We had a plan to try to avert punishment in the predicted mid nineties heat (I think it made it to 95 or 96). Start early with the painting and assemble the crew to work through it efficiently and quickly. The volunteers responded! Dave Rogan, Jim Leonard, and Victor Humphreys are about an hour into the process and well along.
Dave and Jim are on the ground doing the brush work while Victor is on the scaffold doing the larger flat areas.
It was all elbows when Dick Cubbage joined us and he quickly set up to do more wire brushing on the side, to get more ready for primer, to get more ready for PAINT.
It was REALLY HOT but Jim Leonard continued on the project, here installing a new 250 psi rated air hose. There are eight such flexible air connections to the cylinders which move the plow wings in and out. They are all very old and hardened, and one had already cracked and broken. As the wing is extended or retracted the entire actuating piston rotates slightly so the flex hose is an absolute need. First one is done!
Buzz Morisette has been working to close up the cupola. He has now completed that task using some of the original sash and some plywood boarding up. This is somewhat of a necessary but temporary measure. With some funding, the plan is to use the coming winter months (sounds funny saying that now) to purchase hardwood and fabricate eleven new windows and two new doors.
Jim Leonard had picked up his pipe wrenches and was heading home. Good that the cupola is relatively more weatherproof but it did not make it any cooler working inside the plow body.
Many of you may be thirsting for information on our project to restore two Milwaukee Streetcars to operation. The project moves steadily forward, limited only by the fact that there are only 24 hours in a day and only 7 days in a week.
Shop work and painting has been completed on the first truck and it has now been moved to an assembly area at the east end of Barn 4!! Stay tuned.
The second truck has been disassembled and power washed, and resides inside the shop. Frank Sirinek (not shown) and Fred Zimmerman are repainting it.
It will be very exciting to see the assembly work proceed and that means then installing the motors and moving forward. Many of you have been very generous in sending donations, but we are not out of the woods yet. The restricted fund to designate your donation is RTMS and you might want to consider a donation as paying forward, your ticket for a ride!
Comments
Wed, 01-30-2019 12:42
I see M&E 18 finally made it home! Congratulations to you guys in the diesel department, and to the museum in general. If I'm able to, I'll try to [...]
Fri, 01-18-2019 17:04
Car Barns are the best means of Long Term preservation of rail cars. I just got my new membership card for 2019. Have you sent in your contribution [...]
Sun, 01-13-2019 08:08
There are several issues with restoring both 2707 and 975 to operating condition. Money is a big issue, seeing as we have no idea what condition they [...]
Sat, 01-12-2019 01:08
Nice Thought, but those two engines are unlikely to operate on the museum line if operate at all, Because of Size, Condition, and Necessary Budget for [...]
Thu, 01-10-2019 20:46
Nice that u guys trying restore and repaint it. But if gona go this far way not just restore it and 2707 engine both running condition. I know lot of [...]
Tue, 12-25-2018 17:22
Merry Christmas to all those who work so hard to make the IRM the great museum that it is! I will send in my membership renewal in the next week or [...]
Fri, 11-30-2018 19:48
Hello Ted No, its not the Metro Burro crane. Its the Bay City 25 ton Crane sitting in the back of the Steam Shop. Thanks Roger
Fri, 11-30-2018 13:43
Is that the Metra Burro Model 30 crane you are working on?
Tue, 11-27-2018 17:12
Good Job.
Sat, 11-03-2018 17:05
Are you the Paul Cronin from B&M days at Iron Horse Park?
Mon, 09-24-2018 18:39
keep up the good work on this car. Wish I could be there to help. is starting to look good.
Thu, 09-06-2018 18:16
I am glad to see you took away the caboose fittings; they were only added in the car's last two years. By all means, put in the right seat frames, [...]