Baltimore & Ohio 374065 Wagon Top Boxcar

Spring is here and that means on good weather days, the Freight Department crew is at work in our outdoor 'shop'.  Here is a sort of photo essay (not much text) on work this week, lots of participants and onlookers encouraged to learn and get a 'feel' for this sort of blacksmith work and tools involved.

Rust Out

Gerry Dettloff is getting ready with an acetylene torch with Dick Cubbage and Simon Harrison looking on.

Cutting

Some sections of the side at the bottom were badly rusted out.  The first step here is to use an acetylene torch to burn off the old rivet heads.  Gerry is using the torch and Victor Humphreys ready to help as needed.

Peeling

The metal is being peeled back by Victor, Gerry, and Dick.

Next

After cutting the rivet heads form the outside, shards of old metal siding and layers of rust are removed.  Some additional grinding of the torched off rivet stubs might need to be done.  Then out with the small sledge hammer and a punch pin to poke the rivet out the back.

The Stubs

Not much left after the torching, but some medallions of remaining metal sides need to be peeled away, pried away, or otherwise coaxed to leave.

Punching

Then on to the satisfying part of punching out what remains of the rivets.  Sort of like an 'aggression therapy' session.  Jim Leonard takes a turn.  That entire section is complete.  The next step is to fit and cut a new metal patch, drill it for placing new rivets, weld it in, grind, fill, paint - you get the idea.