Submitted by Steve Winicker.
LAST WEEKENDS SHOP ACTIVITY
The engine and tender have been reunited. With Jerrad running the 1231 the engine and tender were pushed back together with Joe and Derick lining up the various parts. Once pushed back together, the tender drawbar pin was lifted into place and the keeper plate slid into position and the pin dropped into it. The keeper plate was bolted in to further secure it. Brody hooked up the various piping between the tender and the engine. DJ was able to insert a cotter key into the pin that keeps it from moving upward out of the keeper plate. All together it would take multiple fastener/keeper failures to go undetected for the pin to come out.
Saturday Dave came out with polished fittings for the oil divider on the trailing truck. After removing some remains of the original adapter’s threads from the divider the adapter threaded in and was hooked to the lube line. Hopefully this will eliminate oil leaks in this area. Dave also brought out a replacement for the low water alarm plug that was damaged when we removed it to get access to the drop pipe into the boiler. With the plug installed and the drop pipe known to be clear of scale the low water alarm should be able to be adjusted the next time we fire up.
Allysen painted the spots in the coal bunker which had lost their coating of paint. This should help to keep the coal bunker sheets from rusting. DJ also removed the gauges from the cab to get them ready for deadweight testing.
Quite a lot of the remaining time was spent on completing the power car. One sheet of flooring was dropped into place on the east end of the car. Quite a bit of work is still needed to get the floor beams in and welded but progress has been made. The ladders on the side of the car were straightened and applied to the car in addition to the structural work. More of the Amtrak stripe disappeared as well. .
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
Hope to get the cab gauges tested and put back into the cab next weekend. The electrical connections need to be put back together between the engine and tender. Cleanup and painting projects are still needed as well. Perhaps we will get the inside of the tender inspected.
SAFETY SENSE
The term complacency has several definitions; perhaps the one most suitable (in the context of safety) is as follows, “a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger or defect”. Ironically, this feeling can develop from a perception that you live and work in a safe environment. An environment of few, if any, incidents and when an incident does occur, it is often of a minor nature.
The message here is, never let your guard down. We maintain our safety by doing just that, maintaining it and the ways we can maintain our safety are as follows….
- Maintain a safe workplace by following established protocols and procedures.
- Conduct Pre-Job Briefings to discuss the job(s) at hand including changes and potential hazards that develop from day to day on the work site.
- Wear the appropriate PPE for the task at hand but safety glasses are always to be worn whenever performing work or work is being performed in the Shop or surroundings.
- Take a “Four Second Reset” to stop and think about the safety side of the task we’re about to start.
- Manage our “Zone of Control” on the work site. Hazards identified, eliminated or controlled. Maintaining housekeeping and organization. Be aware of other workers and/or mobile equipment coming into your work area.
- Report all perceived or potential hazards on the work site.
- Report all near misses. When reported, we can collect information, identify trends, correct current problems, and prevent future incidents and injuries from happening.
- Coach, mentor and watch out for each other throughout the day.
A level of safety in the workplace where incidents are indeed a rare occurrence does not guarantee future success, however it is an indication of a strong safety culture. It’s up to all of us to never let our guard down. Continuous safety maintenance is the backbone of a strong safety culture and a truly safe workplace.
