Wood Shop

There are a lot of topics and pics this time around.  I will lump most together in this entry, and make a following entry for the CGW X 38.

What is a Clamshell

The crew working on Cleveland Transit System 4223 has a nickname for everything.  In this case there is no mistaking the formed metal head lining going into the front end of the PCC.  It is not really that thin, so it is pretty heavy and required many hands.  To lift it, hold it up, and take deep breathing exercises while some screws were driven into place.

Another View

In case you did not recognize all the players in the first picture, here is another view of the crew on the clamshell job.  Maybe this is the better side that you will be able to set names to.

Ad Card Panels

Nick Rindt set up some horses on the outside and scrubbed paint off of several of the metal panels that were used to hold ad cards.

Primed

Al Reinschmidt came over to the shop near the middle of the afternoon and set about taking the above panels, wiping them down, and applying primer.

Have a Seat

John Mc Kelvey is working on another seat for the LAKE CITY.  This bench seat is destined to go into the smoking lounge of the Men's Lavatory.

Canvas

John Faulhaber (shown) and Gerry Dettloff have spent a few extra days on campus this week.  The result is a new piece of roof canvas in place on the Lake Shore Electric 810.  This traction trailer has been a long time in the shop and now it appears the end may be near.  The canvas has been stretched and tacks are being driven.

Speaking of Roofs

Just across the aisle from the LSE 810 is our Michigan Electric 28.  Jeff Brady and Norm Krentel have labored long and hard and here is the result.  A new wood roof, sanded, painted, and ready to receive new canvas of its own.

Put a Shine On It

Jeff Brady was in the shop and had set up a buffing wheel to polish brass window lifts and other hardware for the ME 28.

And the Window

Another restored window for the ME 28 receives some attention from Jeff as he mounts the needed hardware on the sash.

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.

This entry is late since COMCAST was down most of the day today.  But look on the bright side, I got to make driveway repairs!  Always on my top ten list!  And despite the title of these posts they include work done in the barn 4 shops as well as car work, often in the freight car department, and elsewhere on site.

Winner by a Nose

Jim Leonard is always a hard worker and today he spent a lot of time on the nose of Chicago Great Western X 38 Russell snowplow.  Lots of tricky areas hard to reach, to clean old rust and paint.  We would like to remove the bent train line pipe, but so far that task has eluded us.

Primed

Lots of work was done by the crew in several areas on the plow, and here Jim closes the workday applying more primer to an area on the knife edge of the nose.  Dave Rogan, Victor Humprheys, and Buzz Morisette helped along on work for the interior.

Buzz

Speaking of Buzz he measured up and cut many pieces of wood for trimming out and repairing the cupola interior.  So naturally he had to stay late and get primer on one side of the pieces.

Room With a View

One of our other ongoing projects does not get much press.  That is the restoration of Illinois Central Gulf 199458 steel caboose.  From the newly painted and lettered interior you have an excellent room with a view.  Joe Luciani is on the west platform preparing to start re-painting.

An Inside Job

The Wednesday Special Projects crew has made remarkable progress in a short time.  Here is another view of the interior, including new lettering.

New Paint

After cleaning and priming, Lee Regione is applying the new interior finish coat at the east end and under the cupola.

To a Letter

Paul Gasiorowski has taken charge of the artwork on the caboose interior - GOOD JOB - and now is documenting and preparing patterns for the exterior lettering on the caboose.

Boxed In

Rich Witt is applying finish paint to all the replica CA&E first aid boxes he built.  The color is sort of a butterscotch pudding tan, and almost close to the color of the natural wood.

On the Beam

Speaking of the CA&E, Randy Hicks and John Faulhaber have a boring job.  That is, boring mounting holes 3/4 inch diameter in new solid oak third rail beams for car 36.  That is certainly not a job for a hand drill, but it looks like they have it all figured out.

New Ceiling

Lorne Tweed, and behind him, Simon Harrison, sanded down the new ceiling panels for Cleveland Transit System 4223 and applied finish paint by the end of the afternoon.