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How about a view of the passenger cars and the Antonito water
tank thru the Open Valve Cylinder of 484. |
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The Balloon "Viento Encantado" drifts over
Chama, New Mexico. |
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It was a near perfect day for flying in
Chama. |
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Monday March 14th 2005... Well its
Monday, I had taken pictures of us moving the Open Car 9615 and the
Antonito Snack Car out of the Shop in a snow storm fully ready for
service, but I had a Computer Burp and lost them all. So Here is Me
and Erika on top of Sandia Peak. Today we rolled in Open Car 9613
into the shop for repairs...
If anybody is interested, in order to help me with cost, I
have began selling my Photographs on Ebay and have my first edition
up for sale... if anybody is interested in helping the website and
me.. do a member search on Ebay and look for me and what I have for
sale.. I am twinkyllamas on Ebay. |
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Tuesday March 15th 2005... Well we
woke up to 4 inches of fresh snow, today we continued work on Open
Car 9613, we jacked up its A-side and replaced two old cast wheels
with two new steel wheels, then we repaired a bent brake beam and
added Cobra Brake "New Composite Brakes" shoes to the truck set. We
also replaced a few Boards on the floor of the car and are adding
the storage racks for the Fire Fighting tools we will carry on the
Car, we may also add a tool box.
We are still waiting for the guys to come over from chama to
install and check the new valve's for 484...
In the picture's we are moving a new axle into the shop, this
was this morning.. you can see how snowy and cold the weather was...
we burned two wheel barrows of coal today, the new heating system
that was supposed to be installed during the Christmas break is
still on hold....
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Thursday March 17th 2005....
Happy St Patrick's Day... Well today
we rolled 9613 out of the shop, finished and ready for service.. |
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Then we brought in a Passenger car, but we had to swap out a
truck set, so we assembled a truck set with old cast wheels and will
use these to replace a set of trucks under the "Aircraft Carrier
Flatcar". We had to do this outside and it was a bit chilly.. In the
picture's we are assembling the truck set. This truck set
will have old cast wheels we took off a Passenger car truck when we
installed new steel wheels, it has coil springs and the wheels are
still in great shape.. so they will be placed under our heavy
service Maintenance of way flatcar. |
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Then after finishing the truck set, we rolled it down to the work
spur track to place under the flatcar, after which we took a good
truck set out from under that car and moved it into the shop to be
placed under a passenger car. The pictures of the trucks
will be in the next update, now I will be gone for a few days on a
small vacation... so the next update will be a little late.. but I
am on my way to a Balloon Rally and Durango... should have some
great shots when I get back.. have a great one. |
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The weather had been looking pretty bad,
but then saturday the sun came up and its was beautiful. |
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The Balloons flew in calm wind and the
flights were long and short!!!! |
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The 2005 Snowball Balloon Rally in Chama
was a Amazing Success. |
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I have crewed for "Viento Encantado" for
quite a while now and have enjoyed it very much. |
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The view of a balloon flying is a amazing
thing. |
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The Skies were Beautiful that day in Chama.. |
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"Viento Encantado" appears to sit in the
corner of a tree. |
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Coming in for a landing. |
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"Ajuua Dreamer" floats above Chama. |
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"Viento Encantado" touches down and the
crew moves into hold the Basket down. |
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I love this type of shot, the Balloon glows
with the light of sun shining thru it. |
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"Viento Encantado" lifts off again.... |
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Into the cool Chama air. |
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Look how the Swirl Pattern comes alive. |
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"Sunrise Angel" and "Viento Encantado" ride
the winds.. |
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I love it, Balloons make beautiful subjects
to photograph. |
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Another view of 487's number 3 driver, the Crank pin is being
polished to allow measuring of the pin, then the new bushings will
be made.. |
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Here is a look at the Expansion link. |
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A view of the Pilot truck of 487. all the worn surfaces had been
rebuilt. |
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There is 487's front end lifted up on jacks. |
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Another view of the front end. its alot of work just to get the
Pilot trucks out.. the Snowplow had to be removed first and that's a
trick to do.. |
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A view of the 487 main rods, one has a bushing installed and the
other is still being work on. |
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Another view of the 487 main rods. |
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You are looking at the one Journal box of 487's pilot truck. it's
bearing surface is being re-machined to fit new brasses that will be
installed on the truck. |
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Now a look at a new Crown Brass box for a driver wheel, its
interior bearing surface is being re-machined. |
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How about some brand new Brass ready for machining. |
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A look at 487's pilot truck, the wear surfaces are being
restored. |
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A look at a Wheel set for 487. |
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A Main rod bushing has been installed to check fit on the main
crank pin of 487's number 3 driver. |
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My Sweety in front of Locomotive 487. |
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I wanted to share a few more shots of the Honing of 484's
cylinders, in this picture we are actually polishing the valve
surfaces... we used the Honer and Gas to clean the valve surface and
Motor oil and the Honer to polish the valve.. |
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Marvin is driving the Honer with a 1/2 inch drill and Sam is
spraying the surface with oil. |
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Once we were done, Ed Beard came into the Antonito Shop and
measured the valves to make the new rings. |
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He was pretty Quick, it only took him a few minutes. |
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Ed is writing down the Measurements, check out that Calipers to
his left, comes in a Beautiful Wood Case... cool Huh. |
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While I was in Alburquerque I took the time
to visit the New Mexico Museum of natural History and Science. |
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I had a great time. |
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The Exhibit covering the Extinction of the
dinosaurs is amazing. |
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The Artwork is cool, I loved it. |
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if your ever in Alburquerque, stop in for a
view of the museum. |
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And they do have a amazing Planaterium. |
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You are looking at the underside of Car 9615, this is the Draft
gear.. we had to hold it up with a jack and we dropped the support
saddle to make repairs. |
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This is the B- side trucks of Car 9615, it has been rebuilt and
is ready to be put under the car and ride out of the shop. |
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This are our Jacks, they run on air and run on the New Compressor
and air lines we installed ourselves... it is alot easier to use
these than the Hand-cranked ones we used before. |
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Ronnie is working on the Saddle that supports the draft gear, we
cleaned out a crack, filled it in with weld and then added a second
layer of sheet metal and welds to strengthen it. |
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We also repaired and added some weld to build up the sway
supports under the coupler, they consist of a support plate for the
coupler and two swing arms to support the coupler and allow they
coupler to swing side to side. We filled in the worn pockets to
bring them back to proper position and also rebuilt the pins that
sit in the pockets.. |
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Locomotive 484 is outside, we put the valve
gear and rods and piston guides all back into place outside, it was
a beautiful day. |
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Well we are over in Alamosa Colorado under
the 169 Pavilion, thought I would show a few views of the rebuilt
169 tender... |
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This is rear end, left side.... the tank
looks great. |
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Looking at the Front end, and the Coal
bunker doors. |
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You are looking at the Rear Ladder. |
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Another view of the Front right step. |
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A view of the Tender from ahead of the
Locomotive. |
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A view of the front trucks. |
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Fish-eye view of the Rear end. |
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Now I am on top of the Rear Deck.. looking
forward into the Coal Bunker. |
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Now looking to the rear, you can see the
Air Reservoir on the Deck. |
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I am on the floor of the Cab of 169 looking
to the tender .. you can see the valves in the tank wells and the
coal bunker doors. |
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Now a few views of the Business Car. |
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A look at the Side Door... it opened into a
little office for the conductor. |
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How about some detail views of rear
Platform. |
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You can see the Hoses and Coupler. |
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A view details of the Coupler. |
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This step has been added to allow visitors
to enter the car on special days. |
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A view of the Tender rear end from the
Business Car. |
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Another Fish Eye view of the rear platform.
Next week I will take you inside the car. |
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A view of the underside front truck... we
will have to make a few adjustments on the piping arrangement and
brake rigging.. they are out of place and will rub on the wheels in
curve's, but that's all part of the restoration process. |
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A view of the Interior of the Business
Car... I am sorry for the funny shot, but I had to use a fisheye
lens to get a shot, it was pitch black and very tight inside.
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Well thats it for this week, see ya all
later and once again, thank you all so much for making this website
a success.. Carlos |
