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Monday, August 9. 2010Wood Shop and Other News - August 8, 2010 A Bender Fred Ash is examining a new sheet of masonite roofing in the large bending caul for the Michigan Electric 28. It works out to processing about one large sheet per week. Soak in water 2-3 days, place in the caul, and wait 2-3 days for it dry back out and take a set.  Whistling Off Here is a new assembly destined for our ICG caboose. The valves and fittings were missing and capped off but Mike Alterio is a metal working wizard! He handcrafted a new exhaust muffler to match the original - this exhausts train line air during a back up move when the conductor, riding the back platform, applies the brakes. The smaller branch pipe sports a new homemade whistle to alert traffic during the same move. Other work during the weekend included some little work on a new door for our depot (stiles pictured in the background of the above picture), more seat work on TM 972, more lettering on our insulated boxcar URTX 26640, and Dan Fenlaciki starting to install the new drop sash in CA&E car 460. Of course we had to dodge more rain (not in the forecast) and that resulted in a hasty change of plans. We were also happy to have Art Schwartz from PTM visiting, show him around, and then had an advance planning meeting for the upcoming meet of the Old Wood Working Machines group. We have hosted this event several times in recent years, it has earned money for the Museum, and furthers our educational mission. Sunday, August 8. 2010Line Report - August 6, 2010WIRE DOWN! The following report is from Gerry Dettloff who was drafted to help in an emergency repair last Friday.  The Problem On Friday morning a transverse span wire that supported the trolley wire span wires came down between the tail track diamond and the Diesel Shop driveway on the Car Line. The wire that came down ran from the steel center pole west between the tail track and the Car Line to a
pole near the tail track switch.
 Long Reach Roger Smessaert and I happened to both be on the property. I
was helping Roger hook up electrical connections for the Thomas Event. I was contacted about the emergency and Roger and I along with Carl Illwitzer went to look at the situation. Roger moved Truck 70 into position and shut off power to the Car Line. We tied off the hanging span wire to make the area safe. Then in the true spirit of the DC Line Dept, we went to do something
else!  Tight Squeeze Actually, a vendor for the Thomas Event was waiting for the power to be
connected to his set up area. We did that and then after lunch, went back to the line problem . The problem was caused when a wood strain broke in half on the center pole that apparently has every other span wire and overhead line attached. After Roger figured out how to get in there, he replaced the wood strain. We realigned the span wire and Roger tensioned it and attached it to the new wood strain. Then Roger re-energized the Car Line.  In the Air  Finishing Touches We were done by 3 PM and I put the Car Line back in service. Monday, August 2. 2010Trolley Bus Dept Update - 08/02/2010For the last two weekends, Richard Schauer and I, joined by Wally Unglaub Saturday, have been continuing to clean the interior of the SF 614. The seats have received two passes with the vinyl cleaner/rejuvenator, the floors have been scrubbed, most of the gum has been scraped from the floor, the walls and heating ducts along the floor have been washed. We still need to do the fixtures and step wells, but it is looking great inside. Thanks guys!!! We need to do just a little more work on the mechanical end – we hope to pull the coach out under its own power later this year. It does need a set of tires, which we also hope to get by the end of the year. The Seattle 633 is also scheduled to get tires this year. Later on Saturday we were going to pull the five coaches out of the Andersen Garage for the model railroaders to set up for Thomas. Unfortunately there was an issue with the Edmonton 181’s compressor. Richard somehow squirmed his way underneath and into the bowels of the coach and made temporary repairs. This pushed back the switch move to Sunday.
Monday, August 2. 2010Wood Shop and Other News - July 31, 2010 New Planer We just received a new planer for our Wood Shop. This will expand our capabilities and allow two new projects to proceed, the old planer did not have the capacity. Buzz Morisette is installing some of the loose parts which came with it.  New Battens Jerry Lynn and Dave Diamond are just completing installation of new battens on the east end of our depot. Readers here will have seen the shop crew making these through the cold winter months past, and now they are painted and being installed!  Dark Yellow Paint Ed Waytula applied the first color to the CTS 4223 PCC car. It is a dark yellow and was applied to the battery box and some of the skirting on the right side.  Those Crazy Track Guys Here are Frank Devries and Tom Hunter in Yard 3, repairing and servicing some of our track maintenance equipment. A never ending task.  Let the Sparks Fly Tim Peters continues on his marathon to restore wooden el car, CRT 1797. Here, Ed Waytula is welding a new stud to the steel corner framing. This will allow new wood corner post stock to be milled and placed on the car. Most of the posts are badly rotted and deteriorated.  Breezer And some eye candy to close this entry. Saturday the Vera Cruz 19 open car was seen carrying passengers while motorman qualification and training runs were being conducted. On Sunday the car entered scheduled service with full loads seen throughout the afternoon. Monday, August 2. 2010UP 3786 Update - July 31, 2010We have been laboring to replace one defective coupler on this restored caboose so that it may enter service on our railroad. Nothing is ever simple as apparently the draft gear has an early form of cushioning. Somehow the railroads were able to compress this capsule when needing to change a coupler, and so far we have neither the tools nor a bright idea how we might do this safely. Has anyone out there seen this done?  Couplers The old coupler is in the foregorund, the replacement is being measured, behind it.  Pocket This is the empty pocket with the old coupler removed.  Keyway A cross key fits through this slot to anchor the coupler shank in place, after it is installed.  Draft Gear This is the end with the coupler removed and the draft gear has 'relaxed', perhaps one and three quarter inches. It is the accordian like capsule fitting between the car center sills.  Draft Gear On the other end the coupler remains in place and that 'accordian' is measurably compressed and shorter. Sunday, August 1. 2010 |
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Comments
Sun, 05-20-2012 17:31
I would like to make a note of a couple of things. The sandblasting process involves taking the sand like material, called blackblast, and smashing it [...]
Fri, 05-18-2012 22:48
This is one interesting freight car. I've been browsing images on-line of these B&O wagon-top cars lately, and noticed a variety of lettering and [...]
Fri, 05-18-2012 12:03
Mark, Its hard to say if 760 will be running in early July. It will be for Diesel Days, but I can't answer yet if we'll have it ready sooner than [...]
Thu, 05-17-2012 13:13
Im going to drive from California to the Chicago area in early July and staying for about 3 weeks. Im a big fan of FM units. Any chance the MILW 760 [...]
Sun, 05-13-2012 11:44
Line sidewalks and steets with rail ties and fill with small pea gravel. Similar to construction near Lincoln Home in Springfield, IL.
Fri, 05-11-2012 10:45
Thank you. If you are send pics to Irm in mail,Please make it attention Roger Kramer. Thanks..
Thu, 05-10-2012 17:08
I will be sending some color photos of the CGW 285 shortly after rebuilding by the CGW. And yes, they had chrome grabs and the end gate. I had been [...]
Thu, 05-10-2012 12:58
Yes there are some chrome plated partsespecially on the sissors gate. Unfortunately, they were recently taken off, and left in the gravel. I have [...]
Thu, 05-10-2012 00:46
The book "Chicago Great Western Color Guide" (Morning Sun) has some interesting notes about these CGW combines: [BEGIN QUOTE] "In 1954 the CGW bought [...]
Sun, 05-06-2012 21:42
Nigel, What you just told me is great news. YOU clarified things for me.
Sun, 05-06-2012 20:34
Wally, I must say that I am puzzled by this comment. The whole driver for the current work is the major FRA mandated inspection (15 year 1472 [...]
Sun, 05-06-2012 16:39
I am just afraid that by the time 1630 is up and ready to run, it will have to be dismantled again to do the Federally mandated inspection. I am [...]