i understand that it is close to completion. i was at steamtown in december and it looked like no way.
I have not heard anything about it.
I am afraid you’re right.
One of the guys working on her posted somewhere _no way. They still have a lot of work to do.
Your perception is accurate. Normally, I answer a question like this with “Trainfest of what year?”
I was hoping to get up yesterday, but Mike said the crew wasn’t working this weekend. I was up three weeks ago and there’s a LOT of work to be done just on the boiler. (from 3 weeks ago) the firebox inside sheets were starting to be installed, the side sheets are not going in as one piece, the way they were cut out. After these go in there’s a crapload of staybolts to be reamed, tapped, and installed, then cut and peened over. I’d be surprised if this was done by Railfest time this year. The wheels are ready but still not underneath the locomotive (clearance problem installing the firebox sheets). Then there’s the flues, superheaters, pistons, valves, rods, appliances, the list goes on.
It doesn’t sound like much work has been done on it recently.When I went to railcamp in 2005 it was scattered about the shop in about ten different pieces and it looked like they were just starting to work on the boiler. Is this a normal length oftime for repairs to take at a volunteer operation?
Actually, quite a bit of work has been done in the last year and a half. The outer sheets of the firebox and the backhead have been installed and welded into place, some sections of the inner sheets have been installed. All the throat sheet flexies had to be replaced. The rocker pins for the grates have been machined. The tender is almost complete, the body was put back on the frame in February.
As with many volunteer efforts (this has a small contractor presence, too), they do take quite a while, especially qualifying the boiler under the new regulations.
The problem with reporting things like the speculation that the K4 will be in Altoona for Railfest is the number of disappointed people that will travel out there to see it, and it won’t be there. There was also a newspaper report that said the boiler would be hydro tested in February. With large portions of the firebox walls and all the flues missing, I don’t think it will hold much water.
Why don’t you drop in and volunteer your time, with the K4 or another near-to-you project.
Would love to, but seeing as I live in Washington State it would be a bit of a long commute. However I am looking for a steam related project I can help with that is a little closer to home.
With more than a little good luck (for a change) the K4 MIGHT make it to Railfest "08?? There’s zero chance that she’ll be in Altoona (at least in one piece and under steam) for this July. It ain’t gonna happen.
K4 is 10 or more Years past due, it should have done in around 1998 or 1997?