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Looks like it takes at least 5 people to do this riveting job. This gives some idea of how many railroad jobs went away when the thousands of steam locomotives were replaced by diesels. I grew up in a town with a major steam engine repair facility. Many neighbors either worked there or were retired from the railroad. When steam went away over a period of about 10 years, most had to find new jobs. Only a few transitioned to diesel. Those older workers with enough time could retire. Many people moved away. There must have been millions that lost their jobs.

I am an aircraft repairman. Our riveting process is similar but simpler. We don’t have to heat our rivets and we ‘drive’ the rivet (using a much smaller rivet gun/hammer) on the head side while a large block of steel (called a bucking bar) is held against the other end of the rivet. The rapid hammering of the gun ‘sets’ the rivet forming a head on the end with the bucking bar. The end result is the same. The rivet swells in the hole preventing looseness in shear and also clamps the layers of metal tightly. Riveted aircraft structures have remained airworthy for over eighty years.

Forgotten craft. Nice to see men at work.

Actually an amazing technique to clamp heavy steel parts together. Still used in various steel constructions like ship building, bridge girders, heavy truck chassis etc.

Hats off, to a competent crew, and that looks like HARD work

With the right tools, we can move mountains. Utterly fascinating what you have accomplished, preserving the material science and know-how of 150 years.

Make no bones about it Joyce, you are loved by many down here

It has been 38 years since I last drove a rivet in a mud ring. I don't miss it one bit.. I did notice that your rivets have round heads on both ends while the ones I drove were round on the inside and conical on the exterior. Keep up the good work!

Maaaaaan I enjoy seein a younger fella among the old heads puttin in good work

Hey! That's my kid Logan in the Firebox (red cap)! ♥

Most interesting to see both sides of the process, thank you.

excellent teamwork fellas !

Magnifique travailleurs. Cela me rappelle nos prouesses dans les années 70

One thing lots don't know, the rivet isn't just red hot so the end can be peened over. When the entire rivet is red hot after the end is formed, the rivet cools and shrinks pulling the seam tight. One of the ways they stay water/steam pressure tight.

Our first meeting with the old 197 was an unintended gift in September 1974, when we stopped at Oaks Park to see the SP4449. At the time search was on for "Freedom Train" Power. They had just opened the smokebox door on the GS, and we knew something was up! Crew was opening up the oil/grease cellars on the driving axles, and when they saw us they asked if we had any chalk? One of our daughters had a white crayon in her travel box, so she gave it to them, which they appreciated greatly. Offering to pay, we said maybe they could remember with a cab ride someday.. While America works on a few remnant steam locos, our adversary Russia has maintained a large number of Emergency Reserve Steam Locomotives, keenly aware of future need when EMP takes out modern transport dependent on solid state contrls onboard, and satellite navigation elements.

Great video. Thanks

The usually forgotten Workmen. Riveting is not easy.

Вот как надо хранить историю!!!!!

I was just at that heritage museum talking to people about bringing more steam locomotives in to be donated to Oregon and have them converted all into oil burning locomotives.

Incredible work😮😮😮

Awesome!

Stirling work, hard work too.........

That's work you can be proud of.. and didn't see one smart phart phone

Love it!

add a little oxygen to the cutting torch flame before you light the torch, keeps the acetylene boogers from floating in the air.

Note the old gents have their hands in their pockets and the young guy his on his smartphone. 100 yrs from now they'll be trying to resurrect its old engine.

I see at least one guy wearing ear protection

No power tools when the old boy was built.

Так еще мой дед и немного отец клепали в Николаеве на судостроительном в начале 20 века

That 4-6-2 locomotive is being converted into an oil burner.

We could never use a torch we had to always ream the hole 😂

What's the reason for heating the hole with the oxy acetelyne torch torch? Never seen that before.

Let me know. Is that Stephen Hook?

How would you test for quality assurance on a process like this?

Should be using bridge reamers and a drift.

I was there in Brooks 20 years ago and they insulted me until I left and won't like this video for that behavior

what is the estimated shrinkage from 2500 ° to 70 ° F,,looks like a 9 " rivet,,,it goes into some tension,,,

No ear defenders?

What’s with the sound it’s like there’s a break in the sound

This is bull work yup.CP rail here odgen shop rebuilt 2860 was hell job and noise i use passby shop noise just unreal.thanks video

Yikes...need hearing protection yeah?

What dictates when the rivet hammering should stop ?

Would not buck a rivet that close to my face...that must rattle your teeth and eyes a bit.

No hearing protection?

It’s interesting to see old tech and old ways of doing things, but this way of making outdated locomotives went away for good reasons, it baffles me as to why so many people put their money, blood, sweat and tears into keeping these things running. Seems like that money would be better spent improving modern passenger rail service. Future generations will have no use for these things as they deal with the results of climate change. Just my 2 cents

Whew! only 34 to go! (on this side)