Rockhill Furnace Work Session: June 28-29, 2008

The eighth work session of 2008 was held June 28-29, 2008. This late June work session was another hot one.

Attendees included Gordon Brinthaupt Jr., Dick Ullery, Jim Bacon, John Morgan, Robert Mohler, Harold Mohler, Tom Diehl, Gordon Brinthaupt III, Andy Van Scyoc, Dave Phillips, Charles Wootton, Lee Rainey, Dave Dietz, Barb Morgan, Bill Adams, Chuck Oba, Wade Woodcock, Chris Coleman and Bob Goldby.

Locomotive Shop

At the Locomotive Shop, removal of window sashes for rehabilitation continued. The sashes in the five remaining windows were removed and OSB sheets installed to secure the window openings. Three of the removed sashes received glass repairs and putty. Old staples, tack strips and plastic sheeting remains were cleaned from the window openings.

Boxcar 168

Welding of steel patches on the west side of the car continued. Most of the welding was completed. Installation of wood components continued on the east side and south end of the car.

The hopper crew jacked up the south end of the car and removed the truck for inspection and repair. The brake shoes had been removed to service other operational equipment, so the crew ventured to Mount Union and were able to remove seven of the eight needed brake shoes. The entire truck was thoroughly power washed and cleaned. Also work to degrease, clean and apply fresh grease to lubrication points was begun. The weekend ended with the installation of the truck back under the car.

Brush Crew

The brush crew was reactivated this session. The crew worked through the area outside the south leg of the Rockhill wye, removing the brush that had sprouted since the area was last cleared.

Garage

The new roof installation was begun with the installation of roofing felt and rolled roofing on the west and south roof gables along with a joint. On Sunday the remainder of the old roofing material was removed from the north and east gables.

Machine Shop

The erection of support posts under the Machine Shop trusses continued with the erection of at least six additional posts in joined pairs. The posts will take the load of the building's roof structure so that the beam that supports the trusses along the Machine Shop/Boiler House roof line can be replaced. The roof there is currently supported by cribbing erected on top of the shops steam engine as the support beam has completely rotted away.

Machines

A new carbide cutting tool was installed in the Wheel Lathe and was found to cut much better than the hardened steel cutter that was there previously.

Stone House

The main door was planed to allow it to close correctly.

Next Work Session

The next Rockhill work session will be held Saturday and Sunday, July 19 and 20, 2008.