The Nebraska engine

karl stange;1971 said:
how many of you out there are willing to commit to a pre-planning stage type of a meeting? (could be setup to meet at an agreed spot. say.. the mercantile? at some point?)

send me a p.m. if you're interested (forgot to include this). i recently talked with lynette and she's hunting down those photos.
 
Nebraska Engine Update


For those of you who haven’t heard, Tim Moen :bannana: agreed to champion this project for 1 year, and had a budget of $450 to stabilize and preserve the engine approved at the Fall Meeting this weekend. Tim and I dug around the pile this morning to get a better idea of what’s where, and how far things have sunk into the mud (quite a bit). We decided that the best action plan at this point is to get everything out of the mud hole early next spring (say April) when there is minimal vegetation and move it to a dry spot where it can be placed on cribbing. This would also be a good time to get the other porter frame out also. At this point we’ll inspect for severe damage, inventory the parts, and make drawings. Of particular concern, the steam inlet to the main cylinder (which of course is right on the top) has been wide open :mad: all of this time and it’s possible that stiff water could have cracked out the internals. Until we examine things carefully, nobody really knows for sure if this can be restored, or if we’re better off scrapping it.

An anonymous individual :D (see last Feb posts) suggested the triangle east of the Elbow Lake shed, between the main line and the siding for the temporary staging area. That same location was suggested again today. It’s open, flat, and reachable by the Big Ugly; best of all, the railroad crew was thoughtful enough to leave plenty ties for cribbing there. I suppose we have to ask them if that spot’s OK. If not, we would really like suggestions for another suitable spot (not that many when you start looking).

I've agreed to assist Tim in this effort, and make the mechanical drawings required for installation and reassembly. So if you know of anyone who was information (drawings, dimensions, pictures) please pass them on to us this winter.

Webmaster - could we get a new forum area set up for the Nebraska Engine?

-MK
 
Dog Gun It Mark!! You're a faster driver than I! Yes It's true--- I took this on as a One Year Contract!!!!!!! My purpose and goal is to get the engine out of the mud and determine if it is in the best interest of the show to preserve the engine or let it go to the scrappers. I Need Help!!! Thanks to Mark and Karl and and and--- For the help so far! Tim
 
Now for the details... We found the big parts(duh) and one pallet of brightwork or piping. In our quick tour I realized that I need many bodies next spring to help go through the grass and trees to find EVERYTHING that we can for the Nebraska. Not only that, but, the spare parts for the Porter. Talked to Gary Muhl about help with the lifting and it sounds like early next spring would be the best time for the transplant!! (Come on --The three move rule???) ANY ONE interested in old rusty iron please post or PM me or Mark. Like I said WE Need Help!! More Details To Follow. Tim Moen
 
thought i'd post the email correspondance i recieved. in case anyone out in the colorado area would may be kind enough to spend a day or two searching records. just a thought. i'm still investigating here in minnesota on line.

also, besides #29 post for placemnet of this engine (neat to see the ortner up on the expo grounds) does anyone have any other spots on the show grounds? just throwing this out...
- behind the freeport building
- or closer to the soo/pabst building west side
- i still like over by the montana


From : Watkins,Shan
Sent : Monday, April 16, 2007 3:34 PM
CC :
Subject : RE: Archives Contact Form,great western sugar factory photos

Dear Mr. Stange,

Thank you for your inquiry regarding the Great Western Sugar Company collection. Unfortunately, we don't have any photographs of the steam engine from the Scottsbluff factory. We only have photos of the exterior of that factory.

While the Great Western Sugar Company collection can not be accessed via the internet, our collection finding aid is available online - http://lib.colostate.edu/archives/findingaids/agriculture/agws.html. If there is anything in the finding aid that you would like to view, we can make photocopies or scan images for you.

While CSU received most of the Great Western photographic material, the textual records of the Great Western Sugar Company are preserved in the Western Americana collection in the Archives of the University of Colorado at Boulder. According to our Agricultural Archivist, CU-Boulder also has a full run of the Sugar Press publication put out by GW. The Feb-Mar-Apr 1962 issue of the Sugar Press contains information about the Scottsbluff factory construction in 1910. The website for the CU archives is http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/archives/collections/western.htm.

Good luck with your research.

Kind regards,

Shan Watkins
Library Tech III
Archives & Special Collections
CSU Libraries

:picture:
 
Tim, I’m happy to see you on the job! Hopefully it will work out to be more than a single year assignment. Feel free to drag old friends into the work.

Later

Ray
 
Tim,
I attended the steam school two years ago, and am looking for an area of the show to help with and get some hours on a steam engine. I'd like to help when possible (I'm four hours from Rollag in WI) I'll keep checking here for work days and count me in. Thanks.
Todd
 
woodcutting weekend

Anyone who is interested in the Nebraska going to be at the Hill Nov,17th for woodcutting? I will be there and could be a chance to look over things again if there is no snow.. Jeff, I have a family function in Fargo on Friday so won't be going through Fosston. Can you still go? Will call you before to be sure. Thanks to everyone who has shown interest!! Respectfully, Tim
 
Hi Tim,

Count me in for woodcutting and looking at the Nebraska. I will get there sometime before 9:00am.

Later,
Jerry Christiansen
 
Tim, I plan on going the 17th to Rollag. I should be there about 8:30-9:00 unless I hit it big at the casino.
:woohoo1:
 
M Kirschenman;2727 said:
Until we examine things carefully, nobody really knows for sure if this can be restored, or if we’re better off scrapping it.


-MK


Just as an outsider looking in, why on earth would you consider scrapping this engine????? I don't care how bad it is! I mean, it might not be fesible to restore to working condition, but seems to me that something cleaned up and painted as a static display is WAY better than sending to the scrap yard....

Mike
 
Static Display

Mike,
I don't speak for the board of directors, and while scrapping an engine isn't exactly preserving the past WMSTR dosen't have static displays. If it dosen't run it dosen't have a home here. We don't make a practice of scrapping steam engines. Perhaps rather than sending it to the scrapper a better solution could to be to offer it to another show that has museum pieces that don't operate. I think the cost of setting up an engine to look at that does nothing when the funds could be used on an operational display dosen't seem to be wise, not to mention the volunteer time involved. I hope the engine is still restorable and can be added to our show, but not as a museum piece.
Ken Ronsberg
 
Ken,
I definitely feel a static piece is preferable to scrapping, but I can understand with the cost of setting up a large stationary engine and the cost of cosmetically restoring it, the money could be better spent to set up one that CAN run. Concrete and crane time ain't cheap!

However, I like your alternative suggestion of finding a museum, collector, or other show that would erect it as static if WMSTR finds it not feasible to restore. If it comes to that, I might could point you towards a large collector who has the equipment to handle it and the funds to set it up. Just let me know if it comes to that....

A few years ago I myself made a habit of snapping up old stationary steam engines, of varying sizes, including some that aren't exactly easily or cheaply restorable, just to keep them from going to scrap. Some are restored, some are "rusting in peace" quietly in the pasture. With the price of scrap nowadays, am glad to say I did it when I could. :)

Mike
 
It seems like you guys have got the right Idea. Mark will have to weigh in on what he meant but I think he was simply saying that they want to look it over and make certain it is viable for an active display. If not the idea of setting it up will be scrapped and what happens to the hardware then is going to be up to the board.

Ken is right. As a rule we want working displays. A case in point is the Mt.St. Helens car. It could not be used on our rails and we could not afford the restoration without cutting back on most other projects for about three years running. Instead of letting it deteriorate further we opted to sell it at a favorable price to someone that can and will restore it.

We have to be a little careful on what we read into some of these threads. Typed words can be misunderstood very easily if we want to.

Thanks for the comments guys. I have every confidence that the situation will be handled the best way possible. :)
 
Nebraska

All, Yes there will be a decision made by this coming summer as to whether it is feasable and economically possible to restore the engine to operational status. It will NOT be haphazardly scrapped. Ken is right on-- We at WMSTR have operational displays ,and if it seems that we can not do a display justice by having it warm and running, we will seek many alternatives BEFORE the ultimate sin of scrapping occours! (by the way Mike, if it comes to the point that we can't restore-- I definialtly want to talk to you!!) The concern that Mark and I have is that the top of the main steam chest and cylinder has been open to the water. If ,when we crack the head and see that the main bore has cracked--- It's all over folks.. ( as an afterthought the Corliss valve bores will be checked as well ). The main goal for this coming year will be to get the engine out of the mud and on dry ground, covered, and sprayed to prevent further corrosion. Rick, respectfully, I do like the fact that someone may not understand fully what we are talking about or what we say on the Forum. It allows a question to be asked and (hopefully) answered. If it were not for the (scrapped) comment, we wouldn't have Mike give us an alternative to the junkman! Anyway-- thanks again for the interest in the Nebraska. Keep this thread going! Will post more after this coming weekend. Respectfully, Tim Moen.
 
Nebraska

As you may have seen, we have our own sub-catagory that comes up on the main Forum page. Thanks to Mark K. and the board for setting this up. Been busy with Thanksgiving and Christmas is coming way to soon. Will have time to devote to the project in a couple of weeks. Everyone thanks again for posting and PM's . Keep the ideas coming. Merry Christmas everyone!! Tim.
 
Parts

I remember someone mentioning that that one of the Withers has the governor and possibly some other parts to this engine. Can anyone contact Jim or Kevin (or forward a phone #) and find out the truth to this rumor (I hope someone has it in safekeeping)?

Also, It just occurred to me that when Tim and I dug through the pile, I don't recall seeing the dashpot assemblies or any lubricators either. Anyone know where other parts could have wandered off to? Are there any other possible parts stashes out there?

-MK
 
I believe the governor is easy to find. Look on the east side of the Pabst Building and you will see a large governor on a stand that Byron built.

Later,
Jerry Christiansen
 
I thought I would post my two bits on the engine here. Tim, Karl, my brother and myself have been talking about this for sometime now, and its great to see the responses from new members and young members. Its makes me proud to be a member to see people come together and keep a piece of history alive ;) . If we don't who will?
Now for the fun part we took a look a the engine during wood cutting and yes come spring we will need alot of help digging through the over grown weeds. Some of the pallets parts were sitting on have rotted away others the earth has started to reclaim. More updates in April :praying:
Is there a building we can put small stuff or somewhere safe that it won't be in the way?

Ned
Happy New Year to ALL !!!
 
Hello All

Hi, I would also be very interested in helping out with the Nebraska engine, Some of you know me, I know Jerry Does. Ive always just been a spectator at the show but have been looking for a place to help out.
Who do i talk to about getting in on this engine project.
Thanks
Dustin Ehli
 
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