110 in the Shade

That's what it felt like today out at the Museum. I didn't get a whole lot done, mostly cleaning and straightening up. There's always plenty of that to do, though not very picturesque.

Instead, let's look at what some other guys have been doing. Joel Ahrendt has been working on the 277's baggage racks, and here the first two have a first finish coat. They look great.

He's also working on the trolley base. Here we see it disassembled. Some of the pins holding the springs are badly worn; I managed to find one good one, but many of them in spare bases are frozen, and I was unable to get them free in the heat. I'll have to keep working on it. Thanks, Joel!

Then in CA&E news, Al Johansen, who works at Strahorn, brought in this nice 3rd rail chair assembly. It was donated to the Museum by a friend of his. We have others, but this set is perfect, so I stored it in a safe place.

Are you a fan of the 277?
We could always use more!

I carried my shop vac over from the 321 and vacuumed the floor and the upholstery in the 277. And then removed a baggage rack that was coming loose from the wall on the north side of the main compartment. But it was easier to take pictures.

Towards the rear of the main compartment is a large grill that is hinged to the ceiling. Inside (R) we see the motor that drives the fans for the forced-air system. Though we won't try to get the air conditioning working, Bruneau says this fan motor used to work, although it's worn and sparks a lot. So I haven't got up the nerve yet to try it.

Notice that the seats in the main compartment (L) are a different type from those in the smoker (R) although it's the same red striped material. In the smoker, the frames are the original walkovers with new cushions and Art Deco arm rests. They were modified so they can no longer reverse. But I'm not sure why a single-ended car needed walkovers in the first place.