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Monday, September 23. 2013ME 28 Update - September 22, 2013I will try to post something here this morning although it will be necessarily short as I am about to get back on site at Union to work with a contractor today. I noticed Randy Hicks gave us a plug for the woodworkers convention. We had the biggest attendance ever and this time cracked the international barrier with two attending form Belgium. That would be the Belgium in Europe, not the Belgium two hundred miles north in Wisconsin.  A Bundle of Canvas Jeff Brady and Bill Peterson have managed to extract the canvas from storage and with great effort have it hoisted up on the roof of the car. This is just the start of the process as the next step is to unroll all of that.  The Big Rag This is a big rag, probably over 1100 square feet of canvas. I do not think IRM has had to recanvas a roof on a car this long to this moment in time. So, as with everything, there is some new learning along the way. There is a trim allowance on all the dimensions but it only makes sense to try to slide and push it around to center it on the roof. Easier said than done.  The Clamps We made ( I do not include me in that) a dozen new clamps of our own design to clamp to the edges of the canvas, and they were mounted, starting at the ends of the car; shown here as Jeff and Bill demonstrate.  Rolled out The large white thing stretching into the distance is the canvas all rolled out. If it seems a long way away, it is, and more so if you consider the work left, which includes setting about 1500 tacks. For now we have stretched and pulled the canvas to begin the process of removing all the wrinkles and get it to lay down flat on the roof. Thursday, October 11. 2012Michigan Electric 28 Update - October 7, 2012Rear Roof Slat Installation Completed With the cooler Autumn temperatures comes greater progress in the carbarn. On Sunday, Jeff Brady fired up the roof slat steamer for bending and installing the final slats on the rear of the car. I took a few pictures of Jeff while he was completing this important milestone. The first picture shows Jeff on the rear scaffold holding the cap to the slat steamer pipe. Can you see the slat inside the pipe waiting to be heated by steam? When Jeff thinks the slat has “cooked” enough he quickly removes it and bends it to the correct curvature while nailing it in place.  Jeff Steaming a Roof Slat While bending the slat, Jeff hand tapers the bottom end before nailing it to the tack molding.  Jeff Shaving a Roof Slat to Fit  View of Completed Rear Roof At last the final slat was installed! Can you see Jeff’s finger pointing to the small wedge shaped slat that finished the job? Well done Jeff, the St. Louis Car Company would be proud! After a final sanding of the top layer of slats, Jeff will move on to tackle the front of the car next. I see a lot more slat bending and steaming in Jeff’s future.  That is the Last One! While Jeff was working on the roof of the car, I was fabricating the first of five window guards for installation in the rear vestibule. We do not have the original window guards as they were probably removed when the car was used as a cottage prior to 1971. We did obtain the correct match for what was there, except the tube lengths are wrong. Therefore, I have disassembled them and am now cutting new tubing to the correct length for reinstallation. The picture below shows the first window guard temporarily installed to check the size and look. I still need to install cold rivets to hold each of the four tubes in place. The window guard will be primed, and painted a finish coat of orange before installation.  Rays Window Guard Progress Interested in the 28 with time on your hands? We are always looking for volunteers to help us finish the car to it's former glory. To join the restoration team, please see us at work on Tuesdays and Sundays in Barn 4/Electric Car Shop. Monetary donations are always welcome. Donations buy the materials, we supply the labor. Mail funds to IRM designating the ME28 restricted fund. Thanks! All pictures taken by Ray Schmid. Additional ME28 pictures can be seen in the IRM Member Photo Gallery @ IRM.org. Tuesday, August 7. 2012Michigan Electric 28 Update - August 5, 2012More Side Window Replacement and Roof Slat Installation On Sunday, Norm Krentel and Ray Schmid were successful in installing five restored windows into the right rear window openings. Two storm window sashes and two lower sashes were installed along with one interior upper sash. All the wood stops and trim pieces were also screwed in place to hold the windows. The pictures below show the finished upper sash. Side note: Only the interior upper sash contains pressed prism glass that is frosted. The exterior pressed prism glass is clear. The pattern on both windows is identical. The light coming through the newly cleaned prism glass is making these windows appear much more attractive now that the raised arch pattern can be seen.  Installed Interior Upper Sash  Prism Glass Patterm Jeff Brady is shown below nailing the second and final layer of slats over the first. Each basswood slat needs to be hand tapered and fitted so that it will lay flat on the rear curved roof. He is finished with the second layer where the slats will bend without breaking. The side slats on the left and right have such a severe bend that they will break in two or split if they are bent dry. These will require Jeff to treat them with steam until they become more pliable. Once bent and nailed, the steam treated slats will retain their shape after drying. With the 90 to 100 degree weather we are having this summer Jeff is waiting for the weather to cool before using steam in the car barn. I think this is a wise decision!  Jeff nailing roof slats  Shaving and fitting the slats Thursday, August 2. 2012Michigan Electric 28 Update - August 2, 2012Roof Slat Installation and Side Window Replacement Continues! Jeff Brady is shown below belt sanding the first layer of rear roof mounted wood slats. In the blazing heat this summer, he is nailing the second and final layer over the first. The front and rear will both have two layers of slats that create the contour of the roof. The center carlines of the roof were covered with formed Masonite hard board that has now been painted with a flat black primer. Holes were recently cut by Walt Staffa (not pictured) for the roof vents that will be added following the installation of the canvas roof covering. Shown below is Doug Johnson removing the vent louvers inside the car before Walt cut the holes in the Masonite roof. Norm Krentel continues to disassemble the window sash openings to repair or replace the numerous pieces of wood stops or guides, and metal post caps while the sashes are out for restoration. Upon their return, the sashes are fitted with latches or lifts that will allow the passengers to operate the windows. Several window openings have been completed with the restored windows.
Ray Schmid is shown below installing the latches and lifts to the restored lower sashes. Also shown is Ray’s process for cleaning each pane of ornate upper sash glass before he sets them into the restored frames. There are interior and exterior upper sashes that span a set of two lower sashes. Ray has installed several cleaned panes into the waiting frames. Several of the pressed glass upper sashes have been installed on the car this summer. The press glass exterior upper sashes were painted white while the car was used as a cabin in Michigan and did not allow light to pass into the interior of the car. After paint removal and cleaning, the newly installed sashes make a huge difference in the appearance of the car. The before and after result is amazing! See for yourself in the above pictures in front of Norm.
    
Monday, November 21. 2011ME 28 Update - November 20, 2011 Upper Sash The first rebuilt windows for this car have been received after being processed by an outside contractor. Ray Schmid is sanding them down and applying additional coats of polyurethane to protect them. This car has paired sets of regular side windows below a long double width upper sash, seen here. And each window has the regular sash and an additional storm sash outside of that.  Lower Sash The lower sash are also sanded and here you see Ray applying the smooth top coat of polyurethane. See how it shines?  Side Windows Meanwhile out in the carbarn, Norm Krentel is giving the window openings a thorough going over, removing many layers of old paint, and making needed repairs.  End Roof And Jeff Brady is continuing to work on the new end roof. This becomes very complex and more or less requires a SCULPTOR rather than an ordinary guy with some carpenter skills. Jeff is the man for the job. |
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Comments
Sun, 02-21-2021 21:12
Hi Ethan The 428 has been worked on recently but the focus now is on the maintenance and repair on the 1630 and the Shay. This Spring we will [...]
Sun, 02-21-2021 15:10
How is the UP 428 Steam locomotive engine is most done being fixed. OK Roger.
Sun, 02-21-2021 13:18
Hello Max The answer is Yes, the Dover will be used along with our other Pullman cars only in special event operations. When not in use [...]
Sun, 02-21-2021 12:30
Hello Jim We will be operating the Dover this year depending upon its mechanical condition. I hope to use the car in display venue as well as in [...]
Sun, 02-21-2021 12:24
Hello Kirk Hello, Yes the Dover is now in great shape. There are a couple of little projects to accomplish when the weather changes. I am [...]
Sat, 02-20-2021 18:55
Will the DOVER STRAIT be operational for Museum trips
Sat, 02-20-2021 17:06
I’m really impressed with the wonderful job your volunteers are doing to restore this historic passenger car. Once the restoration is complete, does [...]
Sat, 02-20-2021 14:02
It is great to see the work that Bob Hunter and Gene Macowiak started in the 1990’s. Great work done in finishing the two bedrooms and the buffet [...]
Fri, 02-19-2021 18:41
Very good article. I definitely love this website. Continue the good work!
Tue, 02-02-2021 10:15
I know it is wintertime, and the Virus is making getting people in to do work is difficult, so in a few months, when it's warmer, would someone please [...]
Sun, 01-31-2021 14:37
Hello Jack Thank you very much We in the coach dept are working very hard to have these trains restored Thanks Roger
Sat, 01-30-2021 18:45
pre oiler is a great idea saves lots of wear and tear on engines. a pat on the back for the diesel crew