Current Activities Archive

This page is a collection of images and text from currect projects. It changes as time and material permits- so stay tuned. Old stuff goes to the Archives . Click on any picture to view it full size.

New Wheels under NPC1725 Thanks to NARF Grant

Washington Township Railroad Fair 2001

Hawaii Railway 5 at Civil War Days at Ardenwood 2000

Why SPC439 and NPC 1725 Thump- or even steel wheels get flat tires

New Wheels under NPC 1725 Thanks to NARF Grant

The SPCRR has new wheels under NPC 1725. These are new 26" cast steel wheels and axles. They are the the fruits of a grant received for the purpose from NARF (North American Railway Foundation). The grant was written and the project run by founding member and board member Bruce MacGregor. Here are some photos.


The wheelsets arrive after casting, boring, milling, and pressing onto the axles. Rolland has just put the wheel set into the rebuilt truck. Note casting marks. This is a big picture.	So how do you get the trucks out from under a car? You jack it up. Here is John Stutz jacking up the car (note cribbing). Also note that this isn't NPC 1725, but rather our restored baggage car SP1010 receiving rebuilt trucks.
Picture coming	Picture coming
Reassembled truck ready to roll under the car.	NPC 1725 with new wheels.

Washington Township Railroad Fair 2001


The Guest of Honor. The "Deanna", an 1891 Baldwin Plantation Tank Engine restored with loving care by George and Karen Thagard. Image courtesy of George and Karen Thagard.	First of course, the Engine had to be delivered. Here it is on the truck about to be unloaded onto our track.

Here it is inching down the ramp under Georges watchful eye. It is about to be nudged onto our track. George uses two-by-fours as intermediate track.	Here she is ready to go. Cars hooked on for a night photo shoot. She has D&C 64, NPC 1725, and SP 1010 in her consist.

Here is the cab, a glory of varnished wood and shining brass.	While Deanna was at Ardenwood, the SPCRR's master limner, Kevin Bunker, applied some paint to the Baldwin number plate and and added drop shadows to some of the lettering on the engine.

Here is a shot of Jiggs pulling our wooden bearing single truck flatcar the "MaryJane" on the mainline near Farmer's Crossing. This car doesn't coast well. Jiggs has to do a little work to get it going. This car participated in the parade of trains.	This is the famous "Harley-Davidson" velocipede put together by the students and parents of a local elementary school. This thing really flies..... and yes- the horn does work.

Why SPC 439 and NPC 1725 Thump- or even steel wheels get flat tires

The wheel sets under our in-service flatcars have developed some bad wheel flats. These pictures illustrate the problem. Replacements for these wheels are being actively pursued.


Here is the problem. The wheel is so worn out that the profile is concave, The orange surveyors paint marks the worst wheel flat. Flats are caused by dragging wheels when braked and high abrasion use.	This shows the casting date of the wheel (24 Feb 1888) No wonder it is worn out. This wheel will be taken out of service as soon as a replacement is found.

This is a bigger picture of the same wheel showing a couple of flats marked with orange paint. You can really tell that this wheel has lost all camber too. This truck has been pulled from under car SPC 439.

Go to top

Hawaii Railway 5 at Civil War Days at Ardenwood 2000

During this years Civil War Days over Memorial Day Weekend 2000, Hawaii Railway #5 visited Ardenwood through the kind sponsorship of some of our members, it's restorers, and it's owner Dr. Richard May. This little oil fired 2-4-4 steamer pulled passengers and charmed everyone. These thumbnail pictures will expand into full pictures when clicked.


Here she is steam cleaning the tracks in the Ardenwood Yard. She had just come up under steam...	Here is is at Confederate Headquarters next to the Ardenwood Yard. The reenactor-officers thought the train was great. It was anomaly they were willing with - in exchange for a cab ride...They were even willing to live with the soot...

My favorite picture. #5 popping off. Just wish those pesky trucks weren't in the background. Hmm. I could digitally remove them...	The left side of the engine. Brook Rother is talking to Cliff Lusher in the cab. These are the guys responsible for the beautiful restoration of this engine.

Go to top

SPCRR Home Page