Submitted by Steve Winicker.
LAST WEEKENDS SHOP ACTIVITY
The weekend started early on Tuesday with Zach and me clearing away anything that would interfere with the Fruchey lifting the locomotive. Early Wednesday equipment poured in and jacking commenced once the operator arrived. It is long way up and down to get the truck under the engine, but all went well and with a few modifications and unscrewing a few lube lines the truck is now where it belongs. Thursday, we attached the tender and started hooking up the multitude of connections that needed to be made. Friday was more of the same. Saturday with a bit of a crew we were able to get the brake beam up behind the #4 driver, straighten a bent safety bar and add one of the steps to the front of the engine. Sunday a highly competent crew put up and bolted the front steps fast, put on the journal covers on the rear trailing truck axle and cleared out the center of the shop for the event next weekend. We took the opportunity to rearrange the shop a bit as well. Long week but a lot was accomplished, hopefully enough to put us in shape for the Hydrostatic test which is tentatively scheduled for the 22 & 23 of July should I hear from the FRA the date is OK.
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
For the Hydrostatic test of the boiler to be done July 22 & 23rd we need to get the set-up work done and the boiler filled before the 13th.of July when we will begin inspecting things and fixing any leaks that may be found. Since next weekend is not going to be available for most tasks – we are left with the weekend of the 6th to get the work done. If you have any availability, we need your assistance to do a multitude of tasks that weekend. I have a few welding jobs that need done so if you feel you are a good welder, I can put you to work on a few important projects.
SAFETY SENSE
Most of us pay attention to expiration dates on food and medical prescriptions. But, have you ever considered the expiration date of a smoke alarm? These life-saving devices expire after about 10 years or 87,000 hours of service and are no longer considered to be accurate and reliable.
That’s something that’s not widely known. A recent national survey conducted by First Alert revealed that approximately72 percent of Americans are not aware that smoke alarms need to be replaced every 10 years. If you neglect replacing your alarms, you could be putting yourself and your family at risk.
If you open the smoke alarm in most cases a manufactured or expiration date can be found on it inside the cover. If there is no date, then it may be too old anyway and should be replaced.
Everyone should make sure their home is equipped with reliably working smoke alarms – the key word being“working.”
Even if you have smoke alarms installed at home and elsewhere, you and your family may not be sufficiently protected if you haven’t maintained them. According to the Houston Fire Department, an estimated 30 percent of all residential fires responded to are in homes without a smoke alarm or they have a non-working smoke alarm.
· Check the batteries
· Check to ensure the detector isn’t filled with dust
· Do not use compressed air to ‘dust off’ the detector
· Check to ensure the detector hasn’t been painted over
· Check the alarm by depressing the test button. This should be performed at least monthly
· Check the expiration date and replace the detector if it is expired
For the discounted pricing of smoke alarms these days, it just isn’t worth the risk not to have a properly working unit.
SAFETY IS JOB 1
SAFETY FIRST ALWAYS
