Last Fling

A winter storm was widely predicted to be on the way, so everybody was outside yesterday, taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather to finish some last minute tasks. I helped with a switch move, and noticed here that John Faulhaber and Gerry Dettloff were working on the M-37, the TM container car. They wanted to fasten down the end of the new rubber membrane roof more securely.

That gave me an opportunity to take a picture of the container inside the car, as best I could. It gives a good idea of how the container fits into the car, rolling on small wheels along the two sills, which you can just make out. Of course, the doors to the container itself are missing.

And on the pit lead, Frank Kehoe and Tim Peters were steam-cleaning the underbody of the 1797, in preparation for mechanical overhaul. This is a lot more exciting in action, I must say. All the encrusted crud that accumulates on these cars over the years makes quite a mess.

There was more paint removal on the 36; as usual, it's hard to photograph inside the barn. Rod got me a spool of wire of just the right type for replacing the wiring to the missing control receptacles and other parts of the system, and we'll be ordering the armored cable once I determine the exact measurements.

While we're at it, let's look at the inside. Along with the 319 and maybe some others, this car had some interior paint stripping done at Cleveland as a test, I suppose. But it's very difficult to get all the paint out of the grain. And because the interior was last repainted when the car was rebuilt in 1946, we have no choice but to keep the current interior paint scheme. But it's interesting to see how well the original inlay has held up over 110 years.

And then I spent some time collecting boxes of calendars and brochures, and a demonstration controller, to take to the train show this weekend. Frank Sirinek also hunted down a streetcar gong I can use. Clang clang! The next post I write will be coming to you from Schaumburg. Several other volunteers and I will be representing your Museum there, so stop by and say hello!