewing car construction, Mystic will not receive any structural support rebuilding at this time. Car is in great shape and time needs to be spent on some of its mechanical factors first.

-Due to the age of car and its original brake rigging, the car department has decided to update the brake rigging. The new AB brake rigging will be more efficient to maintain, and provide a longer mechanical life to the car. Brake cylinder, air reservoir, and plumbing has been removed and new brake cylinder, air reservoir, manifold, valves, plumbing, and proper linkage will be installed in its place. New brake cylinder and manifold has been rebuilt and await installation. New air reservoir awaits sand blasting, hydro test, and painting.

New Car
-Our contractors have been working busily on removing all wood to the frame. So far, the frame of the car seems to be in good condition and will be able to be prepped soon. All brake parts have been cleaned and serviced by BHC crew, and await their installation under the car frame. Air reservoir passed its hydro test and awaits installation also. All main wooden support beams that span the entire car have been delivered. Crew awaits final clean-up of old wood on the car, so the iron can be inspected and worked on. BHC crew has also found new draft gears, couplers, and draw bars for the car.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Welcome to the BHC Shops

What’s Happening at the Black Hills Central Railroad Shops

Welcome to the Black Hills Central Railroad Shop Blog. This page is designed to give a weekly report to all interested parties on all projects and repairs happening at the train roundhouse. Currently the BHC is having a car restoration being performed by local private contractors. Listed below are all the pieces of equipment and tasks being performed by the talented BHC shop crew for the preparation of another busy train season here at the 1880 Train. We will be updating the progress of all our tasks weekly, so sit back and enjoy!

Joe Belczak (Shop Crew and Staff BHC Railroad)


Engine #110

-Currently all boiler side sheets will be replaced in the up and coming months. Engineer’s side sheets have been replaced and welded into place. Engineer’s side sheets are awaiting both rigid and flex stay bolt holes to be threaded.

-All cylinder cages have been rebored, and await new cylinder piston rings. Rings will be cut in the next few weeks.

-Both coupler drawbars are being inspected and repaired where extreme wear is evident. Rear drawbar is awaiting new cushion springs, and the final touches are just about done to the drawbar pockets in there build-up.


Engine #104

-Currently the BHC crew is in the process of rebuilding suspension parts that lead to rear pony truck; that includes rebuilding pony truck leaf springs and hanger parts. Front suspension assembly has been inspected and repaired where necessary.

-Both steam cylinders have been inspected, cleaned and disassembled. Fireman’s side piston awaits a new casted head, while both sides require new piston rings.

-The BHC bought new water glasses to replace the old hard-to-read ones. Currently, new water glasses have been taken apart, cleaned, and await assembly. Water glass fixtures await plumbing and mounting. This includes new lights for visibility.


Car Department

-Currently the car shop awaits new wheels and axles to replace the heavily used ones under various pieces of our equipment. They have been ordered and will be manufactured in the next month by a private company.

-All passenger cars have had their yearly inspection, and await the start of a new season. However, the open car “Mystic” will be receiving some structural repairs and its yearly inspection.


The New Car !!

-Since the project recently began, there is no name for this car yet. The new car will be quite different than are two other restored coaches, but it will resemble its original appearance as an interurban Combine Car. The car will be a great addition to the BHC car roster, because it will be able to host special groups and concessions.

-Currently our private contractors have been disassembling the very few pieces left of the original car. The contracting crew is spending meticulous time labeling and numbering all structural parts, and processing their materials order.

-The BHC shop crew has removed all brake plumbing, couplers, and wheel rigging including trucks. New truck and coupler assembly will be done in-house, and brake rigging will be done by BHC shop crew also.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Ringing In The New Year


The excitement is in the air, so many new things are in the works for 2009. Keep an eye out for a new addition to the rolling stock. Another of the 1913 interurban passenger cars is in the process of being restored. To date, car number 112, Oreville, and car number 125, Keystone, have been completely restored. Car number 133, Addie Camp, has never been completely restored. We affectionately called it our 'antique car', and it is our best look into what the cars originally looked like.



Also, the South Dakota State Railroad Museum is being constructed south of the Hill City Depot.



New projects are always in the works to maintain and improve the train yard.

Come visit us this year and take a look at all the things we've been working on!