Mid-January saw various projects, work and Extras run, over a couple days.

Wednesday Jan. 13^th  I arrived in the am and found all the road crossings were snow & ice covered.  Brayden came over and helped me
clear the ice.  After the main crossing was clear, we ran the plow around flanging and clearing twigs.  Jeff Steele came by with his son
and we got out 25, caboose 559, and Alina, and ran an Extra.  No pics as we were running/riding the train.

Thursday Jan. 14^th  was spent working on the air compressor on #10.  When Brayden and I re-installed the painted plumbing on it on
Wednesday, we tried to test it for leaks but it wouldn’t move.  Tim Lab stopped by and he and I tore into it and I now know more than
I want on its makeup.  We found the steam piston froze in the cylinder.  Pushing on it got it to move and some Marvel Mystery oil on
the sides freed the rings up.  It then would pump a half stroke and stop.  I think it had a problem with water in the top valve port as when
I blew the water out it would do more strokes.  We put it back together and hooked up on the engine where it would pump for 10 or 12
strokes and stop.  It seems it didn’t like air to pump. I let it sit till Saturday and see how it ran on steam.

Friday Jan 15^th  Al Bell came and I had him inspect the shop equipment.  He found a problem with the mill and tore into to find a mouse
nest in the part that goes up and down.  We vacuumed it up and he lubed the Quill as that is the name for the part that goes up and down.
Marty Knox came down to work on #24.  He got the all the rods on.  We took the valve chests apart so he could inspect them and do
some measuring and see if they were lapped flat.

Saturday Jan 16^th  Brayden came over and we put a fire in #10.  Adam Wright and his dad Scott came over to see how things have
changed since he was over in 2003.  The air compressor ran fine all day and Brayden got some more seat time.  Adam made a trip to
Clear Lake and back to Phelps.

Sunday Jan. 17^th  I spent the morning cleaning the flues on #10 and making it easier to get the petty coat pipe out of the smoke box
so cleaning will be easier.  After finishing the flues, I wanted to add some Marvel Oil to the air compressor and hooked up the air
after squirting some into the intake and it pumped once and stopped. Oh Boy!  Worked on the air brake cylinder pressure value on #10
and ran a final Extra for the year  -  Tom
 
Click any picture and scroll thru the rest.  In the first 7 from Tom, note two original pictures, compared to variations, to see things I do to prepare them for website use  - Frolin