Cleveland Transit System 4223

Electrical

Eric Lorenz and Lorne Tweed are going over an electrical cabinet that lives below the front dash at the end of the car.  The old one is in pretty sad shape and a lot of the framing and cabinet work will need new parts fabricated.  This step is all part of the work needing to be done and getting wires pulled, before installing the new glass windshields and painting that area.

Innards

Here is a better look at the switches and fuse blocks that live in the above cabinet.  Sketchy schematics, lots of cut wires, missing elements and fuses.  Did I mention it was dirty?

Windows

Of course we need to mention windows in any such BLOG entry.  Alex Randow works on these pretty regularly and he is checking the growing pile of completed sash.  17 large sash and 18 small sash are now complete.

Panels

Alex also worked on cleaning up several old panels and trim work needed for the car interior.  These represent items in good enough shape to re-use, and as explained previously, several items need to be re-installed before the side window areas can be completed.  Note that these now shine like new metal, you would not have thought this possible if you examined them before his work.  It did not happen by accident.

More Windows

Keith Letsche walked in Sunday and volunteered to do more window sash.  This project is mostly a Wednesday/Saturday crew and this unexpected work only adds to and advances the work.  Thanks, Keith.

Apologies since it seems the volunteers doing the work can accomplish results faster than I can post entries here.

Tracks

Lorne Tweed is working on the smallest of the track parts, an insert with steel spring leaves behind it.  Needless to say many of those are about destroyed by rusting, so here he is dong 'blacksmith' work to try to remove some bad ones.

Back in the Carbody

The mild winter weather continued so Lorne Twee is assisting Eric Lorenz with installation of more of the new car interior wainscotting panels below the windows.  Very nice!

Window Sash

Steady work equals steady progress.  Alex Randow just will not give up, and continues to clean and restore aluminum sash for this car.  Note that he is wearing a NY GIANTS hat!  Alex hails from the New Jersey area and it gives one pause to gain such insight into the character of your workmates.  Is it a good move to wear that in the Midwest?  Just kidding, Alex.

Tracks

It is no less attractive to remove crud, bend the tracks straight, and clean the tracks needed for these windows.  Many surfaces, grooves and folds in the metal.  Lorne Tweed grits his teeth and continues the process.  He is nothing if not persistent.

Let There Be Light

Meanwhile, Bill Wulfert (above) located a headlight lens while Eric Lorenz proceeded to fabricate a reflector, install socket, wiring and bulb.  In short order a temporary power supply was rigged up and THERE WAS LIGHT!  This car looks to be ready to leave at any time if we have a long enough extension cord.