Hello Mike I can not issue a blanket statement that all cars have concrete[cement] floors but at least all Pullman hvywts built from about 1910 thru 1960's should have them. Yes, our Lacks as well as the Rock coaches also have concrete floors. Old private varnish do have wooden floors. Roger
Folks,
This is a great heavyweight car! I think the hard work will pay off in a big way!
Just renewed my membership for 2016. looking forward to my next Rail & Wire!
Ted Miles
Hello, Mike Minear. The use of Portland Cement (concrete) based materials as part of the floor system and laid over corrugated steel is common to almost all "heavyweight" steel cars. This was done to make the cars feel less like cars and more like buildings. This was also done to make the cars heavier and with a lower center of gravity so they rode smoother than previous cars. We have one commuter car, Chicago and Northwestern 7700 from the mid 1920s that used an asphalt based material as part of its floor system. Meanwhile, our CTA 4000 series L cars, and our CTA Car 52 (5002) all use Portland Cement based flooring systems.
The Baldy flooring is NOT Portland Cement. It is a magnesium oxychloride cement that can be troweled to form a hard seamless floor over wood, concrete or steel. This material resists cracking when applied to transit vehicles and dries to the appearance of concrete without the tendency to crack.
Only the Baldy (4146) and CTA articulated 52 have this type of flooring. The Plushies had maple floors. This material was also used on the 1926 Illinois Central commuter cars. It was also used under many post WW II cars with tile squares applied on top. It is actually lightweight and good for floors that may have some flexing in service. An east coast company that is no longer in business sold it under the name: Magnaflor-R. The industry sometimes called it Flexolith or Mastipave. It seems to be popular in west coast warehouses and in facilities that prepared food.
Thanks for the timely and important detail correction for the exact composition of this material. "Mastipave" is the name I've heard used most, though prior to your posting, I hadn't found a reference stating exactly WHAT was in it. By the same token, the floor in the Dover Straight is likely Mastipave, and should likely be patched, repaired, or replaced with Mastipave as well.
Hi Chris The porter call buttons will never operate in the Dover. They all must be rewired and we don't have enough lifetimes to it. All new wireing must be pulled and then traced a large job! Roger
Hi Dave You are always welcome to assist us in our restoration efforts, Dave. We generally have two work sessions per week. One on Wed and the other on Saturday. You can park anyway around barn 3 and 4. Hope to see you. This is also a general invitation to anyone interested in helping us with our current projects. Hope to see you Roger
Hello again, Raphael. The Funding ,if you must know, is in the negative about $9,000.00. This, as I have previously stated, is due to the increase in transportation expenses from last October's move. Please send in your donations, to help erase this deficit. Thanks Roger
Folks,
Here is a general passenger car question. Many of the early steel Pullmans had graining to imitate wood over the steel. This was later replaced by paint.
Has graining turned up in any of the Passenger Car Department's heavyweights?
It would be a wonderful finish to restore!
Ted Miles, IRM Member
Hello Ted, When the early heavy weight Pullmans were first buil, probably between 1910 thru 1920's, many interiors were finished with simulated wood graining. We now would call it foe finish. The Inglehome still has a small sample of that style hidden under the annunciator box. How would you like to finish your entire house with this kind of finish? Its a tremendous undertaking. The artisans that work on these tasks were very very talented. The interior of the car would have to be stripped of all old paint. Completely staring from scratch taking days and days of meticulous recreation of the finish. I bet it would cost about 150,000 just to recreate that art form. Thanks for your interest. Roger
folks,
i was reading the Rail & Wire back issues again and see that the c,B&Q Baggage car has been stored in Denver since 1999. I hope that the museum has not been paying track rent in all that time!
Has any progress been made to move the car to Union?
Ted Miles
Hello Ted I have been pushing and begging for donations to move this "bag". Thankfully, there has been some positive [$] response. One main hang up is the UP's policy of free moves. The other hang up is that no one wants to spend t the time in Denver to move it. My suggestion is to truck the baggage car here to our campus. More money would be needed. It sure would look great behind our CB&Q 3007 and RPO 1923. If you like main line equipment Here's your opportunity to help. Please consider a donation to the CB&Q 1309. This exact scenario
is true for our Steam heater car, the Silver Beaver and the Bridle Spur Club. Thanks Roger
Hello Raphael You guys don't miss anything! That's good! Its a heavywt sleeper club located in Georgia. Please look it up on the various web sites. That will give you more info. Thanks Roger
I have known about the other railcars needed to be moved for a long time, but this is the first time I have ever heard of Bridle Spur Club. Could you please share some information about this car. Thank you in advance.
Hello Rich, Not much to tell about the car its located in Georgia and has been on the acquisition list for years. Its a heavywt lounge sleeper club. You can look it up Thanks Roger
The car is currently named 'Survivor'. It was purchased in 1982 by Dante Stephensen.
This site has three links to photo galleries of the car:
http://www.trainweb.com/travelogues/rayburns/2002j17f.html#sthash.iH6hUsUZ.EaEmAYuk.dpbs
"Built by American Car and Foundry in 1926, for Woolworth heiress Jesse Woolworth, the car was named Japauldon for her late husband, James Paul Donahue. Part of the social scene from 1926 through 1939, the car took the Woolworths to French Lick, Pinehurst, the Greenbriar and Palm Beach. The car is reputed to be the courtship car of Mrs. Donahue's neice, Barbara Hutton, and Cary Grant. The current owner purchased the car in 1982, and has progressively restored it, naming it the Survivor because it has. The car is owned by Dante Stephensen and is based in Atlanta, Georgia.