State Belt Railroad #4 - PROGRESS REPORT:
AUGUST 7, 2010 - Working on the railroad
Prepping and welding of the track panel was this weekends focus. The low-profile cross ties were positioned to be under the drivers. The ties and the rail were then prepped for the welding which was started. Once completed this week, the track panel will be ready to be placed under the locomotive frame.
JULY 2010 - Up Up Up
The locomotive frame has been raised up and supported on blocks to allow for rail to be slid under and for the wheels to be rolled under the engine soon. This impoartant step gets the engine ready for re-assembly!
MAY 2010 - Getting ready to lift the frame!
Recent work focused on cutting solid ties into cribbing blocks and stacking them next to the frame. Next will be to lift the frame, laying rails and eventually placing the drivers under the frame once again.
JAN 2010 - Winter Weather Canopy over Boiler!
The winter weather canopy has now been expanded to cover the boiler. With the main parts under cover, work will start to focus on reassembly of the frame and running gear.
DEC 2009 - Winter Weather Canopy in place!
Volunteers John, Ernie and Marty pull the donated convas cover over the recently constructed frame to provide winter weather protection for the drivers and the frame.
NOV 2009 - Winter Weather Protection Constructed!
A metal frame has been constructed to shield Number 4's frame from the winter weather. This will not only protect the components, but will also provide a wet weather work area under cover. This will help facilitate the installation of the drivers next.
OCT 2009 - Cab Painting Underway!
The cab inside has been painted a coat of traditional green paint. The outside was wire brushed and prepped for paint also along with filling extra holes. It is hoped to make the cab mobile for display at local events.
APRIL 26, 2009 - State Belt #4 moved to the Bayshore Roundhouse
A tremendous accomplishment; A steam locomotive restoration on historic property.
The State Belt #4 with the Bayshore Roundhouse in the backgroud. It's been 50 years since steam engines were regularly serviced and rebuilt at the shops in Brisbane. This site is large enough to position the engine in a manner to finish the restoration that has been held up for 4 years. Moving the engine took months of planning and refitting the used fencing donated to us. Expenses for the crane and trucks on April 18 were quite a setback, please consider making a tax deductible donation to help us cover the $4000 cost.
March 2009 - New Work Site Preparations Under Way
Volunteers have worked during some very wet weekends but the turnout has been strong! A sign of encouragement is the Bayshore roundhouse next to our new site. One some weekends we logged 100 person hours removing old fencing in the parking lot, salvaging different sized poles, gates, chain link fence. All the poles are in place and the push to get the fence and barbed wire up begins on April 4th.
Dave Hannigan, John Goldie, Jay King (all 3 pictured above), plus John Fenlon Paul D'Orazio, John Fuller, Paul Kinneman, Vern Bruce, Cory Clar, Ralph Bennett, Brett Tallman all deserve a hat's off for the effort.
We also want to thank JC and Jerry of Construction Services and their associate Kevin for support as we leave the Schlage Lock Site behind. They have been accommodating of our non-profit budget and schedule, and were able to give us the excess fencing around the back of the Schlage site for our new location.
November 2008 - Engine Move
One step closer, we hope, to a permanent home, we are moving the engine by the Bayshore Roundhouse to the concrete pad 150 feet from the northeast corner of the building. Free use of the space is being donated by property developer Universal Paragon Company, and an interim use permit to occupy and proceeed on the restoration for 4.5 years was approved by the Brisbane Planning Commission. The level foundation needs to be cleared of debris and fenced with the next several weeks. A site plan for the level space includes orientation for locomotive engine to be reassembled.
May 2008 - Engine Paint!
Boiler, Air tanks and more have been painted over the last month! The boiler is painted in high temperature service coating and sports a number 4 on the steam dome for the curious passebys on foot or when viewed from Caltrain. The smokebox is also painted, and front handrails and bell cradle are up. Volunteer John Fenlon has undetaken the task of painting nearly every component we can move around in the yard, including the airtanks, many many feet of steam and airpipes, brake rigging, and the tender truck which is being reassembled. Visitors are even stopping by!
April 2008 - Spot Plate
Engine number recreated! Thinking that we'd have to guess on the actual size the #4 that was on that numberboard, we were suprised to find the finely scribed lines on the circular plate when getting it ready for repainting. Faint but tracable, the actual size number was transferered to a clear sheet of plastic then tranfered to a plate of brass, and the number was milled by volunteer Willie Cashman. The old saying goes, the least expensive restoration method is to jack up the numberplate and roll in a new engine. With no more new Vulcans, well just keep plugging along with what we have.
September 2007 - Tank Painting
Tender oil tank painting done.
This was the first major component painted entirely with POR 15 rust converting primer. It is difficult painting final coats in the dusty outdoors so the ideal method turned out to be painting in the early morning before the windspick up.
Close up of rivet detail:
The last component of this is the replacement lid. The drawings don't show the exact parts the hinges were made of and oil burning Vulcans are very rare.
April 29, 2007 - Painting Progress
We made some progress on the tender oil tank. Starting from the bottom up! The underside of the tank was fully prepped and painted with POR15, an amazing paint that converts rust to a bond and is considered the best paint on the market for preservation of metal. Next is painting the sides and top, making a new cover, new latches, and reinstalling the valves.
Thanks to Ian Hart and John Fuller for their hard work prepping, and to Dave Hannigan and Jay King for helping turn the tank onto it's side so we could access the bottom.
November 14, 2006 - Weather Protection in place
New Tarpoline covers have been placed over the drivers, frame and boiler for protection during the winter months. Thanks John Fuller and Marty for helping out with this task.
August 7, 2006
The engine was moved smoothly, the entire process went well and we want to thank Dave Roth, John Fenlon, & Ed from the GGRM, volunteers Vern, Brett, Cris, DJ and John as well as our hired companies South Bay Crane and S&R Trucking, and in kind donation of service from Target Logistic organized by Chuck Meier. The engine, our two support/storage containers and supplies are in the fenced lot, and the tender frame and water tank sit across the former house lead to Bayshore Yards.
Now that the move is over, here's the work list!:
Right away: Pack the containers as full as possible. Stack outside materials and cover. Make room for work areas, and install active solar system including panel, regulator, batteries, LED lighting at site.
Preserve the boiler, tender oil tank, locomotive air tanks by wire brushing and painting the exterior, and capping and sealing the interior.
Complete reaasembly of tender trucks for static display of tender.
Seal engine cylinder from the weather. Level engine and construct short sections of track under her to allow the drivers, driving boxes, shoes and wedges to be fitted up under the engine.
That should keep us busy for a few months!
July 19, 2006
Expect the engine and tender to be moved on the last week of July. The engine and tender and container will be moved on Wednesday, and the balance of small stuff on Thursday and Friday and hopefully nothing on Monday. We expect that South Bay Crane and S&R Trucking will put in their usual 110% effort. Target Logistics has offered in-kind donation by transporting the palletized components that will fit in their bobtail trucks.
Our new location is on the border of San Francisco and Brisbane on East Sunnydale Avenue We are 100 feet away from the lead track to the former SP Bayshore yards and situated between two important rail locations: The Caltrain Bayshore Station and the end of the new MUNI Third Street Light rail extension.
We have recieved our EIN number from the IRS, recognizing us as a legitimate business.
July 1, 2006
A new location is being prepared for the Steam Engine. The plan is to finish the move before July 31st. More details will be posted here soon as the paperwork is finalized.
May 30, 2006
San Francisco Trains wishes to thank Budget(aka Cedent) Rent A Car and the City of South Francisco for allowing us a temporary extension for keeping the engine and containers storing parts at the lot in South San Francisco. We are still looking for a long term solution for keeping the engine in or around San Francisco.
May 12, 2006
Our storage lot in South San Francisco has been discovered to be a problem. Three months after arriving we found that the city would not permit the land for outside storage. Once again, the upmost urgency of finding a home for the engine is apparent. Click on the ["contact us"] link for more information or to offer help.
February 28, 2006
State Belt #4 in South San Francisco: The engine and tender are in storage in South San Francisco. Thanks to all who helped in the process: John Fuller, Jeff Capretti, Tom Kehoe, Ian Hart, Dave Johnson, Cory Clar, Brian, Kevin, Golden Gate Railroad Museum participating members: Vern Bruce, Jay King, Dave Hannigan, Dave Roth, and the GGRM board for providing funds for expenses over the volunteer efforts.
January 18, 2006
San Francisco Trains has filed Articles of Incorporation to become a 501c3 non profit. The whole process will take perhaps 3-5 months. We are grateful to a Law Office who is handling this incorporation for the cost of the filing fees only.