Comments
Is the damage to wood in the Ely's roof area all from water? Is there any dry rot beginning? The car is over 100 years in age and a truss rod design too.
#1 Jim Becker on 2012-12-30 11:33
Yes rotted wood along most of the ceiling. Electric lights added in the 1920s left a way for the water to get in. Thankfully this seems to me isolated to the center of the ceiling.
#1.1 Buzz on 2013-01-04 16:29
Thanks Buzz
#1.1.1 Anonymous on 2013-01-07 15:48
Buzz is crating a new "masterpiece." What an improvement!
#2 roger on 2013-01-05 08:14
Is the outside roof material in poor shape? I'm guessing its canvas and age is getting the better of it.
#3 Jim Becker on 2013-01-06 23:03
Yes, the outside canvas Is in very poor shape but the coach dept leadership ise not interested in replaceing the roof canvas at this time. To many other projects.
#3.1 Roger on 2013-01-07 15:45
I agree that replacing the roof should be lower on the to do list. On this car pulling off the roof could almost do more harm than good, for you don't know what you might find. Plus, this car seldom sees the light of day and certainly not a drop of rain. Its too valuable to be run very much. So when was the Ely last run?
#4 Jim Becker on 2013-01-09 14:25
Jim... The last time the Ely ran was? I'm sure it was two floods ago. The entire string hasn't moved in years. Some axles are probably rusty. Now I heard their is talk about changing the electric to 110 vac from 32vdc. Real history in the making! Roger
#5 Anonymous on 2013-01-09 19:54
I have a video tape from Pentrex called "Chicago Steam Celebration" which was about the NRHS national convention held in Chicago during 1993. They filmed the convention attendees at their IRM outing and the Ely was being run. So could 1993 been the last time it was run?
#6 Jim Becker on 2013-01-10 20:51
I assume the change from from 32Vdc to 110vac is to light the bulbs for display? Isn't such a change considered damaging to the historical significance of the Ely? Also, unless someone is going to re-wire the car....isn't there an increased risk of fire?
#7 Jim Becker on 2013-01-10 20:57
Yes, Its very dangerous to convert from DC to AC BUT ...... I guess the leaders are not electrical engineers!
#8 Roger on 2013-01-11 15:38
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