Restoration Journal - April 10, 2010

The cellars are held in place by two large pins (one inside the frame, the other outside the frame, between the frame and the wheel). There are also two smaller pins that hold the inspection cover in place, and all of these pins are secured using split keys. We quickly discovered that the split keys securing the pins between the frame and wheel were installed so that when drive up, out of the pin, they would hit the bottom of the driving box and as a result we had to use a torch to cut the split keys out.

The inspection plates came out fairly easily, although again those split keys were a bit of a nuisance to get out. We then pulled on the chains on the bottom of the grease cakes to separate them from the journal and make it easier to pull the cellars out. Since the cellars were caked in decades of old grease, we had to use a come along to pull them out. We ran chain through the spokes of the drivers and attached them to the fence posts, and this set up worked like a charm on all but one box that we just couldn't get out. On this stubborn box, one of our guys grabbed the jack from the trunk of his car and was able to push it out with that! Once the cellars were out, we began cleaning the inside of the driving boxes and inspecting the driver journals.

Some were in near perfect condition, while others had varying amounts of corrosion. The journal for driver L4 was in very bad shape, with heavy corrosion. It seems water got into that journal over the years. We will try and polish them as best as we can using emery cloth (which is what we did with 6213).

Once all the cellars were out, we started cleaning them too. Its surprising that even after all this time, we can still find bright metal on that engine, and that some things still come apart rather easily. We figured that everything would have been rusted solid, but the frame actually looked to be in rather good shape, just full of grease.

Other aside from working on the cellars, we also started cleaning the smokebox out and started loosening the Barco flexible joints (at least the ones that hadn't broken yet). While cleaning the smokebox, we discovered quite a large quantity of washers in amongst the soot, cinders and rust. I guess the guys at CN were up to there necks in excess washers and figured the smokebox would be a good place to dispose of them? Or Perhaps they were experimenting with cleaning flues using washers?

The drawbar, radial buffer and stoker screw will be dealt with when Western Mechanical moves into the site. Also, the timeline for the move depends on when the new concrete pad is ready for the engine. So far construction has yet to begin, i'm told that the once the foundation is poured we will have to wait at least two weeks for the concrete to cure.

Our method of pulling cellars out. We chained a come-along to one of the fence posts, ran the chain through a spoke in the wheel, and then through a hole in the cellar. Fence posts and come-alongs have proven quite useful over the last 2 years; while getting 6213 ready for her move, we ended up moving the entire engine (a foot or two) using come-alongs tied to the fence posts!

A view of our setup inside the frame. As we couldn't remove the split key securing the pin that holds the spreader in place between the frame and the wheel, we were only able to remove the cellar. The spreader came out on Monday, after we used a torch to cut the offending split keys.

All of the major components of a Franklin Cellar.

A grease cake covered in Perforated Plate. Note the corrosion, this grease cake was from wheel L4, which was in the worst condition of them all. I later cleaned the Perforated Plate and polished away a lot of the corrosion using a polishing pad.

Looking towards the rear of the locomotive from between the frame. The first axle is from the main driving wheel, and is equipped with CNR's Floating Bushing driving boxes.

Looking towards the front of the engine. Visible in this photo are the two brake cylinders for the driving wheel brakes, the Alco lateral motion device on the first axle, the sand lines running to the second set of driving wheels, and the bottom of the floating bushing driving boxes on axle #2.

In case anyone was wondering, I have taken photos of most of the journals to show their condition after all these years. This is the journal for driver L1.

The journal for driver R1 before we removed the cellar, and cleaned inside.

One of the journals for axle number 3.

The other journal for axle number 3.

The journal for driver R4. I didn't take a photo of L4 as I didn't have time to clean it that day, but suffice to say, it is by far the worst of them all. I guess water had collected in there and other time heavy corrosion has formed on almost the entire bottom of the journal.