Chicago Great Western X 38 Russell Snow Plow

Artwork

My personal goal for the day was to see about applying the first lettering to the north side.  During the week, I pored over photographs, worked hours at the computer using a drafting program, and resolved font and sizing issues.  I printed out the needed art patchwork on my small home printer and proceeded to tape and stitch it together.  This paper 'stencil' merely serves to transfer the pattern to the side of the equipment.  After tracing on to the car side, the stencil is removed and we use a fairly small brush to apply special white lettering enamel.

Halfway

We are halfway there and you can see it taking shape.  I do this very slowly, slower with each passing year.  I am sure a professional sign painter would have long completed these three characters by now.

Done

But we muddled through it and now the plow carries its proper CGW number after an absence of such identification of over 40 years.

South Side

Work began on the south side of the plow with Jim Leonard placing a half dozen new carriage bolts to anchor internal timbers to the steel sides.  This included removal of the old bolts, cleaning and priming the areas around the bolts, and then installing the new ones and tightening everything up.  Jim made some more progress on the south door threshhold and fit issues are resolved, with the cast plate in for machine shop work.

North Window

Jim moved on the new framing for the north window.  Each piece had to be squared, adjusted to fit, and bolted firmly in place.  It looks good, now we better get some maroon paint on those shiny boltheads and new wood.

Bonus Work

Long time volunteers Ray Pollice and Gerry McGonigal were on hand and pitched in.  They are removing the old paint and rust from areas of the front nose and plow faces.  Little by little, a patch at a time, a substantial amount of the surfaces have been cleaned and primed.