My City August 2022

MYCOMMUNITY

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that was donated by Hurley Medical Center. “It is a lot of work and there is a lot to it,” Hewlett reports.” You can’t just go to the store and get parts; they have to be made to specication due to their age.” A mandated daily mechanical inspec tion is done by the train crew to make sure everything is in order – bolts are tight, no broken parts.€e locomotive is cleaned and the ash pan in the re box needs to be dropped, ashes cleared out.€e coal supply is replenished for the next day’s operation. It’s all part of the daily routine,Hewlett says. €ey also inspect the railroad track for any defects.

The Train Ride I truly enjoyed chatting with the many dedicated workers who keep the coal-powered steam locomotive on the track! I was for tunate to end the day enjoying a r ide, taking in the view from the best seat in the house

A lot of be hind-the-scenes work takes place at the Rail Shop, including replac ing the air brakes, maintaining the diesel locomotives, and steam-cleaning the grit and grime. “It’s a dirty job,” says the railroad consultant. A Mott Foundation-funded project was recent ly completed, an overhaul of Steam Locomotive #152. It was disassembled and rebuilt with new (rebuilt) parts.

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– the cupola in the caboose. ®

All Aboard!

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