Thanks to the efforts of many hard working folks the "Banana," our yellow 80 tonner, is back in service. The west end drawbar/coupler and brake pipe have been removed, repaired and replaced thanks to Dan Robirds, Ron Hyatt, Dave DiGiorgio, Paul Lannen, Ken Hansen, Ken Kahan and Bill Palmer. We are still seeing foreign material, probably algae, clogging up the primary spin-on fuel filters. Power drops off drastically when even one of the four filters becomes plugged. Engine crew need to become familiar with where extra filters are kept (under the fireman's seat) and how to replace them.
Our GP9 has been out of service for several months because of a high voltage circuit problem. Now that work on #7285 is complete the mechanical department's focus has been set on the "Geep". She was pulled out of the carbarn on March 1st and placed underneath the Santa Fe gantry crane so CMO Bill Palmer and Ops. VP Ron Hyatt could replace the dynamic brake resistor grids. Helping on this engine lately is long time ATSF-BNSF locomotive engineer Greg Luiz. Greg holds down the No. One seniority spot on the BNSF engineers roster, the fabled "Forrest Lawn page." Greg knows more about locomotives than probably anyone else in Southern California and we are really glad to have him throw in with us.
250 gallons of new oil went into Geep 3873 thanks to the work of Dave, Ron and Bill and the museum's forklift. The gig list on this engine is getting shorter every weekend. Ken Kahan, our air brake specialist, has done work on this engine and has been trouble shooting 7285. Boy are we lucky to have Ken's kind of talent helping us. "You can always not go, but you can NEVER not stop!" It was good to see Sandy Schussler helping with some valves on this engine that needed some rebuilding. Thanks for helping, Sandy!
MRS-1 #1820 is out of mainline service now due to a number of problems, including a thin wheel flange. She can be used for switching duties in the yard, however, and is regularly fired up to charge the batteries. MRS-1 #2104 has had a cylinder head replaced, but currently needs to have its water pump installed. If anyone knows WHY the pump was removed please tell Bill or Ron. Baldwin AS-616 #1 and Union Pacific FM H20-44 #1366 are being considered as candidates as back up power. The FM, formerly SPC #408, was used in Miller Creek service many years ago and was the most powerful diesel electric locomotive in the world when she was built in 1947. The Baldwin has never been started at Campo.
On a Thursday morning in early May Ron Hyatt and Dave DiGiorgio showed up to prepare for the removal of many barrels of used locomotive oil and were pleasantly surprised to see a group of volunteers working. Dick McIntyre (a legend at the museum in his own time) Dick Cupp, Bob Haney Fred Carnathan, and Tom Walker were there to work on the fire motor car that is being built by these guys from spare parts. Ron and Dave gave Fred and Tom a wish list of things to make the mechanical departments job easier and they got right on it! With the help of the others they built a strainer to fit on top of the water / oil separator to catch solid items that are often in buckets of used oil. It's also great to have this platform to let the buckets drip dry.
BNSF senior locomotive engineer Greg Luiz takes a break for the camera while working on loco 1820.
Randy Honk Photo