Obviously, that car cannot be saved. I would only say, be sure to take VERY detailed photos and measurements before and during dismantling, so that if a replica is built, it can be as accurate as possible.
REPLY: I would love to create measured drawings with photos of the car. Whether for historical purposes only, for some possible future use for a replica or even a scale model. I have done this for several cars already, and it takes over 500 hours of field work and work at a computer to do an adequate job. Can you help?
Bob Kutella
There's a Chinese proverb that applies to constructing shelters for cars like that poor gondola above:
"The best time to plant a tree... is 20 years ago. The second best time is TODAY!"
A few more notes on the car. For starts some folks examining the car will note that there were “extra parts” with the car. They were from another C&WI gondola scrapped by IRM. More than a year after the cleanup of the scrap those parts were left, I took over to this car if we needed some replacement castings.
The car shown above had the “B” end removed so the car could act as a boom tender for the smaller of the C&WI cranes, nearly identical to the one used by the steam shop. The crane itself was also cut up at IRM several decades ago. The tender for the C&WI 1900 steam crane started out as a Gondola so some parts could be used as replacement for worn parts on that car. But given that too is sitting outside and the C&WI 1900 crane is outside too partly disassembled I do not hold much hope for ether of those to be around in 20 more years.
Sunk costs. Can't save them all. Life goes on. Taking it apart would be a good time to itemize the components and take measurements so plans can be created for historical reference. Then maybe some parts can go to other restorations. 60k for a replica sounds like a questionable chunk to spend.