Archive for Restoration
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.
Department update Sep 2011
Posted by: | Comments
GENERAL DEPARTMENT PROGRESS
Repairs to the #1 track in Barn 3 are well underway, with most of the track in place. The estimate for completion, depending on the alignment of the sections and arrival of ballast is a month or so.
With Thomas and Labor Day past, we now turn our attention to preparation for Showcase Weekend and the Terror event.
We await notice of the planning meeting for Terror to eliminate the technical issues encountered last year, and hopefully the damage as well.
EQUIPMENT REPORTS
Inbound Acquisitions
Incoming acquisitions are making progress, but each has become complicated by factors.
Much of the delay is currently caused by the lack of UP permissions.
Nick is pursuing and we continue to inquire on a regular basis, but we understand there are factors we cannot directly control.
DLW coaches (3)
No changes to equipment.
The two in service DLW coaches have been serving with the Leviathan locomotive.
567, is in service.
561 is in service as well, following significant repairs to brake structure and attachments
556 continues to have its interior cleaned and finishing work performed on the rebuilt vestibule.
Rock Island Coaches (5)
As noted earlier, four revenue Rock Island coaches are now in service. The fifth remains awaiting restoration
No updates on the arrival of the latest unit from Iowa.
B&M 3288/1094
Continued interior work.
Corridor shade frames have been finished and installation has begun.
With the location of the car outdoors while the 31 track is repaired, they have been working to complete the underside cleaning and painting as the final exterior step.
IC 3345
This project is also ongoing. Masking of the second side of the car has begun, and the final window frame is nearing completion.
CZ Silver Pony
No real work has been completed this month as we focused our efforts on Thomas and his many friends.
With the NZ project complete, the upholstery shop awaits the metal frame fabrication to begin creating the missing downstairs seat cushions. Upholstery is in hand in preparation The project is delayed while we solve a technical problem with the metal fabrication for the missing seats.
ACL Birmingham
Ongoing work has solved many ventilation issues in this car, and while the hot weather has strained the system, it appears that we have succeeded in creating a reasonable environment for our guests.
UP Pacific Peak
The ventilation modifications explained last month have worked admirably well, providing a significant improvement in the interior temperature and humidity. Some final work to the vestibule area is still needed to make the system durable, but we anticipate it being functional for the future.
NP 230 Baggage Car
While this unit was not deteriorated, The Wednesday Special Projects Group has generously been working on a cosmetic restoration of the car to its original NP Loewy Green pattern. The first side is nearing completion, and we hope to turn the car around soon for them to complete the other side this year.
Special Exhibit cars
The exit vestibule has been cleaned of obstructions and the center sill and coupler pocket are exposed.
The side panels have been removed and initial work to remove the rusted side sheets has begun. New metal panels have been acquired for installation once the sub surface is prepared.
The Chicago Railroad Fair display developed by Ray Bellock is complete, and we are exploring other displays for the exhibit area.
With the recent death of John Cloos, we mentioned that we would be happy to create a space for one of his exhibits as a way to remember him. At this time, we have heard no response
Jon Habeggers long term plans continue to take shape as he prepares for the anniversary exhibit
While we still await the completion of the second car power supply, we continue our plans to add the second car to become part of the show as soon as possible.
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.
Department update August 2011
Posted by: | CommentsI know its been a while. My fault.
Simply put, the time to put down info has been hard to find.
For now as always at least here is the monthly department report.
Feel free to ask questions, posting comments, i will do my best to answer them.
Its Thomas time, so the next two weeks are still kind of busy.
GENERAL DEPARTMENT PROGRESS
We await repairs to the #1 track in Barn 3, identified previously.
Preparation work has begun, and we hope the work can be completed in a timely fashion during
the next three to four weeks, while six pieces of equipment are out of the barn.
Inside displays in Barn 3 now include 14 of 16 cars lit
Barn 3 and Yard 5 were both reviewed for safety issues in anticipation of Thomas.
Safety kits were accounted for, and distribution plans were made for the event.
The Thomas train, as discussed earlier in the year, will be four CRIP coaches, two DLW coaches and the CNW 7700 combine.
This will place all commuter cars in the Thomas train, and place all
individual (restored) cars on the mainline train , where IRM operating dept staff will be able to better monitor the passengers.
EQUIPMENT REPORTS
Inbound Acquisitions
Incoming acquisitions are making progress, but each has become complicated by factors.
The CBQ 1309 baggage car in Denver has been visited by the Executive Director, and many of the transport questions have been answered.
We still await the planned return visit to finish the preparation for transport.
We await the action by the UP and the Executive Director to complete the plan for these moves, and we continue to hope for a completion of all tasks by the end of this year.
DLW coaches (3)
567, is in service.
561 is in service as well, following significant repairs to brake structure and attachments
556 continues to have its interior cleaned and finishing work performed on the rebuilt vestibule.
Rock Island Coaches (5)
As noted earlier, four revenue Rock Island coaches are now in service. The fifth remains awaiting restoration
B&M 3288/1094
Continued interior work.
In addition, Jack has been successful in completing the exterior painting during season, with no compromise of public access to the Barn,
Congratulations are in order for the effort.
BLE 25
Ready for service on mainline train during Thomas weekend.
Dover Strait
Corridor shade frames have been finished and installation has begun.
Bob and Gene eagerly await the car movement outside during the 31 track repair to complete the painting of the undercarraige.
IC 3345
This project is also ongoing.
Masking of the second side of the car has begun, and the final window frame is nearing completion.
CZ Silver Pony
While no obvious progress has been made, there has been some forward motion nonetheless.
Light glass for all dome fixtures has been located and acquired.
The two missing lower level seat frames have also been located and thanks to an effort by Nick, Mike and Ray, moved into the car.
A dome seat frame has also been located complete with seats, so I now have a pattern to fabricate the dome seats themselves.
With the NZ project complete, the upholstery shop awaits the metal frame fabrication to begin
creating the missing downstairs seat cushions. The hope is to begin this work within the next two weeks.
ACL Birmingham
Ongoing work has solved many ventilation issues in this car, and while the hot weather has strained the system,
it appears that we have succeeded in creating a reasonable environment for our guests.
UP Pacific Peak
The OEM blower system in the car turned out to have been a custom design for Amtrak.
The company involved is still in business, but there is no alternative motor to adapt the system.
Therefore, we removed it completely, saved it for potential future use, and replaced it with a pair of single phase blowers similar to the system we created for Birmingham.
This has solved the issue, and we have noted that the car interior has become noticeably more comfortable for our guests,with better air movement and less humidity.
The current AC feed to the fans is temporary, and we hope to build a method similar to Silver Ridge for a more permanent solution.
YARD 5 DISPLAYS
The exit of the special exhibit cars has deteriorated significantly. Mike, Ray and Marc have begun to disassemble and repair the platform and exit stairway.
The work is similar in nature to the platform work done on the DLW coach so the technique is known, it is simply a matter of having the opportunity and time to perform the work.
In addition, the side panels repairs to the car are being planned.
The replacement metal panels have been fabricated and await the time.
The Chicago Railroad Fair display being developed by Ray Bellock has been making progress, and is nearing completion.
We have implemented a video presentation in the foyer area of the display, and will of course have Thomas video running there for the two weeks of our friends visit.
With the recent death of Jonn Cloos, i have mentioned to some that we would be happy to create a space for one of his exhibits as a way to remember him.
Jon Habeggers long term plans continue to take shape as he prepares for the anniversary exhibit
While we still await the completion of the second car power supply, we continue our plans to add the second car to become part of the show as soon as possible.
Dept update 2011-06-29
Posted by: | CommentsI know I know
I have been less than chatty for a couple of weeks. The weather and the projects have taken their toll.
So for now heres a bit.
OK more than a bit. As I get this written, I remember more and more that i havent mentioned, so the report is lengthy.
I dont want to leave folks out. Several efforts are going on, and they all deserve recognition.
Of course, i have the most details about the work I am involved with, but i am far from alone within the department.
Perhaps others will someday be willing to provide info and photos so i can include them here.
On the Yard 5 /streamliner front…….
The AC units in Birmingham came out and i got new units to replace them.
Last week, one of the new units quit, so I got the pleasure of pulling the entire set apart again, but i knew I needed to get it done before the 4th, as it promises to be stinky hot this weekend, and without some ventilation, the silver steel greenhouses would be uninhabitable.
so down they came again.
The upside is that the failed unit was simply a structural issue, some of the units insulation had come loose and jammed the fan. Repair was easy, of course, after taking it apart.
So at least they both work and are back in place for this weekend.
In the middle of all this, the primary blower motor in Silver Ridge finally gave up the ghost, as the brushes wore down to the nubs.
Not bad for 50 years though, huh?
This motor, a low voltage DC motor with old technology is huge, and while the mechanics of the removal were easy, lowering 110 pounds of metal from overhead is always a bit of a challenge.
and so after arranging a rope pull and enlisting my sons help down it came, quite easily i must admit
I am continually amazed at how cooperative the car is. She really wants to be alive. Parts come apart just like they are supposed to, bolts come loose, hinges line up…you get the idea.
Anyone with mechanical experience understands. If a machine doesnt want to cooperate, it can make your life miserable. Frozen, rusted, bent.
Not Silver Ridge. A true pleasure to work on.
As part of my ongoing restoration, I have been converting the electrical system to 120/240vac all along. This item is no different.
The motor to replace ?
same HP rating, same speed , 240vac 4amp draw, instead of 25 amp draw, and only about 1/4 the weight.
A simple alignment, new mount holes on the mount plate for the car, and it dropped right in. Gotta love improvements in technology.
Some people make a bg deal about "authentic " restoration.
The simple truth is that the railroads were always looking for improvements, and would have changed the car over in a heartbeat if equipped with todays machinery.
Just look at Amtraks HEP program. Every Heritage passenger car that they had got HEP'd . Higher voltage AC makes motors run better, last longer and take less electricity, which also means less strain on the car electrical system.
By putting the new motor in, i not only will make the system more efficient, but it will also make it possible to run the blowers while operating on generator power in motion.
I agree , if the restoration is visible then a credible period device is the first choice, but this is not visible and will only help make our guests more comfortable.
But enough about my part of the world. Lets check in Barn 3 a bit too.
First, for those not in the neighborhood, we have a small structural issue in Barn 3……
OK NOT A SMALL ISSUE…rather a LARGE ISSUE
after several years of reporting the track conditions inside the Barn, and watching ties float out when we flood (for real!) the 31 track has finally begun to roll on itself.
It is, after all, some of the oldest track on the property, and it is spiked to mud, not ties, so I guess its not too unexpected.
Ther current plan is to have the track dept make panels and prep the site, pull everything out before Thomas and re-lay the entire track.
Of course, there are several sidebar issues involved.
Cost , time, and on and on.
For the moment, the 31 track is frozen. If we pull out of there, we will not be allowed to put anything in until the track is repaired.
Two of the four cars have weak leaky roofs, so we also need to plan for indoor storage on them during the work.
Elsewhere,
All the while, Bob Hunter moves along with finish work inside Dover Strait. For now, the project is window shade fabrication.
Mark Hoffman is making progress on the exterior of the John Mcloughlin, and we hope he will get back to the ceiling of the DLW coach soon.
Mike Prendergast and Roger Kramer have been masking the IC cafe car 3345, to prep for paint. Andy has one more window frame to finish welding and joining then the paint can fly
Mike, Ray and Marc have been making serious progress on this years brake inspections. They have already finished all the heavyweight coaches, and four of the five streamliner cars.
A bit of work on Birmingham's emergency valve is needed, but everything welse is done. Great work!
Since June 15, we have re-arranged the barn a bit.
The RPO and BLE 25 combine are now mated on the south (34) track, so they can be pulled out for service as a pair, like we do with DMIR 84 and IC 2804.
This layout sets the cars up in better display positions, and also makes it easier to pull cars for a "pretty" heavyweight train on special days. Twio pair out, add DLW coaches and Inglehome from Barn 9 and the train is complete. No more juggling or wyeing the pieces for the correct order.
a secondary advantage is that i was able to convert BLE 25 to 110vac power, and light it up for display. Fully lit, it draws a bit over 1 amp total
http://www.irm.org/gallery/BLE25
closer and closer is the possibility of running a heavyweight train at night .
Already up to six cars, RPO, combine BLE 25, coach IC 2804, coach DMIR 84, two coaches DLW.
Maybe, maybe.
Finally, in this report, i got some interior shots of the glen Alta for the photo fans.
Glen Alta is the sister car of the Glen Springs, and was heavily modified for use by a circus.
having never taken any interior shots, I took the opportunity to get a few.
The car was boarded, and dark inside, so i was never inspired to photograph it.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/GlenAlta
as a finale, once again remember that all of this work could use your support.
Two baggage cars still need to get home form their respective places.
Silver Pony, not in the news this month, but will still need lots of support and donations to move the car towards display and/or service.
The Yard 5 streamliners are under a fund called RSILVR, for folks interested in that
Galt House is a work in progress, and while i do not have intimate details, I know Gerry Boguse has been out a couple of times, and he could use donations as well.
ALL cars have separate funds, and if you have a favorite, you can do a phone donation to the office, OR
online donations can be made to some of the cars at
http://www3.irm.org/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_7
Stay cool this weekend, watch the show on webcams if you cant make it for the parade.