Pick-Your-Part for 81's Overhaul

This photo is of Locomotive 81's front flue sheet. It supports the 168 two-inch tubes, or flues and 24 super-heater flues.

In 1949 the flues were replaced.  The four-inch tubes cost $10.46. The two-inch flues cost $3.42.

Sixty-nine years later prices are considerably different. Super-heater flues are $320 and the two-inch flues are $214.28. Installing a two-inch flue costs $190.48. We are over a quarter of the way there, so you still have time to make difference.

In 1949, Locomotive 81 received eight new steal tires at a cost of $96.71 each. Today, the tires need to be turned, the axles need to be polished where the drive boxes will sit and the drive boxes need to be rehabbed. Additionally, we will be replacing the crank pins on each wheel.

• To turn an axle and two drivers is $2,297.13 per axel set. Locomotive 81 has four axle sets.
• The axles fit into the drive boxes. To rehab a drive box is $983.86 per box. There are 8 boxes.
• Finally, each driving wheel has a crank pin that connects the wheel to the driving rod. Crank pins cost $249.23 each and there are 8 crank pins.

Steam locomotives did not have roller bearings (except a very few right at the end).  They used brass journals.  The polished part of the axle you see in the previous section rode in the Crown Brass you see here.  It was polished steal riding in special brass fittings with a monocle-thin layer of oil in between.  These heavy brass parts were made to be replaced every so often.  "Every so often" has arrived.

Locomotive 81 has 8 crown brasses, 10 rod brasses (including the connecting rod on each side), 8 boxes,  shoes, and wedges (to allow the crown brass to move up and down as needed by the sprung suspension).  In 1949 we spent $ 1,740 on all of this precision-milled brass.  The cost for all of this has gone up in those 70 years between then and now.  Thanks to your support we are half way there!!  Let's fix this!  Find out how to own part of the action here.