Archive for CZ Silver Pony
Department Update 2011-12-22
Posted by: | CommentsTo open this holiday report, I first want to once again extend our thanks to all of the supporters of the Passenger Dept. Several of you have made donations to the department and we appreciate the help.
Again and again, I am astonished and honored that so many folks seem to think our efforts are worthy of their support. We hope to continue as proper stewards of this part of the world.
We also need more support to keep these many projects moving forward. As we approach the end of the year, please think about your favorite passenger car.
There are several individual online donations possible:
http://www3.irm.org/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_7
If you wish to donate to a piece not listed, feel free to call the office and identify your wishes. Every piece of equipment has an account and, if a donation is targeted, we are legally required to use the money for the intended item.
Merry Christmas
Happy Chanukah
Happy New Year
GENERAL DEPARTMENT PROGRESS
Winter for the Passenger Dept usually means a time to get some messy work done, and this year is no different. Since we do not have heated facilities, we begin by setting up local heat in work spaces around the Barn, and planning indoor work for days the weather is not cooperative.
The majority of the damages related to the Terror event have been repaired, and the final work will be time consuming only because we need to locate a source to reproduce the broken lamp globe.
EQUIPMENT REPORTS
Inbound Acquisitions
Incoming acquisitions have been sidetracked for the short term, but NEWS is in as recently as this week!!!
PROGRESS!!
YAY!
The UP transport approvals are not yet forthcoming, and we continue to await the resolution via the Executive Director.
Number One
The baggage car Silver Beaver has been put into work at Gateway in preparation for its trip to us. We now know that the wheels are approved, and the brakes are being inspected. It is expected that the car may be ready to come in, ON ITS OWN WHEELS, sometime in mid to late January.
The car will be coming in as RCPX 801 (its original number) for those of you that follow that kind of stuff. The great news is that, if the car comes in on wheels, the only costs will be to make it roadworthy at Gateway. In addition, the track space for this car is already paid, as it will absorb the track space released by the sale of the Glen Alta.
Number Two
Next on the good news info, is that the wheels from Olympus have been offered to us for Silver Pony. This is, as many of you know, HUGE!!!!!
The down side is, since they are now a separate acquisition, they will need to be purchased. The cost at this point appears to be about $10-12,000. Whatever the cost, they will also incur about $1000 to get them here.
They are not perfect, as we have discussed in the past, but they are the correct design, and it will allow us to get the car on wheels and work on the mechanics as time goes on. Also, while not cheap, they are the only solution we have heard until now.
It also means that the Silver Pony fund will need help in a significant way, to absorb the costs. There have been a couple of wonderful donations recently toward the car, and we are extremely grateful.
Number Three
Lake City donor request is on the webstore, and photos have been posted in the department gallery. Milwaukee Rd Historical Society has been apprised of the acquisition, and plan to run a special notice in their upcoming publication. This move also awaits planning information from the Executive Director
Number Four
The new owner of Glen Alta arranged an inspection this past week, and the expectation is to have the car prepped on site and shipped out in early spring.
Number Five
The newly acquired CRIP coach in Iowa awaits movement to IRM. Brake work has been done and the car is now mechanically ready to transport.
Number Six
CBQ 1309 baggage car in Denver awaits transport completion by the Executive Director
No changes to equipment.
567, is in service.
561 is in service as well, following significant repairs to brake structure and attachments
556, with the end of operating season, work has begun again, with interior cleaning a priority.
We have continued the process of grinding old paint surfaces in the car.
The single window damaged during Terror has not yet been repaired, but the car is safe in Barn 9, so there is no risk.
Rock Island Coaches (6)
The repair of the roof of CRIP 2571 remains a project planned for winter and spring, but since much of the work will be needed outdoors on scaffold, the plan is to perform the work in later winter /early spring.
B&M 3288/1094
Continued interior work.
Exterior painting has also continued following the end of public days.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/BM1094
Dover Strait
Underbody finishing was completed . The interior is making progress.
Barricades are being developed for the bedrooms to allow public viewing of the car, and lounge carpeting has been identified.
We await information from the supplier to complete the process.
This car is slated next for conversion to 120vac lamps.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/DoverStrait
IC 3345
No progress at this time
CZ Silver Pony
http://www.irm.org/gallery/CZ-Silver-Pony
With the end of public season, we have been able to renew some work inside the car.
Seats are in process, and the missing seat mount pedestals are also being fabricated.
Lenses for the dome lights have been acquired
We know the windows are a priority, but a major stalling point was locating the gasket material for the windows.
With the help of the Executive Director, we have located a possible source, and hope to make progress soon.
Currently, we have gotten one of the vestibule traps working. It needs a bit of adjusting yet, but the mechanism is all back together and working.
We also have begun to work on the blower system, to try and ventilate the car this spring.
We have the fans back in place, so now we have to fabricate a blower motor mount.
It appears similar to the one we built for Silver Ridge, so maybe we will get lucky.
We also are beginning to repair the ceiling lights, new ballasts and starters.
CNW RDC 9933
We have received the missing interior baggage rack lights, rewired them and are currently installing them.
Construction of baggage racks will follow in time for 2012 season.
We also hope to improve the electrical feed to this car, enhancing ventilation for next year.
CBQ Silver Ridge
Some interior restoration remains planned.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/UP1432
Steady progress is being made in backdating interior wall surfaces.
Carpet removal in a double bedroom with exposure of original wall surfaces.
Mike hopes to complete this space over the winter.
We have located original color scheme information through the UP Historical Society, so if time and resources permit, we will be able to make the restoration accurate.
ACL Birmingham
The car has once again been winterized to provide a place for all volunteers to use during the winter. We plan to spend some time improving ventilation in the kitchen area this winter.
NP Loch Sloy
With completion of repairs, current plans to work on this car will be on hold until later in the off season. With limited manpower resources, we try to maintain realistic timetables to ensure the cars readiness for Spring season.
NP 230 Baggage Car
http://www.irm.org/gallery/NP230
The exterior painting of the car is complete.
YARD 5 DISPLAYS
Special Exhibit cars
http://www.irm.org/gallery/Special-Exhibit-Cars
The exit vestibule has been cleaned of obstructions and the center sill and coupler pocket are exposed.
Welding repairs have begun as we build a new vestibule platform for the exit end of the cars.
The video security system has arrived, and installation will be done by Les and Wally after the interior is finished.
A malfunction of the AC unit in the car late in the season has been assessed and Jerry Lynn is preparing an estimate to repair the system for next year.
We still await the completion of the second car power supply, with some of the repair and display ideas waiting for electricity.
Update 2011-10-09
Posted by: | CommentsFor the past week or so the computer has been arguing with me, and twice I began writing an update and twice somehow I managed to delete them.
Soooo, we will try again.
First I want to take a moment to thank all our friends , who have been so loyal in their support.
Many many folks have made donations to their favorite passenger car project over the past couple of months
Included in this list are Henry Auchstetter, Richard Ralston, Jeff Fryman, Kevin Brown, George Forslin, John Bender, David Brown, David Cook, and John Wilke
In addition, all of our visitors and friends that were able to make donations in the displays during the season.
Your faith in us is much appreciated, and we hope to put your contributions to worthy use.
Now on to the progress reports.
The Barn 3 track project is making good progress. All the rail is in, and the ballast has been delivered.
The track guys think they will be able to finish over the next two weeks or so, which would have it done before November, which is great!
They deserve our thanks as they keep on "track" to get it finished.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/Track-31-repair?page=1
While the cars remain out of the barn, Gene and Bob have gotten the underside of Dover Strait finished, so we can finally say the exterior painting is DONE!
http://www.irm.org/gallery/album71
Over in Yard 5 a couple of things are moving along
First, Mike Ray and Marc have really moved along on the Exhibit cars. All the rusted lower edge has been removed and the inner structure has been rustoleumed
Next they will begin to replace with new metal and seal things up.
In addition, Shelly has begun to strip the window frames to solve what appears to be a water leak issue around the frames.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/Exhibit-Cars-repairs-2011
Elsewhere in Yard 5, the Wednesday Special Project group just keeps plugging along.
The CGW combine is getting patched plugged and primed
http://www.irm.org/gallery/CGW4061
next to it The NP baggage car is really looking great, and they hope to have it done this year
http://www.irm.org/gallery/NP230
The streamliner sleeper set is of course out for the Terror event, so not a lot of active work going on right now, but I realized I hadn't taken any interior pictures of the cars for a while, so I have added some now.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/PPeak-2011
http://www.irm.org/gallery/NP325
just some pics for our distant friends that dont get out to see the cars in person much.
Mike McCraren has expressed an interest in Pacific Peak this winter, so perhaps with a little luck we will make progress in the car after November 1.
I know I have been thinking about tackling the existing heater system, and maybe i will be able to track down the circuitry and crank them up this year, and eliminate the use of external heaters quitre as much. It would be nice to make the car more and more self sufficient.
Out on the steam leads, patiently awaiting her wheels, Silver Pony makes more progress
As we have mentioned earlier, we found the last two seat frames needed for the downstairs areas, and we have now gotten them apart and off to the upholstery shop for repair.
The other thing we have moved on is the pedestal frames, as we will need several of them as well.
I still hope to have all the downstairs seats done by the time we get the car on wheels and in line with the others.
As some of you know, the car came in with some mechanical items half apart. The ventilation blowers are one example.
During its life as a parts car, the main blower motor was stripped out, but the squirrel cages were left dangling from the ceiling, to the point that we couldnt even close the ceiling panels in the foyer when we began.
Well that little problem is now solved. Last week we got them reinstalled and attached in their original spots.
At least now they seem to also be free and functional. Next item will be to pla the replacement of the motor, which is missing.
The system appears to be very similar in design to the one in Silver ridge, so armed with that knowledge, we may just be able to make it right soon.
The blower for the dome is still in place and still works, so I know the circuitry is intact
The ceiling lights will have to wait until i can plug the car into a power supply not connected to a GFCI plug. .
I had a similar issue with Silver Ridge at first, as the car is built with a body ground that trips the breaker when energized.
I can avoid the problem using the 32v circuits of the DC rectifier.
My immediate concern with the car is the fact that I need to keep it heated to prevent freezing in the windows.
Because of the delay in setting the car down, I havent been able to fix the windows yet.
Soon I hope, but since they must be installed from the outsoide, i dont hold much hope to get them done for winter.
This car has not been exposed to rain much in its recent life, and right now I am accumulating water between panes of glass.
If I let them freeze, they will of course crack and make an awful mess.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/CZ-Silver-Pony
So there you have it for now folks
Of course, continued donations will be most appreciated as we approach the work season.
Specifically
Dover Strait is RDOVER
The Wednesday Projects team has an account at R6166 (the number of their shop car)
The NP Baggage car is R230
The Silver Pony is R1108DRGW
The streamliner sleeper set is collectively RSILVR
Any and all support will help move things along.
Dept update 2011-08-25
Posted by: | Comments
A little time, and a little energy. A good time to write a few notes for our distant friends.
First, a bit of congratulations to the Wednesday special Projects Group.
They have been quietly making some really great progress on the restoration of several cars over the past two years, and they need to be applauded and thanked.
To begin, the CBQ Havelock Baggage car received for the Pullman Library is finished, and is on display as the third head end car of the Central Av display line.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/album205?page=1
While they were finishing that piece, a few of the guys began exterior work on the NP baggage car being used as a shop for the Passenger Dept.
The effort has really dressed up the car, painted in NP MOW brown until now
http://www.irm.org/gallery/NP230?page=1
Third..(yes third project in one year!)
The guys have agreed to make cosmetic repairs to the CGW combine that has been begging for attention for a while.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/CGW4061
Soooo, for the fans of specific pieces, they can always use donations
CBQ Havelock fans can donate to fund R993
NP fans can donate to fund R230
and CGW/CNW fans can donate as well I think R4061, although as i write this i cannot verify that. Hope to answer my own question this weekend.
As for the rest of the story….
Thomas is happening…
While that is going on, the track guys have managed to pull all the track from the bad siding in Barn 3 and we await B&G to clear and grade the space, so new track can be placed. The team has been building panel tracks so the installation should be a relatively straightforward process, once it starts.
Again, I apologize for a lack of photos right now, the time and energy have been on short supply for a while,
I hope to get some pix in the website gallery soon.
With the construction, Dover Strait is outside for a while, and Gene and Bob are making good use of the time. The underside painting is going forward, and we still hope to have it done this year.
In Yard 5, it seems that i have spent a lot of time this summer repairing, adjustung and tweaking the ventilation in the streamliner set.
The latest, is that i have continued to fiddle with the pacific peak blower. i have now adjusted the power feed for the blowers to make it internal, so i can use the system all the time, and perhaps even when the car is in motion.
Birminghams' primary AC system has been dripping condensation recently, and i think I may have found an answer.
I will know this weekend, with a long two day run for the system.
Silver Pony has not had a lot of attention lately, i know, buy with a but of luck, we may be approaching a change in that problem.
Seat plans are moving forward. Upholstery is in hand and we await frame fabrication.
I have located and purchased the lenses i need for the dome light fixtures, and I am actively seeking lenses for the downstairs lights.
I also have leads on a couple of other items for the car, but i dont want to chat about them until they are complete.
Rumors are sometimes negative.
I reported in the dept report that we had seats in stock, and they are in the car.
My HUGE hope is to get the car on wheels soon so i can get it in place for the winter.
After Thomas leaves, perhaps we can all get the "powers that be" to focus on the project of getting the three cars home yet this year.
Last but far from least
I want to thank all of our donors, large and small , who stick with us and support us on a regular basis.
Specifically, i want to thank Kevin Brown again and Al Reinschmidt for his unexpected gift.
Not to mention our casual visitors that make many small donations in the cars themselves.
i cannot tell you how much it means to us to keep us going.
Online donations can go via the web store in some ways
http://www3.irm.org/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_7
If someone wishes to make a specific donation to any other piece of equipment, whether one of the Wednesday projects or any other passenger car, thay can call the office at 1-800 BIG RAIL and they can take your credit card info on the phone.
Come out for Labor Day!
Enjoy the September event, Leviathan is running and the NZ set will be out
Stop in the Barn and see the construction, and then come over to Yard 5 and say Hi.
Pony Progress 2011-03-16
Posted by: | CommentsWith apologies to John Bunyan…..
slow but steady progress is being made on Silver Pony.
After the frustrations, and finally some information from CSRM, we discovered the physics behind the windows in the car.
All are installed from the outside, directly different from all the other streamliner cars we have been working on.
Soooo, last weekend we spent one day experimenting with techniques. Tried and tried to salvage the gasket material, finally realized it was so stiff and dry-rotted, that it was never going to come apart intact.
OK then, slice away!
first window out on the weekend, 21 to go!
took gasket to our glass shop, and good news. The glass used , laminated tinted is still in use and available, AND the gasket as well.!!!!
YAAY.
Today Wednesday, with 60 degrees and sun, and armed with an understanding of the design, we managed to get three more windows out , including the first big coach window, which had three inches of water in it.
Another small item we accomplished today was to break open the traps so we might be able to make the car a little more accessible for visits soon, because we might be able to have a staircase alongisde. The car is open most Wednesdays and weekends for volunteers, but will not be open for public until she is on her wheels and safe in a display area.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/CZ-Silver-Pony?page=4
We are not going to have much time for more progress for the next couple of weeks, because we have to prep and set up Barn 3 then Yard 5 for opening in April and May. any interested folks around the museum are welcome to stop in and see the car, i hope to have it open for visits on April 16 for folks that come to the Annual Meeting.
Department update 2011-02-17
Posted by: | Commentsnot a lot, as the projects are simply moving along
I hope to update photo galleries in March and April as we begin preparations for the operating season.
No new news on Olympus or the heavyweight baggage car, but we still hope to have them all home by spring. We await the Executive directors in person review of the Denver car for prep.
Silver Pony is making a bit of progress. Cleanup and interior prep work continues,
http://www.irm.org/gallery/CZ-Silver-Pony?page=1
The one item that we accomplished this week was the installation of the lights in the corridor under the dome. With all the windows missing and boarded, it is a dark spot, so the lights help a bunch for now.
There are five more of the round lights to be replaced, but we have located them and they are on the way.
We also got some more cleanup, vacuuming much of the broken glass off the floor.
Not quite ready to walk in bare feet yet, but better than it was when it got here, for sure.
Night lights in the bathrooms are now working as well, so it is possible to SEE the grunge.
A couple more stair lights fixed.
i have added a few detail pictures to the cars web page, partly to maintain an archive of the restoration process, partly to let the more distant friends share in the “techie stuff behind the scenes”.
Seats for the lower sections are in the works, samples are at the upholstery shop, and we have located a soft blue fabric to use. On the advice of a couple of DRGW/CZ experts, pale blue was one of the colors used for the original CZ seats, so I think we are safe for this. We will need to BUILD four backs and ten seat bottoms to complete just the seat frames on hand. Its going to take a bit, as first we will have the metal seat parts fabricated, then the wood and upholstery will need to be created.
Even though we dont need to replace all of them right now, of course I want to settle on a good fabric to use throughout the process, which might take years.
With the seat cushions being repaired/created, we still need to find a source for the two missing frames for downstairs and about six frames for upstairs. We measured them, and discovered that while the frames are identical design, the dome seats are two inches narrower than the downstairs seats. It makes sense because the coach seats are intended to be a “home” for two days, while , in theory, the dome seats are for temporary occupancy.
Now, we ALL know better, as folks would spend the entire trip in the dome if they could.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, its important to remember that the work is just beginning on this car, and we have some rather expensive repairs in the near future just ot make the car presentable.
I estimate about $5K for windows , plus another 4-5 K for the missing seat cushions. This is NOT including replacing the missing frames or the broken dome glass OR the track space costs.
Therefore, I once again remind everyone that donations are needed, and will be used specifically for car of your choice.
Many thanks to everyone that has contributed thus far, and we hope to use your gifts wisely.
http://www3.irm.org/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_7