As part of the Rocky Mountain Train Show, Uncle Pete was kind enough to show us around his Burnham Shops today. It was a normal (24/7) working day, but they managed to shuffle us through without any mishap and without any apparent interruption. One of the many operations we were able to observe was the changeout of a few traction motors on SP 196, an AC4400W. First a few notes. The lighting is unique, because it doesn’t appear to be all that bright, but it washes out flash photography completely. Most of the shots were taken with a flash, but it’s still hard to tell. Interestingly, the lighting is complete, i.e. very few shadows. Because of restrictions on positioning, some of the pictures are awkward and need a bit of imagination to figure out what we’re seeing. I’ll explain as best I can. SP196 has just been backed onto the Drop Pit and its rear wheels are up first (actually down, as we shall see). There’s a pit between the rails (which you’ll see later) and the yellow cage guards the drop pit.
The drop pit, seen from the side. You can see an axle has been removed. The loco is moved to a point where at least one axle of this truck is on solid ground and one is suspended over the pit. If you look between the yellow bars you’ll see what looks like a C-channel with holes in the two vertical sides of the channel. There are two (the other is out of the picture toward the camera). This tray (or whatever it’s called) is slid under the locomotive and raised so the wheels to be removed fit in those channels. The axle is then loosened and the tray (with the axle on it) is then dropped till the wheels will clear the truck frame. Then the tray is moved toward the camera with the axle on it.
The wheel/traction motor assembly is then lifted out of the tray with a crane and set on the ground. Here we see the tail end of this operation, with the next assembly in the background.
I don’t know what the housing is called on the end of the axle, but it is then removed and affixed to the new assembly. I’m sure there are several folks who are more than able to fill in the blanks here (as well as anywhere else). Feel free to add anything I’ve left out, or to correct any mistakes.
In the meantime, we look around the shop. Swinging our gaze to the right, we get a better view of the pit between the rails. We also see the nose of another AC4400W two pits down and further away an SD90. Heavy metal in more ways than one…
And away she goes! (Here you can see the flash registering only on the reflective logo of the survivor SP unit.)
After the axle is affixed properly, the locomotive reverses further till the front truck is ready for the same operation. Oh, by the way, by now it’s lunch time, hence no people. [ ]
No people? That means we can roam into the shop area!!! As we leave the scene, this is our departing view
And here we can see the adjacent pit, empty, and we can also see drop tray aligned with the front truck. Enough of this, on to other fun stuff!!
COOL! I once saw a traction motor changeout, but I was ont he way to work, and fearing being late, couldn't stick around for the whole operation... The HARD way....Look Ma, no drop table!
