Wood Shop

I did not get a chance to take any pics on Saturday, but work continued on site.  Jeff Fryman was painting new CA&E windows, John Faulhaber glued together the last two new windows for the IC 9792 caboose, a bit was done to move forward on the 409 signbox frame, and work continues on the rehabilitation of MILW 01984 caboose.  Recall that many new windows were made for this over the past winter, and now the work begins to repaint the exterior and make other repairs on the car. 

For yesterday, a big personal goal was achieved with the return of my trolley car restoration project, SS 68, to Barn 4.  This will allow continued work to replace two damaged windows, and installation of more wiring and ceiling lighting.

It is a Lock

Jeff Brady was continuing work on a new baggage door for the ME 28.  A lot of FUSSY work is needed on the trimming out and adding hardware for this.

Hangars

Dan Fenlaciki worked on the second new door adding widgets and trim hardware, shown here mounting the rollers at the top of that door, to allow it to be hung and mounted to the car.

D13 Saddles

John Faulhaber was making some additional saddles for the TM D 13 work car.  Be sure to see this work in person when you visit for the July 4 Trolley Parade.

Also in the wood shop we managed to get two new caboose windows for the IC 9792 glued up and in the press, the new 409 signbox sash was sanded in the Berlin Sander, and then followup trimming and fitting.  As a sidenote the Berlin threw a drive key, but the problem was quickly remedied and fixed.

Yard 3

In the other news department, our track contractor began work in Yard 3, removing the worst of the ties and rails in preparation for re-installation.  Note the storm clouds gathering in the distance.

Italian Ruins

With apologies, here is a shot I meant to add to the entry for yesterday.  Rebecca Tulloch leads a crew moving newly constructed ruin walls (thanks Henry Vincent) out of the shops for use next weekend.

Step Box Boys

Tom Windmeier, half of the Step Box Boys, was in the shop working on the project.  It is getting to be a nice pile-o-parts.  Father, Jim, was doing duty in Operations.

Window Beading

Jeff Fryman made several sets of window beading, cutting to length and mitering them, for CA&E 451 windows.  Sounds simple, but often difficult to do a good job on these.  The cut ends were later prime painted.

Sash Painting

Later, Jeff started on the first red coat of paint on the other new CA&E sash.  He had primed these sash earlier. It is good that one dedicated volunteer wants to see this work moving forward.

Window Trim

Jeff Fryman is adding the first coat of red to trim for the new CA&E windows.  Earlier he painted four of the new sash.

Seats

All of the seat cushions have been removed from one of our trolley cars and here, Victor Humphreys and John Frett are loading them into a museum truck for delivery to an upholstery shop.  Stay Tuned!!

New Sign

Many of you have seen the info signs on equipment and at other locations on the property.  These can supply a lot of info and answer a lot of questions for visitors that stop to take the time to read them.  We have added a new one to the UP 3786 caboose and here, Buzz Morisette is installing one on the MILW X5001 caboose, now spotted in Yard 5.  Thanks to Ray Piescuik for the 'manufacturing' of the durable metal signs.

Thanks to Pete Pedersen for supplying and sharing additional images for this entry.

Pete Pedersen Photo

Gerry Dettloff and John Faulhaber start 'reducing' wood to size.

A New Saddle

Gerry Dettloff has taken on a long term commitment to restore the TM D 13 work motor and he is several years into the project.  Shown above, is John Faulhaber completing work on a first new roof saddle for the east end of the car.

Pete Pedersen Photo

Rich Witt, working for CA&E 409, trims the tenons for a perfect fit on our 1930's vintage Delta bandsaw.

Pete Pedersen Photo

Bob Kutella and Rich Witt discuss how to solve a 'fit up' problem while Roger Kramer looks on.

A Second Frame Up

Rich Witt has completed the fabrication and most of the work for a second sign box frame for CA&E 409.  Here it is in the press while Rich checks sqaureness before final tightening down and leaving it to set up overnight.

Other wood shop and other project activity was varied with some more work on IC 9792 caboose windows, LSE 810 work:

Pete Pedersen Photo

Geroge Clark working on the second side of this car, the other side is about complete!

Pete Pedersen Photo

John Nelligan helps in the task to puzzle out the wiring and controls on CCW 300.

Pete Pedersen Photo

Frank Sirinek on his back adding control work on C&WT 141.

Pete Pedersen Photo

Here are the four new sash for the CA&E 451 - more help needed!

And of course, Trolleyville collection work down in Barn 2.  I think Randy Hicks could save some money by bringing a bedroll for the shop floor and doing a sleepover!  He seems to be at work every day on the project.  Anyone want to help by pitching in? Painting and sanding needed on many new window frames, to be followed by glazing and hardware.

Another post crossing category lines, and sorry for the poor photo, but it is what I got.

Truck Work

The motor truck was in fact removed from the 36 and here our crew reassembles and mounts motors and related parts before shipment.  Greg Kepka, Joel Arendt, Dan Fenlaciki, Warren Lloyd, Stan Wdowikowski, and Nick Kallas are in this shot.

Other freight department continued with prep work for adding a MILW herald to our URTX 26640 car, and two more windows fitted and ready for gluing for the IC 9792 caboose.  AND - thanks to Richard Schauer for invaluable help in removing the east coupler from URTX 26640.  Just one of the steps along the way to repairs and completion.

Window Moldings

We will start of this entry by welcoming Bruce Plaxton back to the shop areas.  Here he is working on new window moldings for the dozen new windows destined for the CA&E cars.  When the cars from the Trolleyville collection first arrived at IRM, you would trip over all the folks coming out for a look see or to help.  Where are all you guys now?  To be sure, a lot of work is being done, but as usual more help would ensure continued results.

We also did some shop work on a new signbox sash for the CA&E 409 and for new windows for IC 9792 caboose.

Then, to help fill out this entry here are a few pics more properly from the Electric Car Department.

Spring Time

Yes, the calendar says it is spring time, but here the IT 415 is up on jacks and the truck pulled to change out a broken leaf spring.  A pair of new springs would be the proper course of action but funds are lacking.  So a patch job was done, using an old salvaged leaf spring assembly.  That will place the car back in service - for a while at least.

CAE 36

By mid afternoon the CA&E 36 was spotted on Track 41 for a truck swap.  As I understand it, the Cleveland RTA swapped the motor truck on this car for one from another Trolleyville car, to get the 36 running for demo purposes on their system.  The plan is now to place this car on a shop truck and send the motor truck now below it to the east coast to trade for the original which was under the car.  When that arrives at Union, the process will be reversed to again have the correct motor truck underneath.