358 Update – 8/14/2020

Spent part of my annual vacation time working on 358 for the past week.  Accomplished a bunch of little things, plus with Rod’s help for a few days, accomplished even more.

Items crossed off the list this past week:

• JB Weld the numerous holes in the cab and short hood roof.
• Confirmed PEX Lines leftover from the air system remote control are intact.
• Swapped/adjusted battery cables as needed
• Topped off the batteries with distilled water and ran full charge cycle on them
• Installed strips over the car body seams on long hood.  (Carson / Phil).
• Ran wire circuits from ground lights to cabinet
• Replaced FM side ground light fixture
• Repaired the 2 found burned spots on the TM Cable (Saturday with Rod and Phil)
• Installed Guru Valves on Air Compressor
• Built crossover pipe for air compressor cooling system.
• Installed the flex connectors for the AuxGen in preparation for next  weekend.
• Rod continued going through circuit by circuit to make sure everything is good to go, this left-over work from when Joe from the east coast was here and started to move numerous things around.
• Stopped at the “neighbors”, Buford’s Diesel Repair and Performance to discuss the aged fuel and what should be done.  Determined that old EMD diesels are pretty forgiving, and that if anything, should be treated with water remover product.   I’ll be ordering some of that soon to begin treatment.   Roughly a $250 problem.
• Met with Ryan Hervilla of PowerRail to discuss the likely needed additional parts / pieces, and future consumables we’ll use on the locomotive.  Discussed with him to consider a Corporate Sponsorship, plus with this discounts on all or most products.
• Ditch Light Housings arrived this week.   Fab design for mounting already underway.

With 7 weeks / weekends to go before the Open House / Pumpkin Train, we have a few things to accomplish – Bold & Italic  items are must-dos for engine to run.   It’s going to be close!

• August 15th – The AuxGen is scheduled to be fine alignment.  Plus the HV system to be “Megged”.  
• Finish the pre-lube pump (final pipes, and electric circuit)
• Install Fuel System Components
• TBD – Air System Piping (have most of the materials just need a pipefitter or two to help with the expertise side of pipefitting.  Mount Bell / Air Dryer as discussed.
• Finish Wire repairs, to include AuxGen wire up to cabinet
• Clean slip ring and brushes = AuxGen
• Main Gen-clean brushes
• Install Controller
• Install Headlight Resistor Panel
• Secure weather seal tube all 4 step boxes.
• Replace Horn Valve in Control Stand / Fix horn pipe behind the e-Cab. 
• Return rebuilt reverser and install
• Install larger blower and TM blower ducts.  
• Install front class lights – wire up all four
• Install brake valves  and accessories

If you have any questions, or want to work during the week on things, please let me know so I can let Steve at the shop know to expect you.

7 weeks will go by fast…we’ll do what we can.

Thank you to everyone thus far who has helped in some fashion or another with this restoration project to this point.

Thank you,