Illinois Railway Museum Blog

We have been working to restore this open hopper from the GN, actively, for over three years.  Many volunteers have helped on this and we were to the point of being ready to paint the car.  It is a big job, beyond our resources to expect to get it done in a season or more of work.  So we decided to hire a contractor to help out.  This topic could easily take three long BLOG ENTRIES.  I have many pictures, and could present them in a sort of photo essay, as the captions are pretty self explanatory, pics in infinite detail step by step.  How do you all want to see this?  Probably condensed down to just a few pics?

The first step was to remove all rust and old paint remaining on the car.  This was a grueling four day process running from October 3 through October 7.  Each night the car was put away inside Barn 4 thanks to the efforts and co-operation of Rod Turner.

Beginning on Left Side

Left Side

Left Side

Left Side

There were equipment failures aplenty, but an unprecedented stretch of good weather made this possible.  The left side is about 2/3 done in this view.

Left Side

B End

Right Side

B End and Right Side

The B end is now blasted.  Remember, the B end of any freight car is the end with the 'B'rake equipment.

Blasted

Finally, the entire car was clean and ready to start priming.  Chapter two in this adventure to follow.

BUT, this is a considerable expense, justified by saving over a year of volunteer work, and getting the car surfaces down to 'white metal'.  This is the best way to do this, to assure a good and lasting re-paint.  We also selected what might be considered premium materials.  See where we are going?  We really need your support and donations for this project for expenses already committed, and the needed work to complete the project, and ultimately to subscribe to space in the next planned barn.  Please help out on this, a lot of volunteers have spent hundreds of hours, just on this chapter.  Send your donation to restricted fund R 70104