iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Still playing with trains! At my age! The boiler is holding water even better than it was, and by the end of the day it was up to 82°F. Which is good because as we put heat on it, the little weeps and leaks tend to take up and seal themselves. Also machining a steam manifold out of SA105.

A smiling DSilbizzy wearing safety goggles a little Mohawk, and a t-shirt standing in front of the left side of a steam locomotive with the boiler bare for inspection.

DSilbizzy taking a selfie while the lathe makes a facing cut on a 4.5” (11.43cm) SA105 high carbon steel forging that will one day become a steam manifold plumbed to the boiler of Klondike Mines No. 4, a 3’ gauge steam locomotive.

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Who still plays with trains? This guy! It’s the summer work week in Como, so Saturday-Saturday. I’m spending a lot of quality time beading the tubes in the smokebox end. I’m going to do what I can to finish them up tomorrow. We might even put some water in this week!

Sunday shot of the front tube sheet about 1/2 full of tubes.

Monday evening shot showing all the tubes installed.

Tuesday afternoon. About half of the tubes have been beaded over with the big rivet gun, AND BOY ARE MY ARMS TIRED!

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

This was an absolutely delightful episode. I learned that Eric is the human behind the fame of Dirt, and that’s super cool.

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

This is so incredibly funny. Especialkybthevrealization that he might just pop up all over the country doing community access stuff.

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

This is a great explanation of the logistics of #Landback and what it means for us settlers. Very well put.

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Get in nerds! We’re doing train stuff! All week long baby! Doing big stuff.

Smiling DSilbizzy with a medium sized Mohawk and safety glasses standing in front of a partially disassembled steam locomotive inside a roundhouse.

DSilbizzy smiles while pointing at the dry pipe sticking out of the front tube sheet of KMR 4, a 3’ gauge 2-6-2 undergoing restoration in Como, CO. Getting ready to install the dry pipe.

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Old guy still playing with trains? Sure am! Last week and yesterday. With a whole lot more train nonsense coming soon! Bet @mtrainierrailroad.bsky.social knows what’s coming soon…

DSilbizzy with a little Mohawk and safety goggles standing outside in the rail yard in Como, CO with C&S boxcar 8311 in the background.

A smiling DSilbizzy with a little Mohawk standing inside the Como roundhouse, with C&S coal car 4319 and the beginnings of a pile of cut tubes for the boiler of KMR 4, which will be going in sometime in the next month…

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Can we take a minute to acknowledge who was desperately trying to help? Mushers. August. ✊ Guarantee that won’t be included in the inevitable propaganda that P**a will put out. 🤬

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Who else still plays with trains? Just me? Can’t be just me. I thought I was about done inside the boiler. Turns out I was wrong.

A smiling middle aged guy with a sweet Mohawk and safety glasses inside a steam locomotive boiler. Behind him is the rear tube sheet, with the crown sheet, stat bolts and water space around the firebox clearly visible.

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Was I playing with trains today? Not directly. But I DID make some missing taper attachment parts for the Regal lathe…. Which will enable further playing with trains!

A smiling DSilbizzy with safety glasses and a Mohawk points at the bed clamp and bar he just made for the lathe’s taper attachment.

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

A day late. But played with trains yesterday. And will all week next week! I’m incredibly lucky to get to do stuff that I find interesting and lets my mind have to work a bit (I’ll be making a taper attachment bed clamp from scratch, for instance).

A smiling DSilbizzy stands in front of the South Park Plymouth on the turntable in Como. Blue skies, a few snow capped peaks, and another volunteer walking in the background.

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

Damned straight. If “we” are so hung hi about defunding/privatising the USPS, then do it with the requirement that the private services provide delivery to every residence in the country and territories. No exceptions. ….something tells me the billionaires will get a lot less interested then.

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

Couple days of hectic train playing. Well, gathering supplies for future train playing. You win a railroad preservation prize if you can guess what the logs might be about, and otherwise I worked on a lathe. Getting ready for lots of screwing around with trains next week.

Smiling DSilbizzy standing in front of a log truck loading medium sized (for Colorado) Doug fir logs to take to Como.

Smiling DSilbizzy next to a mostly disassembled steam locomotive.

The Como roundhouse and turntable. Blue skies above, and a little bit of snow in the turntable pit.

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Absolutely this. When I was a union executive, we used to request the company release someone from duty to attend negotiations, just so we could gauge how serious they were about getting an agreement. Same goes for the boss’ schedule. They’ve got private jets and stuff, they can make time.

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

A political ad with a dogsled race? Say less. More of that. #uglydogs this is like meatorade for our votes. 🤣🤣

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

Surprise train working day! Wanted to redo some measurements inside the boiler (thats what the string line is for). But it was a nice day in the South Park! I even had the roundhouse doors open for a few hours.

A smiling DSilbizzy with a real nice Mohawk stands in front of a stone roundhouse, with snow capped peaks in the distance.

DSilbizzy crammed inside the boiler of Klondike Mines No. 4, with a string line running between the tube sheets to measure the location of the dry pipe.

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

Who plays with trains? I do. It’s me. Today we got the WW2 vintage Regal lathe in service, and then spent some quality time inside the boiler measuring to fabricate a new dry pipe.

A smiling DSilbizzy with mohawk and safety glasses in front of a Regal 19” lathe, inside a stone roundhouse.

A smiling DSilbizzy with a Mohawk sitting inside a steam locomotive boiler to measure parts of it. Behind him is the front tube sheet, with its 136 tube holes.

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

Absolutely this. By far the most complex coalition building and navigating tricky situations has been from my union work. It’s not even close. Tell me you were a steward, a committee chair, an executive council member—and I know it means you have what it takes to deal with politics.

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

As promised: Played with TRAIN! Obligatory selfie, plus some details. Mounted the oil firing valve, relocated the hydrostatic lubricator, among other things today.

A smiling DSilbizzy standing in front of a steam locomotive undergoing restoration.

An oil firing valve attached to the boiler of a steam locomotive with a cutout for the water glass valve.

Inside the cab of a mostly disassembled steam locomotives. The hydrostatic lubricator has been relocated higher up and farther forward to aid in the lubrication of the cylinders, and improve the ergonomics of the cab.

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

Well preparing to play with trains more today. Today I hauled a donated old lathe, a really nice Regal LeBlond 19” lathe up to the roundhouse. Tomorrow we will unload it and start setting it up, plus other train fun!

A smiling DSilbizzy with a Mohawk stands in front of a decent sized lathe on a trailer, in front of the stone Como roundhouse. There is a little snow on the ground (about 1”) and the roundhouse doors are all closed.

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

I just want say thank you Erik for posting such digestible Labor History stories.

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

Who is an old guy still playing with trains? Me. It’s me. RGS20 in Durango is an amazing this to experience.

A selfie of a middle aged buy smiling in front of Rio Grande Southern 20, at Cascade wye on the Durango & Silverton, wearing his late friend Dean’s denim jacket. Miss you Dean!

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

Played with trains a lot this week. It was a lot warmer in the South Park earlier this week. Made a wedge for a valve rod (notice the BLW standard practice behind it), worked on the main rods (not pictured) and found more crap. This had a galvanised pipe attached to it. Should be SCH160!

Just me standing in front of the Como roundhouse and turntable. Mountains of the South Park are in the background.

A wedge newly machined per the Baldwin Standard practice for the steam chest valve rod.

Mitutoyo calipers measuring A pipe coming out of a steam dome. It’s FAR too thin to be safe, so it will get replaced sometime.

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

Just a guy playing with trains (yesterday). The picture of me pointing to the boiler shows why mechanical standards are really important. On the boiler—The two studs on the bottom: 1912. Never leaked. The holes on top? Someone put in straight bolts. They leaked, chewed up the threads.

A middle aged guy wearing a work jacket and safety glasses points at a steam locomotive boiler, with two holes showing signs of leaking, and two studs below that showing no signs of leaking.

A South Park sunset. Picture of the Como turntable, with two railcars on the other side of the turntable, and snow capped peaks with sunset light on them.

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 28/12/2025

Just me playing with trains again! This crosshead took nearly a year to get installed. Careful measuring, shimming, reaming tapered holes, making tapered bolts, and then after all that it goes together in about 10 minutes. Very satisfying.

DSilbizzy pointing at the right side crosshead of a steam locomotive (Klondike Mines #4)

The finally assembled right side crosshead guides and crosshead installed on Klondike Mines #4, a 36” gauge 2-6-2 inside the roundhouse. The locomotive is partially disassembled, as part of a thorough overhaul.

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 14/12/2025

Best part about being an adult? Probably playing with trains. Today we mounted the left main rod to measure some things to manufacturer thevtaoered bolts for the crosshead guides). Pretty great seeing all the rods on one side!

A smiling DSilbizzy pointing at the main rod installed on Klondike Mines 4, a 3’ gauge 2-6-2. Much of rest rest of the locomotive is partially disassembled.

The main/drive rod and connecting rods installed on the left side of a 3’ gauge 2-6-2 locomotive showing that they all fit together nicely!

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 30/11/2025

Who still plays with trains? I do! Today started out with the South Park Zephyr doing its thing, but it got to be a manageable temperature in the roundhouse, eventually. Among other things, we finally cut a hole in the oil bunker for human access. And then I welded the access riser on.

A kind of dirty DSilbizzy popping out of an oil bunker in a steam locomotive tender, with the steam locomotive in the background partially disassembled.

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

6th picture. That tracks. She is ferociously good and getting under our feet in the kitchen. 😂

An old (16+ year old) kitty curled up in a heated kitty bed. Her fact is tucked into her tail, and she has wedged her body into one side of the kitty bed.

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

I can’t stop cackling at this. Or how absolutely true it is!

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

Who still plays with trains? Yep. I do! Finished making a bracket for the firing g valve handle. Fly cut a surface on the angle steel, bored out a hole for the shaft, and generally made it WAAAAY fancier than it needs to be. But I like it. Nobody will ever see it, but it’s cool.

A middle aged DSilizzy standing in front of a partially disassembled steam locomotive, smiling. And wearing fancy new prescription safety glasses!

DSilbizzy in the cab of KMR 4 pointing at the oil firing quadrant. Attached to a bracket he made, that is way too fancy, but sure is cool!

The oil firing valve bracket DSilbizzy machined to make excessively pretty and closer tolerance than it really ought to be.

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

Another pretty fun day for me. At work, with a layover in Anchorage, so I ran up to Wasilla and put in a day of work on 557. Today I used the mill to make a throttle lock (so it can be locked closed when she it at rest), and the lathe to make a pin to hold it in place on the throttle.

DSilbizzy (me) on the left side of a steam locomotive (Alaska 557) resting a hand on the oil quadrant, while Pat Durand sits in the engineer’s seat.

The completed throttle lock block pinned in the quadrant, which holds the throttle lever in the closed position, of Alaska 557.

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

Who still plays with trains? Me. I do.

A smiling DSilbizzy standing in front of a partially disassembled narrow gauge locomotive.

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

Breaking: Middle aged man still plays with trains! Got interviewed for a short film, saw a rainbow, and finished mounting the throttle body into the steam dome.

DSilbizzy standing in front of a steam locomotive inside a stone roundhouse. The locomotive is partially disassembled as part of an extensive overhaul.

There are cameras set up, to record an interview with the guy taking a selfie.

A double rainbow over the Como turntable, a C&S boxcar in need of restoration, a P-Box, and the South Park.

Inside the boiler of KMR 4, showing a freshly mounted Throttle valve body. There are no flues in the boiler, and it is obviously under restoration.

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

Who was playing with trains today? Hint: it’s me! Fabricated a new throttle valve bracket (attaches to studs inside the steam dome). This weekend we should mount the throttle valve assembly. Old, gross, booger welded junk that came out of this locomotive also pictured for comparison.

A smiling DSilbizzy inside the boiler of a steam locomotive.

We spent a few hours today fabricating this bracket. It is made of 3/8” steel bent to match the curve inside the steam dome. Soon the throttle valve will bolt to it.

Here’s the crap that was in there. The welds are boogers. Lucky it didn’t break!

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Playing with trains yet again today! New addition to Como: Board member Tom Lawson’s Plymouth critter has arrived! It’s so cute! But it will make moving rolling stock around much, much easier!

A green and yellow Plymouth diesel locomotive site in from of a steam locomotive and tender inside a stone roundhouse. A smiling guy with a safety yellow “South Park Rail” shirt is in the immediate foreground.

A green and yellow Plymouth diesel locomotive passes the “Red Hill” sign next to the in progress water tower reconstruction in Como, CO.

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 23/08/2025

No cheating. Post the last picture you took of your pet.

A black cat peeks out from inside a mushroom shaped kitty house.

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

Played with trains a lot this weekend! Boreas Pass Railroad Day was yesterday in Como. So on Friday we pulled the locomotive out of the roundhouse, and yesterday I spent all day talking to people about the locomotive and the rebuild process, even out on my South Park Rail shirt to talk to folks.

A smiling guy in front of a partially disassembled steam locomotive in the high mountain town of Como, Colorado. Wearing a black T-shirt.

A smiling guy in a safety yellow “South Park Rail” T-shirt standing in from of boxcar Colorado & Southern 8311, and coal car Colorado & Southern 4319. In front of the cars site the steam locomotive Klondike Mines Railway 4, and in front of that on the turntable is boxcar DSP&P 608. The sky is beautifully dramatic with clouds, and a blue sky behind the clouds.

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 14/08/2025

In tease a band: Six Iron Pandemonium.

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 09/08/2025

The most interesting part to me is that even the brown shirts don’t want you using AI to pledge allegiance to them. 🤔

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Reposted by Dan Silbaugh

Puck the Puddle Pilot @puckthepilot.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

You might assume that the drones will be kept away from major airlines or from medevac helicopters. And to you I would simply ask "by whom?"

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 03/08/2025

Today was another one spent playing with trains! Big stuff, all that running gear work we did turned out to be right. My cruiser pulled her in and out of the roundhouse really easily (5 years ago we needed the winch, and it was working hard), which is good because in two weeks there’s a party.

A smiling middle aged guy standing on top of a steam locomotive, with the steam dome and some stack behind him. Also two terrible kunkle safety valves, which don’t really belong on steam locomotives, but they are what was on it while we search for consolidated safeties.

A somewhat faded FZJ80 Land Cruiser towing a steam locomotive out of a roundhouse onto a turntable in Como, CO.

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Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 26/07/2025

Trains again today! How’s that for a cutie little Porter Mogul? I’m told there’s a Brooks Mogul a few hours north of here that should be a pretty solid match for the South Park Brooks Moguls. I really need to work my schedule to get there though. They do railroad museums right here!

A smiling guy in a Five Iron Frenzy T-shirt standing in front of a Porter Mogul in the Railroad museum, Saitama, Japan.

Dan Silbaugh @dsilbizzy.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

@lucasbrowneyes.bsky.social just wanted to thank you for being a part of making art like Duster. Seriously what a fun, funny, and beautiful story. I’ll cross my fingers HBO picks up as many seasons as the team wants to make.