Freight Car Department

Victor Humphreys is sanding some of the wood siding after most of the remaining paint has removed.

Kirk Warner is using the air powered needle chipper on the metal door and related parts.

And finally, Victor Humphreys is applying white primer to the siding.  There is plenty left to scrape and sand before winter - come on out!

Victor Humphreys is filling nail holes after re-nailing and seating loose pieces of siding.

Kirk Warner is scraping what paint is left on the south side of the car.

Victor Humphreys is scraping paint here high on the side using a portable scaffold - and it only takes three guys to move it!

John Baletto has started needle chipping on the steel parts.

This is a new entry for a fairly new project car for the department.  It is one of only two insulated boxcars in the Museum collection, although an untrained eye may assume it to be a refrigerator car.  But there are no roof hatches and no ice bunkers or fans.



Here is a link to ROSTER info.  That indicates it was built by GATX in 1931 and has Barber trucks.  It certainly was rebuilt well after that date as it now has a plug door and PSF trucks from 1940. Those are unusual Pittsburgh Steel Foundry products.

As of 1942 the car was listed in the Register as an ice bunker refrigerator car, so the rebuild included removal of the icing capability, a plug door, new roof panels, for a start.

We also could use any info on this car at IRM as it had received a partial repaint sometime during the 1970's  And as you can see most of that paint is gone.  If we want to keep this one it is overdue for new paint and weatherproofing.  As it is, several of the siding boards will be replaced during the work.

So, do any of you out there have pics after its arrival at IRM?  Or pics of similar cars in like numbered series showing the lettering and placement.  We have hints, but I do not want to prejudice the jury.  Show us what you got!!