Testing the Plymouth BL
Test load... With our Plymouth BL locomotive's mechanical restoration nearing completion, a test load is needed to see how well the engine works under load. The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum owns this small side dump car which was originally a narrow gauge mine car that the museum mounted on a set of standard gauge axles. This car will be an ideal test load for the BL, but needed to be moved from Industry yard to the restoration building. To do this, the museum's Jackson tamper was put into service to deliver the car. Here the tamper pushes the car over the newly reconstructed switch in the museum's Industry yard and toward the hill that climbs out of the yard.
Speaking of the Plymouth... The Model BL continues to see mostly cosmetic restoration work. The cab sheet metal on the fireman's side of the cab has been completed and installed along with the replica engine hood. The sheet metal for the engineer's side is nearly complete as well.
More replica parts... To add to the 200+ new parts that have been machined for the BL, custom bolts to match the originals that held that cab sheet metal needed to be created. One of the original bolts with its domed head is shown here, but many of the others were too badly rusted to re-use. Therefore, new bolts were machined, installed and painted as part of the finishing of the cab work.
On the other side of that new sheet metal... On the other side of the new fireman's sheet metal, the custom chain oiling system is shown. This oiling system provides lubrication to the various heavy drive chains; one of which can been seen in the photo.
A second track In the restoration building!
With the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum's restoration building yard complete, Track #8 was partially installed into the building. This area will eventually hold the building's inspection pit, however, the museum is still working on raising the funds to make this happen through its "Building Tracks to the Future" capital campaign so this temporary track install gave the museum two things. It finally gave the Plymouth BL gas-mechanical locomotive access to the museum's railroad, and it increases the usable track inside of the building. To that end, ex-Rochester Gas & Electric GE 45-tonner #1941 was moved from Industry yard to the shop to allow the cosmetic and mechanical restoration to be completed quicker and easier.
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