Freight Car Department

From Buzz Morisette, acting "Electric-Freight" Person:

As promised, this is a follow-up post on the North Shore 1003 caboose display. It is now open for inspection. And although there is still more work to do it makes a nice addition to the central campus for visitors to walk through.

Work remaining includes repainting the West interior, replacing the north car siding, and many detail improvements. As always your generous donations are greatly appreciated. Thanks to all involved in the project volunteering their time to enhance visiting the IRM.

Visitors on June 19, 2018.

Looking up at the cupola.

View inside the caboose.

Another look inside the caboose.

Photos courtesy of Buzz Morisette

From Buzz Morisette, acting "Electric-Freight" Person:

We are getting close to opening the North Shore 1003 caboose to the public.

For the last few months Henry V, John F, and I have been scraping, sanding and cleaning the caboose out getting it ready to paint this spring. The windows were repaired over winter and now we are in the final stages of painting.

Another big improvement was lighting tied to the barn lights. Dave D. instrumental in getting that hooked up. So stayed tuned we should have it open soon.

Pictured here are the volunteers of the “Electric-Freight” department spending Saturday 6/2 completing the ceiling and walls of the cab section.

L to R Victor, Bill, Greg and Buzz. Love that 1950 pastel green.

Greg with our reserve call up Bob B. of DeKalb.

Filling in for Bob K. with help from Pauline Trabert this is Buzz with a Freight Dpt. Summer progress post. The photos are all from Wednesday August 20th.

I worked on several various items this week including lamp shade repair for the X-38, patching holes in Soo-5001's roof, and testing a wood sealer on CNW 10494 wood caboose.

Over the last year Dave H and I worked to cover our CNW 10494 wood caboose with recycled barn sheathing. It was a low cost and low maintenance way to preserve this car for future restoration. Next to treat and paint the ends.

CNW Cab - Photo by Buzz Morisette

Dave seen here has started chipping, brushing, and priming under the south wing of the X-38 snow plow. Hot hard work here, I think he needs a hand.

Dave - Photo by Buzz Morisette

Victor was inside the plow continuing to paint the restored interior car siding.

Victor - Photo by Buzz Morisette

This picture from last June shows the hole from removing rotten floor boards.

Floor boards open - Photo by Buzz Morisette

Behind Victor you can see the repaired and painted closet door and the repaired floor with the reservoir tanks back in place. It took some planning to jack the heavy tanks up off the floor and then replace the floor under them safely.

Repaired floor - Photo by Buzz Morisette

The Wednesday crew was making good progress on prepping our ICG caboose for new paint. Bill and Rick stopped for a moment for me to snap a picture.

Bill and Rick of the Wednesday Crew - Photo by Buzz Morisette

Working on the south side of ICG-199458 Lee brushes the far sill while Dan sands below the cupola.

Lee and Dan - Photo by Buzz Morisette

Ed was working the high iron brushing under the roof edge. This caboose received new wheels last year and is popular with operating crews and passengers because of the open vestibules to stand out on.

Ed working the high iron - Photo by Buzz Morisette

Also saw Bill again at the X-38 plow getting ready to start lettering the north side. Bill offered to fill in for Bob K. who is still recovering from a broken leg.

Lettering X-38 plow - Photo by Buzz Morisette

We miss you Bob, get well soon!!

August 24th, 2014 Buzz Morisette.

Buzz Morisette wrote and took pictures for the following post:

With Bob K. out with a bad leg I thought I would update the Wood, Car, and Freight Shop Blog with a few photos from Wednesday.

The CGW Plow has seen a lot of progress even with the cold wet weather this spring. Exterior almost completely painted.

CGW plow exterior almost completely painted

The stove is now back in place. Victor H, project manager, looks like he is waiting for the stove to produce some hot coffee. Dave R is coming up the ladder.

Victor H. and Dave R. look at the stove

The plow roof will be finished soon

Dave and Chris R. checking their cameras, you can see the new toolbox and the completed car siding and ceiling work from this last winter.

Inside the plow with completed car siding and ceiling

The plow cab is completely finished off

On the way back to the shop I caught Randy Hicks in the pit inspecting CA&E 309.

Can you find Randy in this photo?

Pete G. in the shop painting parts for Charles City Western 300.

Pete G. in the shop painting parts for Charles City Western 300

He and his crew have rebuilt a 600 volt compressor this winter. Just checked out OK last week and ready to be installed.

Rebuilt 600 volt compressor

300 looks great with fresh orange paint and rebuilt grids being wired in.

Fresh orange paint on the 300

Over in barn seven I found Gery D. (L) and John F. (R) measuring TMER&L D-13 dump car roof for replacement car lines (Rafters).

Gery D. and John F. measuring TMERL D-13 dump car roof

The Gery and John team have also finished the 810 roof painting back in barn 4

The 810 roof painting finished

Also busy in the shop today were Lorne T. prepping and painting interior panels for the Cleveland 4223 PCC. And last but not least Rich W. working up plans for the arch window frames we need to make for the Boston and Mane wood diner.

Rich W. working up plans for B&

Tim was not around today but I don’t know when the CRT 1024 was last updated. The photo below shows the new sign roll box, roofing, end platform, beam work, and special cast running lights next to the sign box.

CRT 1024

Tim and Frank just started cutting the new T&G car siding that’s set up in the shop. I need to finish the sign roll graphics for this project.

Thanks for looking, (get well soon Bob - I don’t like to type) Buzz Morisette, May 15, 2014.