Entries by Robert Kutella

Get The Torch

We are moving ahead with the prep work to have this fine tank car repainted.  One of the decisions was to remove the dome running boards to allow a better job to be done.  They are of a location that would make it difficult to repaint without getting runs, and a color separation for the orange dome is but an inch away.  Almost impossible to mask that off well if they are in the way.  John Faulhaber and Gerry Dettloff are at work with the torch.

The Details

There are a lot of details to be attended to before traces of the old car and paint are to disappear.  Dave Rogan is helping by tracing the built date lettering as we work along to document anything and everything that could be of use.

Lube Stencil

Here is another of those details.  We previously described much of the lettering on the car as it exists, and here is a LUBE STENCIL on the right end of the center sill.  We think this means Texaco Grease 2301 applied by the Great Northern Railway in 1960 at a location shown abbreviated by letter "P".  Are you GN fans watching this post?  It would be interesting to identify that station name abbreviation.

Truck Sideframes

More detective work and some careful scraping revealed this lettering on the top chord of the truck sideframes.  Great Northern was surely a class outfit to go to this level of detail.  It says "G.N. 1390".

Truck Bolster

Earlier we showed you the truck bolster lettering on the "A" end, here is the similar but different lettering on the "B" end truck.

Table Saw

I do not think I will create a separate entry for shop work so will tack on a few news items here.  Jim Foraker (shown) and Henry Vincent worked on finishing touches to the 'slider' table saw restoration and wired up the motor.  It runs, but a few details remain.

The Old Grind

The old grind refers to the work, not that sterling individual (Al Reinschmidt) who cleaned the back side of a steel pilot destined for Chicago Aurora & Elgin 36.

I am going to keep with the usual subject header although in this case none of the photos were taken in the shop area.  The weather was just too nice and with the 60th anniversary in full swing, it was more a day for watching rather than working.  Special events, special equipment, special displays, special operations.  But some of us soldiered on with our projects.

Lights

This is a very dramatic photo of Eric Lorenz and the front end of Cleveland Transit System 4223, one of our PCC cars.  Eric has been working the last several weeks to make new wiring harnesses and string all that cable in the carbody, in preparation for installing ceiling panels and trim.  Here, the thing to note is the front end marker lights illuminated for the first time.  On to show you some of our work on our snowplow, Chicago Great Western X 38.

On the Roof

Jim Leonard and Bill Peterson are up in the roof of the plow.  They assured me they were hard at work but it looks to me they merely have a good bleacher seat for watching the trains going by.

A Wrenching Episode

I guess they really were working. Jim has a large pipe wrench, well in hand.  For several weeks we have been attempting to remove the damaged train line air pipe, that which runs down from the roof to the front end coupler.  It has resisted many of our efforts.  But they succeeded, straightened the air pipe, cleaned the old paint from it, and primed it.

Going Back Together

And the drop line from the roof is in, and now Bill and Jim are adding the angle cock and air hose assembly.

New Siding

Here is some new interior siding which was tricky to shape and patch in around one of the plow wing air cylinders.  It was gone by the time we received the plow and Dave Rogan did a very good job of fabricating and installing the boards primed in white in this pic.

Moving Up

Dave joined me in the cupola.  I was scraping paint, while Dave worked to re mount some of the electrical gear that was installed when the current sealed beam headlights were installed.

Train Watching

I said earlier it was a day for train watching.  Here is the 126 in the depot, and pulling a mixed caboose train to the delight of visitors, young and old.

Nice Meeting You Here

The caboose train provided three mile round trips - also operating were the LEVIATHAN steam train, the Nebraska Zephyr, and South Shore 803.  Here the 126 is returning from one of its popular trips as South Shore 803 idles on the west end of Station Track 2.  Brother Chris Buck was the dispatcher, and I bet it was real interesting.  At least five different mainline trains, some operating short turns and all needing to be governed efficiently and safely.