Illinois Railway Museum Blog

This was certainly an odd weather day.  The forecasters were unified in the prediction it would rain all day, until mid afternoon when it it be REALLY BAD weather.  Some volunteers may have been scared off and some events in Chicago were postponed.  Two of the volunteers had concerned wives who called the shop to tell them to clear out before 2 PM to beat the predicted storms.  We figured we could get an hour or two of work in on the plow, so began with that right away in the morning.  And worked along for almost six hours without rain!  We got a lot done.

Another New Sill

Shop work was the first task for Buzz Morisette as he worked to fabricate another new window sill for the cab cupola.  This one is destined for the rear window area, if I am not mistaken.

Who Is That

Why, it is Dave Rogan of course.  Here he is leaning out the cupola window area, and wire brushing the metalwork.  Earlier he and I had two needle chippers going at once scaling layers of old paint.  You see what those areas look like to your right of Dave, in this picture.  Then Dave was using a power wire wheel to clean down to bare metal, seen in the posts to your left left.  And below the roof line a hint of the old yellow paint is visible.

Priming

Always with an eye to the sky, Victor Humphreys came topside and applied primer to all those areas that had been prepped.

The Roof

We had also started on the very long job of restoring the roof.  Only a small area to be sure and a bit scary perching way up on the left front corner, knowing there is only the gaping maw of the plow below you.  But here is the first primer going on the roof.

More Help

We were very grateful to have some new and unexpected help from Joe Luciani - here cleaning the truck frame on the left side - and Lee Regione.  They were sweating in the sun on the ground while we were sweating up on the roof.

Here Comes the Paint

Victor had completed the painting up on the roof while the ground work continued.  Just in time.  Victor attacked those cleaned areas with fresh primer.  Here he is doing a triangular flanger support, and then he moved on the prime the truck frame.

Framed

Inside the cupola Buzz toiled away fitting new wood and also fitting the slider window for the left side.  The fixed window looks good installed and the surrounding area painted in the deep maroon.

Like the Everready Bunny

Using the needle chipper is a funny task.  It is loud and some vibration is involved.  But it can be very satisfying to see the years of use and abuse peel away.  You just do not want to put it down.  As the painting was going on on the opposite corner, Dave started cleaning layers of paint from the left front corner and roof.