Willamette #2 Update 10-5-08
October 5th, 2008 by Brian Wise GM/CMO
The restoration of ex-Rayonier three-truck Willamette #2 began last November with the removal of the cab and the disassembly of the tender. Partial disassembly of the tender truck gave us an insight into what we could expect to find in the other two trucks, and an idea of the general mechanical condition of the locomotive as a whole. Although there was wear and tear on some components, the overall condition of the truck was found to be very good, which hopefully is a good portent of things to come. Since then, most work on the Willamette has been centered around cleaning the tender frame and truck for painting and re-assembly, removal and storage of various small parts off the locomotive, and some limited boiler work (removal of the superheater elements and assorted fittings).
This past week, work on the Willamette stepped into high gear with the removal of the engine (cylinder assembly) from the boiler. The engine is mounted to a cast steam header, which is in turn bolted to the side of the firebox. There are 27 studs through the cast header: 13 across the top and 14 across the bottom. The top row of holes in the header were cast to size, whereas the bottom row of holes are slotted. All of the nuts had to be heated up to break them free, or simply sliced off with a cutting torch. And all of the slots at the bottom of the header were packed with scale and debris, making removal of the engine quite a battle. At the bottom of the engine Willamette attached the engine to the frame by bolting two parallel 3/4″ thick steel plates behind the crank shaft. Aside from the numerous bolts in each plate, Rayonier found it necessary to weld the plates to the frame at both ends, and at various spots underneath. Scott Gordon and Tim Gordon spent several days removing all of the bolts at the bottom of the engine, and the upper row of nuts at the top. Then Gerry Petitjean spent most of a day removing the lower row of nuts at the steam header while Brian Wise cut and ground out all of the known welds at the bottom mounting plates. Once all of the that was accomplished, Gerry Petitjean manufactured a lifting rig to attach to the top of the cylinders.
When everything was ready, Bill Highline fired up MRSR’s NW2 #481 and pulled the Willamette outside down to a gravel crossing where Perry Cox was waiting with “Clifford” the big red forklift. Initially it was thought that the engine would have to be removed using an enormous log stacking machine borrowed from landlord West Fork Timber, but it was soon decided that the forklift was more than adequate for the task. So with the engine slung from the forklift forks, the fight was on to slide the engine off of those 27 mounting studs. Before the locomotive was moved outside, steel wedges were driven between the steam header and the boiler to see if the engine would move. Without too much effort, the engine was wedged out away from the boiler about 1″ before the decision was made to move outside. Outside, more and thicker wedges of wood and plastic were driven in behind the steam header, inching the engine further and further off the studs. However, it was soon discovered that the bottom wasn’t going anywhere. Apparently one or more of the welds hadn’t been cut all the way through, so the cutting torch was called for to remedy the situation. Then a pair of 20 ton hydraulic jacks were placed behind the engine to force the bottom away from the frame. That’s when all the other small tack welds under the top plate were discovered as they began popping free. So with the bottom free to move, the top of the engine was soon off the studs.
The plan was to remove the engine assembly with the log stacker, then use the big forklift to pull the bottom of the engine out so that the engine would lay flat on a small flat car. But, since the engine was removed with the forklift, it had to be handed over to the stacker first. Having both pieces of machinery up close to each other gave the appearance of male and female spiders in some sort of mating ritual. With Brian Wise at the controls of the stacker, Perry Cox in the forklift, and Tom Payne and Gerry Petitjean doing alot of shouting and arm waving the engine assembly was slowly layed flat upon the small flat car that will be its resting place for the duration of its rebuild.
After the engine assembly was laid down, the forklift was used to easily remove the 8-1/2″ cross-compound air compressor from the right side of the locomotive’s frame. Then it was time to push everything back inside. The engine assembly on its own car was placed inside one of the MRSR storage buildings with the rest of the locomotive on an adjacent track indoors.
This coming week, Rowdy Pierce will be spending a whole day inside the firebox removing the burner and all of the firebrick so that the firebox pan can be dropped in preparation for removal of the boiler from the frame.
Tom Payne offers encouragement as Brian Wise (with bar) and Gerry Petijean try to get the engine assembly off of the upper mounting studs. Howard P. Wise photo.
Now Tom Payne is on top of the boiler after taking his turn driving wedges in behind the steam header. The engine assembly has finally come free of the boiler and is ready to be moved out of the way. Howard P. Wise photo.
Gerry Petitjean and Brian Wise steady the engine assembly as Perry Cox backs the forklift down the road to make room for the log stacker. Bill Highline photo.
Like two giant spiders engaged in some sort of mating ritual, “Lurch” the log stacker and “Clifford” the big red forklift do a little dance to pass the engine assembly from right to left. Howard P. Wise photo.
Tom Payne gets ready to hook up the big red forklift to the bottom of the Willamette’s engine assembly so that it can be laid flat on the small flat car. Bill Highline photo.
Tom Payne has successfully managed to get the engine assembly lying on the small flat car without throwing anything at either of the equipment operators. Now the engine can be rolled inside for safe keeping.
Wow, the locomotive really does lean to the left without its engine! Next up: remove the boiler. Brian T. Wise photo.
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