Poor Olaf the Red!
Hello Otto!
I just fell upon this old post by one of my favorite young Merchant Marines, (really), going on about decision making at the Railroad Museum of Long Island. That was four years ago and allot of coal ash and clinkers have fallen through the grates.
I understand Mike's posting on the Western Railfan Forum as our H.K. Porter #1 was built for the Defiance Coal Company of Gallup, New Mexico and ran there from 1921 through 1952. I believe Mike was trying to interest Western Railfans in what he perceived to be waning interest in the locomotive at the Museum.
Happily, Mike was mistaken. It has been, from the very beginning, the objective of the Museum to put #1 back in steam as an educational exhibit. I am pleased to report on a number of benchmarks that have been passed with H.K. Porter #1.
In October 2010 a hot water hydotest was performed and we reached a pressure of 140 psi before experiencing leaks in some globe valves. New packing is in order. The boiler and tube sheets are whole and no leaks were found. Overall a very successful test.
In 2011 maintenance and lubrication was started on all parts of the running gear. At this time all mechanisms are free and operate smoothly, maintenance and lubrication is ongoing. The #1's original headlight and steam generator were returned to the Museum for placement on the locomotive.
This year attention was paid to the wooden cab. All damaged plywood inserts have been removed and new inserts have been fabricated. The cab was sanded and primed and will be repainted in gloss black paint. Recently, attention has returned to the boiler. A preliminary inspection by the New York State Department of Labor, Boiler Division was performed in October and the locomotive was deemed operable. Her grates have been dropped and the firebox and smoke box wire wheeled and cleaned. A source for a donation of new globe valves has been found. The sand dome and smoke box cover have been removed and the Strasburg Railroad Company will be performing an ultrasound test scan of the boiler and firebox on December 4-5.
We plan to continue with NYS Inspections during 2013, next a hot water hydrotest with inspectors present and then a test firing with inspectors present. At that point the locomotive will be ready for NYS Certification. Finish painting and maintenance on #1's trailer will be performed and plans finalized for an operating schedule readied.
It is the Museum's plan to one day fire the H.K. Porter #1 four times a year: July at the Long Island Antique Power Association Meet and Tractor Pull; August at the Riverhead Railroad Festival; September at the Hallockville Farm and Folk Life Museum; and October at the Riverhead Country Fair. The locomotive will be an operating live steam exhibit remaining on her over-the-road trailer operating in-place on the trailer's rollers.
Special thanks for making this project a reality go to Mr. Jeff Klaverwieden and Mr. Bill Pieffer of the LIAPA Steam Program; John Golden and Anthony DeBellis, (Nevada Northern Railroad), our current and past project managers; Mr. Lee Dunwell Jr. and Matt Maritato, Evan Zeigler, Ed O'Connor, Ken Schaefer, Greg Kruszeski, Joe Costa Jr., and Joe Saullo.
I invite those interested in this New Mexico coal hauler to check into our website
http://www.rmli.org and Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 922&type=1 to view accomplishments as we move forward. We look forward to the day when H.K. Porter #1 steams again, it will indeed be a very exciting time on Long Island.
Thank you,
Don Fisher, President
Railroad Museum of Long Island