Paint & Poles

The plan for today was to bring the 205 over to the inspection pit lead outside the Barn 4 car shop, where compressed air and multiple tools close at hand would make some of the work needed on the car easier. When I arrived the New York subway cars were in the way, but Jerry Saunders moved them out of the way and Joe Stupar ran the ComEd steeplecab to tow the 205 over to the pit lead.

I was able to spend virtually the entire day working on the car. Most of my time was spent sanding the car's side sheets and letterboard using a pneumatic DA sander and a pad sander (photo at left by Gwyn Stupar). Following this, at Gwyn's suggestion I used a roller to put another coat of primer on the side of the car, touching up rivet heads and corners with a brush. The sanding today was done with 60-80 grit sandpaper; tomorrow I'll go over today's prime job with 150 grit sandpaper and then put a coat of primer on the side sheets and letterboard with spray cans. Once that's done, the car should be ready to spray paint orange! I anticipate this happening in the spring.

One of the goals I had set for this week was to mount the trolley poles on the car. The poles had been sitting on the roof for the past couple of months, ready to go on, but without sufficient "head room" in the rafters of Barn 8. Joe Stupar was of invaluable help in getting these mounted today; at right, in another photo by Gwyn, he holds the east pole while I straighten it with a pipe wrench. The second pole had a kink right at the end that made it necessary to "heat and beat" it straight. Nick Kallas ran the torch for this operation assisted by Jon and Dan Fenlaciki, who are usually found working on that "other" Indiana Railroad car. Thanks to everyone who lent a hand! The 205 is now officially a "trolley car" for the first time in probably 50 years. The plan is to continue work on the car over the next couple of days on various fronts before its inevitable return to Barn 8. Stay tuned!