Restoration Journal - July 28, 2008

One of the reason's I created this site was to share my knowledge of Steam Locomotive restoration with the community by highlighting great ideas and techniques as well pointing out things that don't work so well, so that they won't be repeated. The cosmetic restoration of CNR 6077 this summer (throughout July and August), serves to show how not to restore a steam locomotive. Although the engine "looks" nice, looks can be deceiving.

From the get-go, and even before the contractor submitted a quote, they tried Soda-Blasting the locomotive- a technique the Restoration Committee had considered using on 6167 (but has now totally discredited) and as predicted by my associates to be a complete waste of time, proved to be a complete waste of time.

The contractor then tried the horribly expensive process of CO2-Blasting, which accomplished nothing, before finally returning to the tried-and-true method of Sand-Blasting! Unfortunately, the contractor didn't do a very good job of cleaning the sand, and when they went to paint the locomotive, the paint adhered to the sand! What happens next is that moisture gets under the paint and causes rust to form.

The contractor choose to paint right over the existing (original) boiler jacket and also did not remove the asbestos lagging. I believe they merely sealed it all in. For the actual paint, they used epoxy. Now after studying the photographs, this has to be one of the most indiscriminate coats of paint I have ever seen. They painted over everything including the bell, headlight, numberboards, classlights, etc. The climate up in Caproel seems to be drier (and a lot colder) then in Guelph, so the 6077 doesn't seems to be in as poor condition as 6167, specifically in terms of the boiler jacket, plus the cab seems to be in reasonable shape. Keep in mind that the tender is not original, having been "Kit-Bashed" on to the locomotive by the CNR when it was put on display in the 1967. The Tender was actually from an early 6100 and was of the older design, wherein it had an actual frame, and the stoker engine was housed on the locomotive, as opposed to the "new" design in which the bottom plate acted as the frame (it was an inch thick, and the draw-head and truck center castings were welded and riveted to it, and the stoker engine is mounted directly behind the stoker trough.

The freshly made-over 6077. The glass numberboards, bell and (remaining) classlight lenses were painted black. The numerals were then painted onto the numberboards, thus they no longer illuminate.

They also missed some of the imitation gold trim along the fairings on the steps. I can't remember if they fixed that.

They were still working on the trim on this side. Note the huge hole in the cylinder jacket.

The early Northern tender. Notice how the top of top of the bumper post has already begun to rust.

Looking along the top of the boiler.

The Nicholson Thermic Syphons and arch tubes as well as the brick arch. Note that some of the brick has been moved removed from the sides and piled on top of the middle rows (Top). The damper and fire brick (Bottom)

This is what an oil burner looks like. Notice the huge patch the railway installed when they changed the shape of the firebox opening (when they converted her to burn oil).

The oil and steam piping going into the burner.

The sand box in the cab, as well as the door to the shut-off valve for the oil supply.

A close-up of the CNR's awesome kit-bashing abilities. Rather then putting the locomotive on display with her rectangular tender (off of 4328) they swapped in this former Northern Vanderbilt tender. Notice how they cut the stoker screw. The square shaft underneath the screw used to be connected to the stoker engine, as the early Northerns had their engine mounted underneath the cab.

Here is what the coal pocket on an early Northern looks like. I presume the square hole was to allow the shop forces to access the bearings and gears in the back of the stoker trough.