09-02-2018, 03:31 PM
I have a few more pics to post on what we've been up to ….. Next weekend is our (the ARHS) convention where we will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of our F-3's. It will also feature our F-3b in consist on it's first excursion. We were hoping to have the prime mover running on this trip, but with having to keep up on maintenance of the other two A's. we just did not have the time available to get here running. She will however be dead in tow on this trip.
The good news is that when we tested her in MU, we were able to get all 8 throttle notches through the MU line of the "B" as well as a good load test. The independent and Train line (automatic) brake also functioned as it should. This means that we can control all the necessary functions of the two working ''A'' units from either cab, through the "B".
What's holding us up from starting the "B" is that we need to install a new governor and that we need to rewire the " start / stop / fuel pump" circuit to work with the Norfolk Sothern controls in our main cabinet.
The governor arrived at the shop earlier this week, it is what takes the electrical signals from the cab (or another unit in MU) and uses hydraulic pressure to adjust the engine speed to the correct throttle notch. With railfest going on this weekend, not only do we not have the time to install it, but now it may be needed in 663 as she keeps shutting down in low idle. This is due to the hydraulic pump in her governor not being able to keep up pressure .
The rewire is another story.. When we first wired the starting cabinet, we did it as per the old EMD drawings. Then the new Main cabinet was installed. We did not even consider that this could be a problem until we tried to get the starting contactor, kill circuit, and fuel pump to work with the emergency shut off. With the type of relays in the NS controls it just was not going to happen. luckily all that is needed is to change out and rewire the fuel pump switch and remove the old start button from the circuit.
I removed the cover from the starting cabinet yesterday and took it home with me to get this project going. Here's what it looked like when I got it home.
After some cleaning with white vinegar and tin foil it looked like this, after a quick buff with some fine steal wool.
That's the new switch on the left , and the faceplate for it on the right. I located the holes for the new switch and drilled them out. I also had to re tap the mounting holes in the switch... Screws were not included to mount it to the cover, and I could not find a match for them , they might be metric. So now they are a standard 10/32 thread.
The good news is that when we tested her in MU, we were able to get all 8 throttle notches through the MU line of the "B" as well as a good load test. The independent and Train line (automatic) brake also functioned as it should. This means that we can control all the necessary functions of the two working ''A'' units from either cab, through the "B".
What's holding us up from starting the "B" is that we need to install a new governor and that we need to rewire the " start / stop / fuel pump" circuit to work with the Norfolk Sothern controls in our main cabinet.
The governor arrived at the shop earlier this week, it is what takes the electrical signals from the cab (or another unit in MU) and uses hydraulic pressure to adjust the engine speed to the correct throttle notch. With railfest going on this weekend, not only do we not have the time to install it, but now it may be needed in 663 as she keeps shutting down in low idle. This is due to the hydraulic pump in her governor not being able to keep up pressure .
The rewire is another story.. When we first wired the starting cabinet, we did it as per the old EMD drawings. Then the new Main cabinet was installed. We did not even consider that this could be a problem until we tried to get the starting contactor, kill circuit, and fuel pump to work with the emergency shut off. With the type of relays in the NS controls it just was not going to happen. luckily all that is needed is to change out and rewire the fuel pump switch and remove the old start button from the circuit.
I removed the cover from the starting cabinet yesterday and took it home with me to get this project going. Here's what it looked like when I got it home.
After some cleaning with white vinegar and tin foil it looked like this, after a quick buff with some fine steal wool.
That's the new switch on the left , and the faceplate for it on the right. I located the holes for the new switch and drilled them out. I also had to re tap the mounting holes in the switch... Screws were not included to mount it to the cover, and I could not find a match for them , they might be metric. So now they are a standard 10/32 thread.
My other car is a locomotive, ARHS restoration crew