Re: The Chama Coal Tipple

John Sutkus and his teams have been working on it for about 5 years or so, they have replaced the rotten bottom floor wooden beam with a concrete grade beam that is above the dirt level on the outside of the building. Over the last several years, they have been S-L-O-W-L-Y jacking the structure straight, and as of now for the first time in probably 50+ years the structure is plumb. The only part not plumb is the sheave house at the top because of the beams being warped from building sag for over a half century.

The siding on the sheave house has been replaced as well as all of the roofs on the structure. They have cleaned out the sumps where the coal hoppers go and are working on finding the drain down there to unclog. The track that the ore cars run on is worn out and warped because of the many years of the building being tweaked, knocking everything out of alignment, and is in the process of being replaced.

Hopefully the state will sign off on the lightning protection system so that can be installed this summer.

Here is a link to the last two summer's work sessions, and if you look at session E&F of the last few years, that is when the most work is being done on the tipple. Friends work sessions photos of 2012 & 2013



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/16/2014 03:17PM by John Cole.