Starting the Caterpillar12 grader

After two months of hard work, our Construction Department at the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum successfully brought our Cat 12 grader's diesel engine back to life today. Shown here are the startup team of (L to R) Scott Gleason, Art Mummery, Ryan Johnson, and Joe Scanlon. Many other hands helped in the project as well. Thanks to everyone for a job well done!

As Ryan Johnson looks on from the operator's cab, Master Mechanic Art Mummery, checks on the forward hydraulic system on the Cat 12 grader after its successful startup. After startup, the grader was given a thorough greasing and checkout of the hydraulic systems. There is still some tinkering to be done to get the transmission in top shape, but that will take place in the coming weeks. This grader will be putting a lot of work in this summer preparing the museum's Restoration Building site for track.

New bench lids for BR&P caboose 280

Museum volunteer Chris Hauf has been hard at work on the interior of our Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh wooden caboose. The installation of all of the new lower bench lids at one end of was completed with new hinges and trim pieces added. Museum volunteers are currently restoring this caboose to its as-built 1920s appearance. The caboose was acquired by the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad museum in 1979.

Buffalo, Rochester, & Pittsburgh caboose #280

Interior restoration work on our Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway caboose #280 has restarted. Here we see one of the new replica bench lids that has been built and is waiting final installation trimming and the installation of its hinges. New lids had to be built for all three benches in the caboose. After the benches are complete, construction of replica upper bunks will start. At this end of the caboose, there were benches and upper bunks on each side. Interested in helping restore this historic car? Consider becoming a volunteer!

New thrust bearing for Plymouth BL

A shot of the new thrust bearings that have been machined up for our Plymouth Model BL. The bearings had to be made so they could come apart to be placed around the axles since there are no plans to remove the wheels from the axles.

Here we see the bearing separated into its two halves so it can be installed. The pins sticking out from the bearing will hold it together and the Zerk grease fitting will provide grease for the bearing. The purpose of these bearings are to prevent the axle from moving from side to side and go between the wheels and the axle bearing boxes.

Caterpilla DW-15's Pony Motor

Museum volunteers Joe Scanlon, Dan Waterstraat and Ryan Johnson work on a Caterpillar pony motor taken from the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum's Caterpillar DW-15 scraper.