Good Riddance

It took most of the day, but all of the old tack molding and nearly all of the canvas have been removed from the 319.  Removing the lower tack molding has to be done very carefully, since we don't want to damage the beautiful paint job in any way.  There's still a lot to be done on this side, to be sure.

The black material in front of the clerestory windows is what's left of the canvas from the last Wheaton roof job.  It's fairly brittle, but still hard to remove completely.  On this side, for most of its length this was covered (at North Olmsted) with a thin strip of wood that they caulked down over the new canvas.  I was able to pry up all of this wood, in pieces, but most of the screws that held it in place still need to be removed.  I hate Phillips screws.  

 

 At this corner there was a hole in the roof.  Evidently at one time the main roof cable came up through this hole, before they astutely realized it was better to run the cable out over the edge of the roof, so that there are no holes in the canvas.  In any case, it's nice to be able to make steady progress.

It was time to make another trek across the frozen tundra to check on sister car 321, what's left of it.  The tarp is holding up well, and there is no evidence inside of leaking.  We can only hope that when Barn 14 is completed and the 321 is put back inside that it will be no worse than it was back in 2009.  (On the right you can see part of a stained glass window from one of the IT sleepers, but not the same type as the Peoria.  I mounted it there for safekeeping, and it's still as good as any other mode of storage, I think.)

Bridges to the future.

 In other news, I won't be at IRM this Saturday, because the Messiah is coming.  As we have for the last 135 years or so, the Apollo Chorus will be presenting Handel's Messiah in all its glory at Orchestra Hall.  Don't miss it!