You could be excused for thinking that it's usually Groundhog Day around here. I could probably post the same pictures of the 319's interior every week and nobody would notice. Except me and Frank, but we're too honest to pull tricks like that.
But seriously, progress is being made. While the main compartment is warming up, I start by stripping a little more of the badly alligatored red paint from the #2 vestibule.
And then it's on to surface prep and painting in the passenger compartment. First, I finished putting white primer on all of the walls. The faded old paint is essentially gone.
And then there was a first coat of the finish tan on the end surfaces. (I'll do the compartment door separately.)
On the right, I have removed the metal frame for the advertising sign, but the original paint will still be underneath for posterity.
I removed one of the corner seat backs to take home and recover, since it had a bad rip. On the back there are two messages in chalk: "Main #1" and "S. E. Pass". The second is a little puzzling: this seat could be at the southeast corner of the car only if it was oriented north-south, but the shop tracks at Wheaton were all east-west, of course. So your guess is as good as mine.
Good report, Randy. Those out there in computer land might not realize that we often uncover details and surprises that contribute to the learning and history of these cars during restoration work. It is with great satisfaction that we uncover such learning, the archeology facet, and sometimes are able to piece together details that are very significant.
ReplyDeleteBob Kutella
Colin, England
ReplyDeleteThat looks like a mighty big compressor governor under that seat. I would imagine that there is a huge clunk and sound of rushing air when it operates. One of the more multi experiential seating choices too perhaps. I love the solidity and character of the older style of equipment, so lovingly restored and maintained.
"S.E.Pass" could be somebody's name too. I've seen other examples of a shopman or other employee "leaving their mark" on a car.
ReplyDeleteColin: That's an interesting comment. This is the same type of governor most of our cars have, and they are all mounted under a stationary seat like this. Now Westinghouse instructs you to mount them vertically so the pistons won't wear out of round, and sure enough, we have problems with worn cylinders due to the horizontal mounting. What a dirty trick.
ReplyDeleteAnon: Yes, I suppose that's possible. I've certainly found examples of workmen signing their names. I had interpreted it as meaning "south-east passenger compartment", of course, and I'm sticking to it!
Hi Randall
ReplyDeleteYeah, all the governors I saw over here in England were vertically mounted, usually in quite imaginitive places. The access for maintenance on your equipment shown here looks restricted, what is it like servicing these units?
I think Westinghouse must have done a lot of development to get the more modern governors smaller and easier to site and maintain.
Have you got any GE type ML governors on your equipment?
Spose Westinghouse are covering their, well you know.. Still it seems quite late in the day to give you this rather crucial information.
Best wishes Colin
These are type J governors. Type ML does not sound at all familiar to me.
ReplyDeleteI believe all of the Chicago Surface Lines "red streetcars" have ML governors. They seem to work well, and are relatively quiet, with no hissing air sounds like the J's. Bill Wulfert
ReplyDelete