8/20 - 2926 First Steam Up Successful (photos)

[Millhouse]

Well, they did it! Cylinders and valves are out, looks like some boiler jacketing still needs to be installed, but you can't beat that.

Well, yeah you can...watching it move for the first time will be amazing too. Photos linked from the NMRHS Facebook page.

[Mark D]

YES!!
It's been a long ride for that group. I am thrilled by this important milestone. Next is to fix any little things that the test fire showed and then install the pistons and valve spools - if they haven't already. Then it's time to see if they can get permission to operate a maiden voyage, so to speak.
Mark D.

[Millhouse]

Reaction to it over on Facebook has been pretty strong, which is where they're mostly promoting it.

They DO keep getting a lot of requests for the whistle under steam. I didn't hear them say how much pressure they're running so far, but they did indicate they're not up to the pressures needed to run the whistle, but that it should be soon.

I guess when you do this the very first time after a restoration, building up to operating pressure needs to be a very slow-and-sure process to check for any problems or potential problems along the way. I'm imagining multiple and redundant checklists every time the pressure is raised.

[Mark D]

All true. They would be very lucky indeed if they did NOT find something that needs to be fixed. Not only something, I mean a number of something's. That's what the test fire is for. After all the stuff they find is fixed, they'll light it up again and see how things go. And so on. Often the second fire won't show more leaks, but not always.
Mark D.