I talked to the CMO tonight--and our drop pit is just (and only) that -- a drop pit with no commercial machinery to drop the axles. He indicated that one of the former mechanics had assembled and created the drop mechanism using the hydraulic rams from some large dumptrucks -- homemade, but it works...

He also mentioned that he thought Grand Canyon, Nevada Northern, and Durango/Silverton had drop pits in their shops.

-doc-

Heber Valley Railroad
utweyesguy@aol.com

> mechanics had assembled and created the drop
> mechanism using the hydraulic rams from some
> large dumptrucks -- homemade, but it
> works...

Jack Showalter uses an automtive lift in his pit, you really can't take down a 69" driver with it, but you can get it out of the way to put tires on it and do other work, and it worked real good for taking those trailer trucks out. The other handy thing about it is since he has no shop when the piston is down its all protected from the elements.


btrue@vt.edu

Mr. Anderson's response is the most logical direction to pursue. TVRM has a drop pit of similar design that uses the pit jack from the Southern Coach Shop in Chattanooga. Works great for coach wheels and so-so for drivers - one at a time. Though with the four Whiting screw jacks, de- and re- wheeling a locomotive is made considerably easier. Just ask Mark... Something like the TVRM or EBT arrangement would be especially good for narrow gauge stuff or car and Diesel work.

On another note: A few years back, I got a wild hair and asked Mark if he thought I should call Whiting to see if drop tables were still made. He said, "Why not?", so I did. The answer - yes, but they ain't cheap! About $450,000 gets you basic table good for, say, one Diesel or coach truck or one or two drivers. That includes foundation drawings! Some neat elecronic controls also are included, and the cost could go up depending on a number of factors. If you have the cash, they are certainly willing to talk to you. Oh well, one of these days.....

Mike

> You might try the design used at the East
> Broad Top. For smaller power it is a very
> user friendly design, and would be pretty
> easy to build. The ram is just a piece of
> cold rolled steel about 3 1/2" in dia.
> inside a pipe cylinder with a rope packing
> gland at the top. The boxes on either side
> are the oil reservoir, and it has a pump
> just like a hydraulic jack that you would
> buy at the hardware store.

> The wheels drop into the space between the
> oil reservoir and the jack wheels so you can
> roll the whole works out from under the
> engine.

> When the wheel set is up, and the rails are
> in place, you can set the pedestal binder
> and wedge on the jack and lift them up into
> place at your leisure. Beats killing
> yourself trying to lift those parts up by
> hand.


Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum
newriver400@cs.com