Arizona Railway Museum - Magma #10 Project Page

Model: DRS-6-6-15 (Diesel Road Switcher, 6-axles, 6-traction motors, 1500-horsepower)

One of 82 units built between 1948 – 1950, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Some sources list the model number as DRS-6-6-15, others as DRS-6-6-1500. It is not certain which designation was officially used by BLW.

Currently owned by Arizona Railway Museum, formerly Magma Arizona #10, built 1950 as McCloud River #29, BLW Production # 74812.

Diesel Primemover: Baldwin Model 608SC, 8 – Cylinder In-Line, 12-3/4” Bore, 15-1/2”-Stroke, Turbocharged.

Weight, Working Order: 292,000 lbs (reduced weight model; 325,000 lbs was standard)

July 19th, 2008
The pre-lube pump was modified by removing the tube extension and strainer. This would allow the suction tube to rest directly on the bottom of the crankcase (a situation we would normally want to avoid so as not to draw upon the sludge at the bottom).

Placing the pump’s suction tube at the bottom-center of the crankcase, the water was pumped out (an estimated 20-25 gallons) until some oil-sludge began to appear in the effluent.

At that point, the pump was re-positioned to draw from the very top layer of the oil. This relatively untainted oil was then pumped through the lube oil system to expel any water that might be remaining in the various oil passages. That was a very good idea, as a surprising amount of water came down from the engine. This continued until the fluid draining down from the engine was mostly oil.

We will now wait until the water again settles to the bottom of the crankcase, and repeat the above process as many times as necessary to remove the majority of the water in the lube oil.

July 7th, 2008
Further thinking on the water leaking problem revealed that, if the leak was allowed to continue, enough water could end up in the crankcase to cause the crankcase to overflow. Checking the lube oil dip stick confirmed this suspicion – it was reading 1-1/2” to 2” above the full line.

The remaining water was drained from the coolant system to stop additional water from getting into the crankcase.

July 4th, 2008
The plan for today was to start the locomotive and perform extensive switching around the yard. However, upon removal of the pre-lube pump from the crankcase, a large quantity of ‘fish-eggs’ were noted in the oil draining down from the engine. This could mean only one thing – water was mixing into the lube oil. The likely cause of this leak is a failure of the o-rings at the bottom of the cylinder liners, although that is not certain.

The mission was cancelled with much reluctance.

June 30, 2008
Received delivery of 200 gallons of #2 diesel fuel from Brown & Evans Distributing. Since the delivery truck lacked a proper locomotive-type fuel delivery nozzle, some back-splashing occurred due to the strainer just inside the filler tube. This strainer was temporarily removed and filling continued without problems.

June 21, 2008
Replaced the original screws and nuts (10-32 x 1-1/4”) that had been removed to install the plastic covers on the headlights. Cleaned the twin sealed-beam units and the inside and outside of the headlight lenses. Headlights are now looking pretty good!

Received Board of Directors approval to spend as much as $1000 for diesel fuel. Fuel sight-gauge has been reading ‘empty’ for some time.

June 14, 2008
Removed the plastic covers over the front and rear headlights. Over the years, these protective covers had become clouded, and are no longer considered necessary now that the locomotive is less likely to be a victim of rock throwers.

Received a response from John Klemko at SMS: they use Nalco ‘Railcool 2114’ tabs water treatment in their Baldwins. Also, they have several examples of pump number -069 on their property, and indicated that some of the water pump parts are commercially available generic parts, with the remainder available from The Loco Co. John also sent a diagram and parts list specific to the -069 pump.

June 07, 2008
No evidence of coolant leaking now that only plain water is being used. Wrote an email to John Klemko, Shop Manager at SMS/Penn-Jersey Rail Lines, asking for advice on water-treatment type and sources for pump re-build kits or parts.

May 31, 2008
Checked battery water – added approx 2-1/2 gallons distilled water. Charged batteries.

Coolant had completely leaked out through the water pump. Re-filled the system with plain water so that it wouldn’t sit dry.

Got the part number from the water pump: 600-28-069. Unfortunately this is different than the two pumps for which we have documentation: 600-28-044 (packing-seal type) and 600-28-079 (rotary-seal type). Our pump appears to be of the rotary-seal type, although it is unclear how it differs from the -079 unit.

May 10, 2008
Received and installed two new brake system gaskets: Independent Brake Valve Mounting Westinghouse #PC 520078; and Self-Lapping Unit Westinghouse #PC 500849.

May 03, 2008
Pre-lubed and started the engine. The battery charging procedure seems to be working well – plenty of cranking power was observed, and the engine started promptly despite sitting since last October. The water pump leaked for the first few minutes and then stopped. Ran the engine for almost 2 hours, with the water temperature reaching about 150 degrees F.

Ran locomotive up and down the tracks: all systems seemed fine. At one point, the main reservoir lost most of its pressure. Turning the Control Switch off and then back on again caused the compressor to start running again. No further problems observed – intermittent contact somewhere?

April 28, 2008
Re-installed the Independent Brake Valve with a temporary fix on the blown gasket. Applied shop air to the locomotive, and the brakes finally released. Eureka! Ordered two new gaskets for the Independent Brake Valve.

April 26, 2008
Received the Automatic Brake Valve back from Pittsburgh Airbrake. Re-installed the Feed Valve and the Auto Brake Valve using new gaskets PC 15534 (Auto Brake Valve) and PC78000 (Feed Valve). Made new gaskets for the Sander Valves and installed those, too.

Put shop air on the locomotive – and Independent Brakes still wouldn’t release. However, the fact that the rebuilt Auto Brake Valve was no longer leaking air allowed the detection of a rather large (but quiet) leak from the Independent Brake Valve, apparently due to a failed gasket on the self-lapping unit. Removed the Independent Brake Valve from the brake pedestal.

The self-lapping unit was removed, and a bit of gasket sealer was applied in the area of the gasket’s failure. Brakes will be retested, and if this cures the problem, a new gasket will be ordered. If not, the entire Independent Valve will be sent to Pittsburgh Airbrake for overhaul.

April 19, 2008
Drained the radiator system – along with considerable sediment and rust. Replaced the radiator hose at the front of the engine, between the engine block and the water pump. Used wire-reinforced 4” ID hose, with new malleable-iron-bolt double-saddle clamps. Tight clearances required removal of the lower pipe to facilitate sliding the new hose into place. The pipe flange gasket was in reasonable shape, so it was reused along with some gasket sealer.

Ran fresh water from the top of the system, and allowed it to drain out the bottom. More sediment was flushed out. Refilled the radiator system with water and approx. 2 liters of NALCO 2536 PLUS. No leaks were observed around the new hose or pipe flange.

Received word from Pittsburgh Airbrake that the Automatic Brake valve has been rebuilt. They will ship by UPS, along with new gaskets for Auto Brake and Feed Valves. They were not able to reference a replacement gasket for the UB262J Sander valves.

Took photos of the Sander Valves to help identify replacement mounting gaskets, and emailed info to Pittsburgh Airbrake. If the gaskets are not available, they could be ‘home-made’.

April 07, 2008
Checked a sampling of battery cells, and found that the specific gravity reading had indeed improved slightly, indicating that the battery charger is doing some good.

April 05, 2008
Checked the batteries with a hydrometer. Measured three cells on each side, and all measured in the low red (SG 1.200) to middle white zone (SG 1.250). This is better than previous readings. Will repeat measurements again after 2-1/2 days of charging.

Measured the radiator hose that needs replacing, and actually found a new piece of the proper size, leftover from previous work.

March 29, 2008
Filled batteries with distilled water – about 2 gallons total. Charged batteries.

March 22, 2008
Charged the batteries. Fabricated a wooden crate for shipping the Automatic Brake Valve to Pittsburgh Air Brake for repair. Also ordered new gaskets for Automatic Brake Valve, Feed Valve, and two Sander Valves. Elected not to send the Feed Valve in for repair at this time.

March 15, 2008
Ken Kyer returned the two brake components un-repaired: BNSF’s brake shop doesn’t have the necessary parts or data books.

Wasn’t able to fully disassemble the Sander Valves. Cleaned and oiled as best possible. Gaskets are home-made and completely shot, so new ones will be required.

March 08, 2008
Polished the brass handle for the Automatic Brake Valve. Charged the batteries.

Removed two sander valves for re-building. These are Westinghouse Type UB-262-J, a simple solenoid controlled on-off pneumatic valve. These valves control whether the front or rear-facing sanders operate when activated by the engineer.

March 03, 2008
Re-installed four centrifugal dirt collectors, Feed Valve cover plate, and Rotair valve. Re-arranged the dirt collectors so that the two with drain cocks are first in line in the air system.

Applied shop air to the locomotive and made some brake system tests:

• Locomotive Brakes remain set for any position of the Automatic and/or Independent Brake Valves (not correct).

• Rotair valve now moves smoothly, and seems to be operating properly.

• Noted several air leaks (okay, many), especially around sander solenoid valves and sander valves. Finding air leaks with the engine running is impossible!

• Depressing the plunger on Dynamic Brake cut-out solenoid (mounted on the distributing valve) caused the locomotive brakes to release. This suggests that the distributing valve is working properly.

• Bailing-off the Independent Brake Valve caused the locomotive brakes to release. This suggests that the Independent Brake Valve is working.

• Automatic Brake Valve is constantly blowing air in Release Position (not correct). This suggests that the ABV is bad, and could be the cause of the locomotive brakes not releasing.

Removed the Automatic Brake Valve and the Feed Valve and gave them to Ken Kyer to have BNSF’s Phoenix Brake Shop do a rebuild.

February 23, 2008
Completed cleaning and painting of the four dirt collector bowls and Feed Valve cover. Obtained new nuts, washers, bolts and gaskets for re-mounting. Charged the batteries.

January 19, 2007
Cleaned the mounting surfaces of the centrifugal dirt collectors, MU air valve, and Feed Valve in preparation for reinstallation of the components.

Removed ‘junk’ and trash from the cab in preparation for the upcoming Annual Picnic.

January 12, 2007
Removed the bowls on four centrifugal dirt collectors. Three of them were only moderately dirty, but the fourth (located immediately before the first main reservoir) was completely packed with very hard dirt. All mounting gaskets were rock hard, and will be replaced, WABCO item #PC 75932.

Began the long process of removing the dirt in the bowls: the really dirty one will require hours of soaking and chopping (the dirt is about the consistency and hardness of #2 pencil lead).

Removed MU air valve (lead-trailing-dead control). Examination of the valve finally revealed how to operate this valve: by pulling up on the handle, and then turning it. Ignorant of this fact, we had never before been able to move this valve handle. The mounting gasket was rock hard, and will be replaced, WABCO item #PC 538818. The valve handle moved very stiffly: oiling freed it up somewhat.

Removed the cover plate on the Feed Valve. The mounting gasket was rock hard, and will be replaced, WABCO item #PC 81006.

Received Westinghouse 6SL Manual, but the included diagrams do not exactly match components on the loco.

October 27, 2007
Added plain water to the radiator. The locomotive was started successfully. Due to the Independent Brake’s current inability to release, the truck brakes were manually operated via the cut-out cock. This allowed the locomotive to move back-n’-forth a few times under its own power.

The search continues for proper documentation and/or assistance with the Westinghouse 6SL brake system.

July 28, 2007
Greased fuel rack fittings, oiled injector pump actuator rods, oiled traction motor blower fan bearings. Crankcase oil, governor oil, and radiator water all ok. Replaced rear fireman’s cab window ‘glass’ that had blown out in a storm (gasket is dried out and barely holds the glazing). Charged batteries and performed pre-lube of engine.

Moved the loco with the Plymouth away from the other equipment, and started engine and ran for about 1-1/2 hours. Batteries seemed to have plenty of starting power, and engine ran smoothly. However, the Independent Brake would not release, so it was not possible to move the loco under power. Unlike the last time this problem occurred, this occurrence was not a case of the Automatic Brake valve being in the wrong position.

April 28, 2007
Began the process of washing the locomotive’s exterior. Due to the long time since the last cleaning, and the large amount of oil and dirt accumulated on the roof, the cleaning started with a putty knife around the exhaust stack! The remainder was worked with degreaser and a scrub brush.

April 21, 2007
Topped-off radiator water (a considerable amount had been lost due to the water pump leak). Topped-off governor oil. Pre-lubed and started the engine, running it for about 2-1/2 hours. All systems operated properly. NOTE: fuel sight gauge is no longer showing fuel level. Glass is very cloudy and hard to see through, but this might mean we’re almost out of fuel!!

March 10, 2007
Added oil to the governor, topped-off the battery water (about 2-1/2 gallons total) and filled the radiator. Pre-lubed the engine and it started okay. Water pump leaked a steady stream, but stopped after about 30 min. Operated about 3 hours, with quite a bit of running back n’ forth.

February 10, 2007
Added water to radiator, pre-lubed the engine and it started okay. Performed switching for rearrangement of equipment (including moving steam engine).

January 06, 2007
Pre-lubed the engine and it started okay. Water pump leaked a steady stream, but stopped after about 10 min. Ran for an extended period above idle, and the temperature got to 165 degrees F, after about 2 hours

WD-40’d the O-S-R switch, after which it seemed a little more positive in its action.

December 23, 2006
Pre-lubed engine. Despite cold (<40 degrees), extreme moisture due to fog, and spinning the engine electrically with cylinder cocks open, the engine started with enthusiasm. Ran for about 2-1/2 hours.

Added about ½ quart 30W oil to governor.

OFF-START-RUN switch gave some trouble. Its physical and electrical detents did not always remain in-sync, resulting in erratic operation. This needs some attention.

For most of the running time, the throttle was not responding. At the end, some fiddling with the O-S-R switch caused some contactors to operate that allowed the throttle to function. Ran the RPM up a little higher than normal. Due to being already well warmed–up, the engine ran quite smoothly. Nevertheless, it is unlikely the RPM got to the max of 600.

December 9, 2006
On P2 contactor, re-tapped the bad hole (used bottoming tap), and motor-tooled the contact finger’s seat to remove sputtered copper. Re-installed the contact fingers borrowed from the dynamic brake circuit. Swapped the arc chutes with D1 & D2, as the parts from those contactors were less arc-eroded.

Barred-over the engine, and it started again okay, more vigorous this time. Internal battery charging system is obviously working.

Observed the operation of the voltage regulator: the moving contact was vibrating and moving from left to right as engine speed varied (all in accordance with the descriptions in the manual). The moving contact wear-indicator showed plenty of life left. All other components and contact surfaces were in excellent condition.

Measured the battery voltage at the knife switch:
• After about 15 minutes running, it was 72 volts at idle, and 78 volts at higher RPM.
• After 1-1/2 hours running, it was 74 volts at idle, and 74.5 volts at higher RPM.

Note that regulation improves as the unit warms up (again, in accordance with the manual description). As the voltage regulator seemed to be working properly, no adjustments were made.

Replaced some of the lightbulbs in the marker and class lights. Some worked, some didn’t. As they were ‘used’ bulbs, it is not certain if the bulb or socket is at fault (probably both).

Reverser decided to work ok today.

A summary of the past months’ struggle to recharge the batteries:

The Nife Battery Charger is presumed defective. An inspection of the unit’s circuitry found a few loose connections, but its operation remains unchanged. So far, no luck on finding manuals etc. (Nife Inc is no longer, apparently absorbed into Saft Batteries). Charger contains three circuit boards of excessive complexity. Grand Canyon Ry has a replacement for one of those boards, and has agreed to donate it. There is no telling if this will fix the problem.

Battery Charger:
Nife p/n 4729-64-06828-89
Pullman p/n J-G12-001
Input: 480-volt, 3-phase
Output: 72 volts DC @30A

An attempt was made to use the ‘big yellow’ rotary-converter welder as a battery charger, but it had no output. Lacking a regulated output, it would have made a poor battery charger anyway.

Used a hydrometer to measure the Specific Gravity on all cells of all batteries. All measured at the worst end of the red zone (battery discharged). The batteries were D-E-A-D.

Lacking a way to charge the batteries as a group (which requires approx 74 volts), a single-unit battery charger was created by modifying the output of a 12-volt 50-amp power supply down to 9.3-volts. With an external reverse-current diode to protect the power supply (and a fan to cool the diode’s heatsink) and my automotive jumper cables, the total cost for this solution was nothing. And the wife asks me why I save all that ‘junk’.

The homemade charger worked very well. Charging current was typically 40 amps initial, 30 amps after 20 minutes, and then finally settling down to about 10 amps at the end. After charging each battery for three days (yes, a tedious 24-day process!), all cells had a Specific Gravity in the middle of the Red Zone. Improving, but still not enough.

Thinking perhaps the Nife battery charger couldn’t initiate charging when the batteries were completely dead, it was tried again for several days, but it still has very low output. Charging resumed with the single-unit charger for one day per battery (another 8 days). Upon completion of that charging session, all cells had a Specific Gravity between the red ‘Recharge’ and white ‘Fair’ zones. Encouraging – but would it enough to start The Beast??

After pre-lubing the engine, the engine was barred-over for several revolutions with cylinder cocks open, to avoid the need to spin the engine electrically. The engine started okay: cranking wasn’t exactly vigorous, but it was good enough. Ran the loco for about 4 hours to make sure the batteries recharged after starting.

Reverser drum stuck again – oil and manual exercise wasn’t enough to make it work by itself.

September 23, 2006
Bought new bolts, and re-tapped the lower bolt hole on P2 contactor in preparation for installing the ‘new’ fingers. However, a large deposit of sputtered copper was found on the finger’s seating surface, caused by the previous finger moving around and arcing. Will attempt later to repair the surface using a motor tool (access is very difficult).

Charged the batteries for several hours (still only 6-7 amps), pre-lubed, and attempted starting the engine. The engine turned over ok with the cylinder cocks open, but upon full compression, turned over only a partial revolution and died. Again, the starting contactors welded shut.

Found a corroded terminal on one of the batteries. Cleaned the terminal, but it did not improve the charging current. While charging, measured each battery terminal voltage: all were 8.1 to 8.2 VDC. Measured voltage drop across each battery terminal/cable junction: all were approx 1 mV.

Checked the current draw on the battery chargers’ 480-volt 3-phase input: all three legs were equal at approximately 1.4 Amps. This eliminated the possibility the charger had been re-wired incorrectly upon reinstallation at Tumbleweed.

September 19, 2006
Discovered that contactors D1 & D2 (dynamic braking) are the same parts as P1 & P2 main power contactors. The fingers on the dynamic brake contactors were well used, but in much better condition than P2. Scavenged all four contact fingers, will use two of them on P2. P1 contactor looks quite good.

September 16, 2006
Discovered that contactors M1 through M8 (motor field shunt) are the same parts as G1 & G2 starting contactors. Since these shunt contactors operate only at high speeds (which was rarely done in this loco’s service life, and never at the museum) the contact fingers are in excellent shape. Scavenged parts from two of the M contactors and replaced the fingers in the starting contactors G1 & G2. Cancelled order with The Locomotive Company.

Discovered severely pitted contact fingers on P2 main power contactor. Cause of the problem was traced to a cross-threaded bolt on the lower finger. Since the bolt did not seat firmly against the finger, the finger was able to move around, which lead to poor contact and severe arcing. This could explain the observed ‘lightening bolt’ and loud ‘crack’ inside the electrical cabinet when the traction power was engaged.

Charged the batteries for several hours: still only a constant 6-7 amps.

September 11, 2006
Contacted The Locomotive Company concerning replacement contact fingers. Westinghouse Type UMA-325C Contactor, style 1256-906B, contact finger part number 757-451.

In stock at $37 each: placed an order for four pieces.

September 9, 2006
Replaced the fuses in the 480 volt circuit with adapters to hold 20 amp fuses. Ran the charger for 5-6 hours: still only 6-7 amps.

Decided that the contact fingers on G1 & G2 starting contactors should be replaced.

September 2, 2006
Connected the AC power cord to the battery charger, and did a thorough compressed-air blow-out of the charger’s cabinet. Crossed fingers and turned on the power (480 volt 3-phase circuit fused at 100 amps!). No smoke.

However, the battery charging current was surprisingly low, hovering around 6-7 amps. Previously, even with the batteries somewhat charged, the normal initial charging current was 20-25 amps, decreasing over a few hours to 10-12 amps. Left the charger on for several hours.

August 26-27, 2006
Assembled an AC power cord for the battery charger. This was done by splicing a HEP plug to a 30-foot length of 12-3 SO cord. Connecting the cord to the power supply remains to be done.

August 05, 2006
After a successful initial cranking of the engine with the cylinder cocks open, all electrical systems appeared to be dead when the engine start was attempted. Battery voltage was low, and a large arc was observed upon opening the knife switch (not normal). Concluding that something was drawing an abnormal amount of current, it was discovered that contactors G1 and G2 were welded shut. Un-stuck the contactors, and filed the contact surfaces (very pitted!). More work with additional filing and contact-cleaner is probably necessary.

Contactors appeared to work properly after that, but by then the battery charge was sufficiently low that the engine would not turn over. Further operation will now need to wait until the 480-volt 3-phase power is available to hook-up the battery charger.

July 22, 2006
Performed pre-lube and started the engine. Ran for about 1-1/2 hours to give the batteries a good recharging.

Performed pre-lube, and started engine without benefit of first charging the batteries (the new location lacks a power hook-up at this time). Engine started okay, but the initial aux generator current was unusually high (about 80-90 amps instead of 50 amps) due to the deep discharge on the batteries.

Performed switching (along with the Switchmaster) to re-arrange the equipment into a more aesthetic order. What a pleasure it was to be able to use the power and speed of the locomotive on our new, longer track.

Until the electrical supply issue is resolved, the engine will need to be started frequently to maintain the battery charge.

After studying the Westinghouse #6-ET Brake Manual, and examining conditions on the locomotive, it was concluded that the position of the Automatic Brake Valve was the culprit. It was in the Holding position, which keeps the locomotive brakes applied (regardless of the position of the Independent Brake Valve). Automatic Brake Valve was moved to Running position, and locomotive brakes worked normally. Reading the Instructions Triumphs Again!

Assembled equipment was moved to Tumbleweed Park, with the Baldwin in the middle of a long string: caboose, steam loco, diesel loco, tool car, steam crane, diesel crane, flatcar and boxcar. Upon arrival at the new location, the Baldwin was used to move the string of equipment into the new yard. Pushing & pulling at the same time made for interesting slack action, and it was heavy enough that the Baldwin needed some sustained throttle above idle to keep it moving.

Upon arrival at the park, the horn received its first real exercise in many years. No mere tentative toot, but a full-out long-short-long. What a glorious noise. We have no neighbors to complain at the museum’s new location!

Started the locomotive so it could be hooked onto the end of the assembled equipment for moving to Tumbleweed Park.

Shortly after starting, experienced a problem with the locomotive brakes not releasing: Independent Brake Valve had no effect. Continued movement of locomotive by way of the Conductor walking beside the locomotive and manually opening and closing brake cut-off cock on one truck. Scary but effective.

Pre-lubed, started, and ran for about 2 hours. Topped-off the oil in the governor. Along with the Plymouth, used the locomotive to perform double-ended switching for moving cars to track #4 in preparation of moving more cars to Tumbleweed Park.

Despite 8-week hiatus since its last operation, the locomotive started easily and ran well. Reverser stuck once, briefly, but then cleared itself.

Checked and refilled battery water (used just under 3 gallons). Received new marker lens.

Repaired leaking oil level indicator cup on the front bearing of the rear traction motor blower. Removing three screws on the bearing shell allowed it to rotate enough to remove indicator cup. Also moved the indicator cup to the other side of the bearing for easier access. Refilled with oil: check status next week.

Pre-lubed and started for ½ hour, for the purpose of a visit from Ken Keyer (BNSF Engineer) to give a lesson on the operation of the E6 Train Brake Valve.

Performed pre-lube and started engine. Ran for about 45 minutes with no difficulties.

Used the Plymouth to move the locomotive out into the yard for display at the Annual Membership Meeting.

Used the Plymouth to move the locomotive out into the yard, for degreasing of the ends, engineer’s side, and trucks. Washing the locomotive was in preparation for the Annual Membership Meeting.

Completed replacement of the numberboard ‘glass’ and gaskets. Replacements obtained for the broken marker lenses are the wrong size, so new ones are being sought.

Used the Plymouth to move the locomotive out into the yard, for degreasing of the roof and fireman’s side (most of the dirt was oil blown from the exhaust stack).

Reset fuel injector pumps to previously documented positions:

From rear-to-front: 5-5-8-4-4-8-9-6

Numbers refer to the pointer position on the engraved markings on the pump plungers.

Lubricated the fuel rack, blower bearings, and roller bearing-equipped axles. Noted that the oil level-indicating cup on the front bearing of the rear blower is loose and leaking. However, the size and shape of the cup precludes turning the fitting to tighten it. Must investigate this further, as this bearing is not holding its oil due to the leak.

Pre-lubed engine, and then used the Plymouth to pull the locomotive into the yard. It started easily, and ran much better than last time (which is not to say great, but more like her old self). Reverser gave some trouble, but oiling and working it by hand freed the mechanism enough to operate on its own.

Ran for about 1 hour, and returned under its own power to parking spot.

Performed pre-lube and started and ran for about 1 hour. Performed minor switching to position TC&GB flatcar for final display. Engine did not as well as usual, and smoked excessively.

Poor running is likely due to unauthorized adjustment of the fuel injector pumps. Checking with Walt Eastland at GCRRy for advice on how to reset the pumps. Fortunately, the previous settings were documented, so if all else fails, we can reset as before.

October 15, 2005

Performed pre-lube. Used the Plymouth to pull the Baldwin into the middle of the yard lead. Started and ran for about 1 hour. Ran on own power back to parking spot. All systems observed ‘ok’.

September 24, 2005

Installed “glass” and new gasket in second of four number boards.

September 17, 2005

Added distilled water to fireman’s side battery set, about 4 gallons.

Installed “glass” and new gasket in first of four number boards. Looks great!

Initially, it was desired to refurbish the mechanism that changes the color of the marker lights. This manually-operated device rotates to position different colored glass (clear, amber, green, and red) between the light bulb and the marker lens. However, these mechanisms are very rusted in place, and one of them no longer has the holders for the colored glass. Therefore, attempts at fixing them will be abandoned for now. All four of the markers are ‘stuck’ in the clear position.

September 10, 2005

Added distilled water to engineer’s side battery set. Despite being only about ½” low, it took almost 5 gallons to fill the batteries.

Performed pre-lube. Used the Plymouth to pull the Baldwin into the middle of the yard lead. Started and ran for about 45 minutes. Ran on own power back to parking spot. All systems observed ‘ok’.

Received new number board inserts (plastic), marker lenses, and gasket material.

Disassembled the air piping leading to the horn valve, in an attempt to inspect and clean the in-line air filter (suspecting it might be clogged like the filter on the compressor controller). Unfortunately, the filter canister broke upon disassembly. As a temporary measure, the filter was replaced by a short section of straight pipe until a suitable replacement can be found. Also broke a bolt securing the valve to its bracket, and brand new pipe wrench fell part. After all the fuss, the filter appears not to have been clogged. Not a good day.

Performed pre-lube. Used Plymouth to pull the Baldwin into the middle of the yard lead, away from other equipment (to reduce diesel-dots). Started and ran for about 45 minutes. Ran on own power back to parking spot. All systems observed ‘ok’.

Added to fuel tank, 1 quart “Dee-Zol”, Bell Additives Inc. A preservative for diesel fuel.

Disassembled and cleaned oil separator on crankcase ventilator. Replaced hose on oil drain.

Pre-lubed and started ok, and ran for about 45 minutes. Began disassembly of broken marker lights and number boards. Ordered new number boards. Bart to investigate replacement gasket material and replacement lenses.

Added 10 gallons lube oil (used old oil resulting from Plymouth oil change). Pre-lubed and started ok, and ran for about 1 hour. Made the usual mess of everything within 100 feet.

Cleaned air line filter. Replaced rusted end screens with expanded aluminum mesh, and replaced missing filter media with a copper pot-scrubber pad. Reinstalled filter, and finalized electrical connections.

Pre-lubed and started ok. Air compressor operated automatically and reliably, maintaining pressure between 100 and 125 lbs. Removed temporary manual switch.

Pre-lubed and started ok. Calibrated air pressure controller, with electrical contacts disconnected. Manually cycled compressor several times: new controller operated correctly. However, upon connecting electrical switch, system began oscillating at the trip point, same as before!

Suspicion turned to the canister in-line with the air controller system. Removal revealed it to be a filter almost 100% clogged. Evidently enough air got through to activate the pressure switch, but as the unloader valves operated, pressure would drop, causing the switch to close, causing the pressure to increase, causing the switch to open…etc. An oscillating system!

Pre-lubed and started ok. Ran for about 2 hours, performed switching in the yard.
Noted small air leak around new plumbing on compressor controller.

Installed new brake hose on rear truck.
Mounted and plumbed new air compressor controller with bracket (calibration and electrical hook-up remain).
Removed broken handle on #8 cylinder cock. Filed-down valve shaft to fit standard faucet handle (as had already been done to other cylinders).
Discovered sparrow’s nest in right-rear marker light housing.

Installed new brake hose on front truck.
Performed pre-lube and started. Ran for about 45 minutes and did minor switching.

Measured for compressor controller mounting bracket.
Removed defective brake hose on front truck.

Added 10 gallons lube oil.
Checked batteries – fluid level ok.
Performed pre-lube and started. Ran for about 45 minutes and did minor switching.
No leaking observed from water pump.
Verified operation of battery charging receptacle on fireman’s side (previously not used).

Completed filling radiator with plain water.
Cleaned oil on commutator and around generator inspection covers.

Drained 165 gallons (3 –55 gallons drums) of antifreeze solution from radiator, and began process of replacing with water. Hopefully this lower concentration will eliminate the water pump leak, while still providing some corrosion protection.

Observed oil on commutator of main generator. This is due to oil dripping from the turbocharger and exhaust stack onto the generator housing, which eventually finds its way inside the generator. This must be cleaned soon.

Antifreeze observed leaking from water pump (steady drip). Evidently putting antifreeze in the system was a mistake, despite lower concentration than before.

Emptied 110 gallons of plain water from radiator (of 300 gallons total), and replaced with 30% antifreeze solution from barrels previously drained from engine.

Demonstrated locomotive for Annual Membership Picnic. Started and ran up and down the track, with cab rides for quite a few members. Did a bit of throttle working to make lots of smoke. Rear headlight decided to work again – will have to keep an eye on that.

Used new air-operated pre-lube pump. What a difference! Engine lubed quickly: even had a few pounds reading on main and turbo pressure gauges. Thanks to Rich for the hydraulic hose and fittings, which make for no-drip connections.

Checked rear headlight bulbs – filaments ok. Need to diagnose why headlight doesn’t work.

Added 10 gallons lube oil. Started and ran for about 3 hours and performed switching. Sanders observed leaking on front truck.

Pneumatic pre-lube pump purchased: working on various plumbing issues before putting to use.

Started and ran for about 2 hours. Moved loco about 50 feet down the track to facilitate other switching activities. All systems ok.

Added 10 gallons lube oil and performed pre-lube. Started engine and performed extensive switching for 4-5 hours. Plymouth also in use for switching – another museum first! Accomplished major portion of plan to rearrange rolling stock.

Added 10 gallons lube oil. Performed pre-lube. Started and ran for 1-1/2 hour. This date marks the first time in the museum’s history that the Plymouth and the Baldwin were running simultaneously.

Throttle not responding: traced to low oil in governor. Corrected by filling with oil.

Direction control would not engage: traced to frozen reverser. Corrected by oiling and manually exercising reverser.

Upon restart after fixing above problem, the engine was running very roughly. Quickly traced to stuck fuel injector pump on one cylinder (actuator stuck in full throttle position). Punched actuator and problem went away. Later oiled all actuators.

Added 5 gallons lube oil. Needs more oil, but current drum is empty. Need to move another drum from bullpen.

Started and ran for 45 minutes. Performed pre-lube since engine had not been run in several weeks.

Started and ran for two hours, performed switching for inbound cars from AAPRCO convention. Manual switch for compressor worked fine despite engineer’s objection to performing additional work.

Made new washers out of copper, and replaced screws on (3) fuel filter vents. Leaking now stopped from vents. Minor leak remains around one filter bowl.

Mounted temporary switch on control stand to manually operate compressor. Obtained Square-D compressor controller to replace existing unit.

Bolt on lube oil strainer cover fell out (the one that wouldn’t tighten). Plugged hole with rubber stopper. Leaking largely stopped, but this is obviously a very temporary solution!

Started and ran for ½ hour. Performed pre-lube since engine had not been run in several weeks.

Tested S-16 controller. Responded well to pressure adjustment, but as pressure approached 140 psi, the rapid cycling started again. A temporary manual switch was used to control compressor during adjustment – this switch could be re-located to cab for manual operation of compressor until controller is fixed.

Started and ran for ½ hour. Performed pre-lube since engine had not been run in several weeks.

Re-installed bell. Matt discovered that after cleaning, it was only a matter of setting the correct combination of pressure and flow for bell to operate. Congratulations, Matt!

Cleaned controller, repainted steel parts. No obvious defects found. Bench tested repeatedly at 100 psi – worked flawlessly.

Cleaned, bench-tested, and re-installed magnet valve for compressor controller. Valve was quite dirty, but cleaning did not the solve problem of compressor not running.

Located the source of compressor malfunction: failure of poorly spliced wires (a previous repair). Repaired the splice: compressor now runs, but still with rapid cycling problem. Still need to refurbish wires around compressor controller.

Installed gaskets on fuel filter housings (previously missing), and replaced three fuel filter elements. First filter was completely covered with a thick, dark, gelatinous mass. Still need to replace washers on vent screws.

Installed four missing bolts on body panel, engineer’s side below radiators. Needs more work: some of the holes don’t line up; others have broken-off bolts in holes.

Removed Westinghouse FA-2 magnet valve used in compressor controller. Believed to be culprit in compressor not operating. Will attempt refurbishing.

Observed that air compressor stopped operating. Was able to operate compressor manually by closing air valve to unloaders.

Examined traction-motor blower bearings for means of adjusting axial play – none found.

Removed one of three fuel filter elements - gave to George to find replacements.

Received quote from TLC for complete replacement of bell ringer assembly: $226, 6-8 weeks delivery.

Replacement parts for bell ringer are not available. Sent critical dimensions of bell and ringer to The Locomotive Co. to assist in finding a currently available unit.

Cleaned oil-cups on traction motor blower bearings. Found Lubrication Instructions placard buried underneath dirt. All bearings now filled with oil (previous oiling was insufficient, due to ignorance of procedure).

Found replacement gasket for lube oil strainer in cab. Installed gasket, which reduced seepage, but strainer still leaks around bolt hole(s). Need to investigate installing heli-coils.

Started and ran for one hour – ran smoothly at all times. Manipulated fuel rack during starting – started almost instantly.

Dick Spicer installed a Motorola RR radio in the cab, including antenna and power wiring. Nice neat, professional job. Thanks Dick!

Cleaned and adjusted air compressor governor, in attempt to solve rapid cycling of unloader valves. Unit did respond to adjustment of cut-in pressure, but this did not solve what has now been determined to be an intermittent problem. Sometimes the main reservoir pressure will drop 10-15 psi before compressor loads (as it should), but most times it will cycle on and off rapidly with a duty cycle of 10-30 seconds. Will investigate obtaining O&M manual on Westinghouse S-16 Governor.

Started and ran for one hour. Experienced brief spell of rough running at above-idle speed, including once a 2-foot flame shooting out the stack. Ran fine after that.

Cleaning has revealed a solid brass bell under the dirt. Lookin’ good! Air-operated clapper has no replaceable seals, and old parts are worn beyond use. Will investigate availability of replacement parts.

Started cleaning oil accumulation from exterior, using degreaser and scrub brush. Roof and part of engineer’s side are complete.

Started and ran for one hour. Started without second person pulling on fuel rack. Cranking took longer, but started ok. No discernable leak from water pump.

Cleaned accumulated gunk from fuel rack, exposed grease fittings. Started and ran for one hour.

Performed switching for receiving inbound cars. Derailed again, front axle only.

Started and ran for six hours, performed switching for outbound cars. Water pump leak stopped after about an hour. Derailed front axle on tight curve: rerailing went smoothly. Whew!

Operated the pre-lube pump, since engine had not been run in three weeks. Process did not take as long as last time, due to the shorter time the engine sat idle.

Drained antifreeze/water mix from coolant system into six 55-gallon drums (a 5-hour process). Refilled coolant system with plain water. This will avoid wasting the antifreeze until the water pump leak is fixed.

The Locomotive Company (TLC) has the parts in stock, necessary to rebuild the water pump. Purchase will wait until sufficient funds are available. Parts and Maintenance Manuals have been ordered from TLC: donation courtesy of George Holt and Andy Szabo.

Based on nameplate information we supplied to the Woodward Co., the governor was sold to Baldwin in 1955, confirming our suspicion that it is not the original governor. Printed the corresponding manual from the Woodward website – 75 pages!

Explored Load Controller, and Governor. Determined that governor is different than any of several types currently documented. Must contact Woodward for proper info.

Further analysis yields that missing Automatic Shutdown device (though indeed missing) is not responsible for need to work fuel rack while starting. Low-oil pressure shutdown feature is built-in to governor. Is this governor not the original, and the Shutdown Device was removed when a governor with this feature was installed?

Running stopped due to discovery of significant coolant leak from water pump. Area underneath pump and spirits equally dampened.

Accidentally discovered that "Over Speed Stop" functions properly (details intentionally withheld!).

Drained coolant system, and transferred 110 gallons of antifreeze into system. Filled remainder of system with water (approximately 300 gallons total system capacity).

Determined that missing Automatic Shutdown Device is causing the need to "work" the fuel rack during starting. Normally, this device pushes fuel rack away from the "engine stop" position. This function must now be performed manually until governor takes over.

Added approximately 18 gallons of 10W-40 oil to engine crankcase. 40W is the recommended viscosity, but the donated 10W-40 is better than nothing.

Outfitted old pool-pump for task of transferring antifreeze (line cord, hose fittings, and base plate).

Had initial problem with going forward – problem seemed to be a sticking cam-switch in the controller housing.

A discouraging amount of oil spewed out the stack. Hand rails and walkways were slippery with oil, and the roof is now entirely black. Time to find a source for piston rings.

Taped worn areas, reattached brackets, and added nylon cable ties for armored cables on both trucks.

Attempted compression test at cylinder cocks – proved impossible, due to unexpected pressure-release hole on cocks.

Discovered “Manual Shutdown Plunger” on governor. Plunger was accidentally pulled out, and engine would not stay running.

Compressor oil pressure gauge oscillates between 0 and ? PSI. Motion of needle is violent.

Cleaned oil strainer – very dirty, with bits of red paint from engine interior, and a chunk of old gasket.

Opened drain plug on turbo outlet casing with no result. Refurbished and cleaned plug.

Evaluated broken brackets on two pipes (cooling, outlet from engine; & lube oil, inlet to engine).

Devised a pre-lube pump, using a hand-operated drum pump inserted through an inspection port. Added a tee and a valve to oil line to allow easy connection of pump’s hose. Using the pump is very difficult, so this pump is only a temporary solution.

Pre-lubed engine until oil flowed from upper engine (three guys working in shifts for about two hours!).

Checked priming of fuel pump – worked immediately! Flow was verified at return line.

Started engine using only batteries. Fuel rack must be “wiggled” while cranking.

Tightened covers on oil strainer and full-flow oil filter (leaked while running).

Retaining ring on fuel rack lever to #1 injector pump popped off. Temporarily repaired with thin copper wire.

Checked for previous oil leaks beneath turbo and mid-engine fireman’s side. No sign of oil leaking at this time, nor were any water leaks found. Coolant water was checked again, but refill was not required.

Replaced five sections of radiator hose (remaining 2-3 sections look okay for now).

GC crew was due in at 8:30 am, but didn't arrive until around noon. There was a big highway crash up north on I-17, so they had to take the "back way" to Phoenix. It took them six hours to get from Flagstaff to the Museum. Due to the late start, the first important task was lunch at Sideburns (a local restaurant -ed.).

Even though none of them had ever worked on a Baldwin, it was familiar enough territory for them to jump right in. The first task on the prime mover was to install the fuel injector pumps that had been rebuilt at the GC shops. That took several hours, with several more hours getting the fuel pump running. Initially, problems with the pump were caused by tiny bits of dirt inside the pump gears. Once the pump was turning, a lack of flow was traced to a faulty Emergency Fuel Shut-Off valve, which has been temporarily bypassed. Also, one of the copper fuel lines was replaced. Work continued into darkness, with the aid of the streetlights and a work light. We stopped for pizza around 7:30 pm and everybody left by 8:30 pm.

While the diesel mechanics were doing their thing, the electrician inspected the various electrical parts: traction motors, main generator, contactors, etc. The main generator needs some work (burnishing the armature, reapplying some jute insulation), and there are some traction motor cables that need rehanging, but overall the electrical equipment looks pretty good.

Work resumed early Sunday morning. Several gaskets on the oil system were replaced. The GC crew brought an air-operated pump, which was used to pump oil from the crankcase up through the engine. We were warned of the necessity of that step whenever the engine has not been run for more than a week: otherwise, instant bearing damage will occur if the engine is turned over without the oil being circulated. About noon, the electrician was ready to press the Start Button(s). At first, not much happened, but after a few attempts, the engine began to slowly turn over. The repeated cranking wore down the batteries, so we hauled out the big welding transformer to provide some extra juice. Finally, with a little ether squirted into the air intake, the engine roared to life (okay - it was more of a cough than a roar, but it was a really big cough). What a Triumphant Moment!

The next few hours were spent adjusting the air regulator and injector pumps, and checking brake operation. The numerous gauges in the cab all had good indications. Robert Franzen was the first at the throttle, and the Baldwin began to move under her own power for the first time in many years. Another Triumphant Moment! Robert used the Baldwin to push the crane and the Plymouth to the north end of track #2, and the Denehotso to the south end of track #2. With several of the passenger cars gone for the BNSF trip, that provided a nice straight shot down track #2 for some real fun!

The GC crew needed to start on their trip home, so we thanked them profusely and sent them on their way. I got the opportunity to run the Baldwin back and forth several times. What a blast!

After a little "play time", I returned the Plymouth, crane and Denehotso to their respectful positions, and sadly shut off the Baldwin. At that time, we did discover some large oil leaks on the prime mover, but (I think) they are not catastrophic. We were all pretty worn out by that time to investigate any further.

Based on recommendations by the GC crew, we have quite a long list of things that need attention. Some of them need to be done before the engine is used again (bad coolant hoses, a small fuel leak, and the above mentioned oil leaks), but the rest can be taken care of as time allows. Overall, the help provided by the GC crew was enormous. Despite all of our best intentions and desires, we could have never accomplished what they did in just two short days.

The following organizations have made donations of materials, labor, and/or monies to aid in this restoration project:

	Magma Arizona #10, at Desert Wells Tank, 1/15/80. Photo by: Bob Trennert