Illinois Railway Museum Blog

409 Sash

Frank Sirinek and Rich Witt are proudly displaying the new sign box sash for CA&E 409.  Rich did most of the woodworking and Frank finished the painting and glazing.  By the end of the day it had already been installed on the car!

Next

Rich Witt began at once on the next window project, this time a door drop sash for the CA&E 450 series cars.  First step was to take measurements and create a drawing to proceed.

Jointing

Buzz Morisette continued his fine efforts on ten new windows for the MILW 01984 caboose.  After long trips to Barn 11 to check the fit, he decided to use our century old jointer to shave a bit off the width.

Priming

With the fit satisfactory, it was on to the bench to apply primer.  Buzz sure gets a lot done and makes the most of his time out at IRM.  I wonder how he does it?

Gutters

Tim Peters has made new gutters for the CRT 1268 using new sheet copper.  Here is a side by side of one of the few originals and the new fabrication, which included forming a folded over lip and rolling to shape.

Back in the Saddle

Here is the first prototype of a 'pilot model' for new saddles for CA&E 451.  The old one Tim Peters is holdng can be seen to be 90% rotted and missing.

I think there will be no entry here for March 28.  I have come to rely and appreciate guest photographers in the last recent weeks but no such help yesterday.  And a lot of the shop remained nearly empty with the large attendance at the CTA fantrip.  But work continued by the ME 28 crew, the passenger coach department was on hand to continue seat work, and to lend me a hand milling more battens for the depot project.

Oh, and one other thing - a lot of folks were working on the CA&E cars including the 409 and the 460.  As I was leaving, I saw a three car set of steel cars rounding the ess curves on the car line!  431-460-409