Back Here in Winter

While my father has fast-forwarded himself to springtime (or maybe even skipped that and gone right to summer) by flying to Arizona, we're all still stuck here in the depths of winter.  I did, at least, have a chance to make it out to the museum on Sunday so made a little bit of progress on the 36.

I removed the two metal panels from the last side door on the car, needle-chipped and wire-wheeled both of them, and then put a first coat of primer on both sides of each.  One of them had a tan-colored enamel paint on the inside surface; this may have just been a first coat but I didn't paint over it just in case it was a sample of 1930s tan from the "coffee and cream" era.  A number of cars acquired the metal-panel doors during that period so you never know.  Anyway, the "before" picture is above and the "after" picture is below.

That was about it for me, as I didn't get out to the museum until about 3:30 in the afternoon so didn't have much time.  It's hard to believe that opening day is only three weeks away, what with the mountains of snow everywhere.  There was discussion of clearing the snow drifts away from the barn doors so that we can get a car or two inspected for our first day of public operation, and I heard that the Diesel Department was out clearing the railroad on Saturday.  Inside the car shop, Jeff was working on the Michigan car while Rod, Joel and Greg pitched in on the effort to rebuild magnet valves for CTA 4410's switch group.  Once that job is complete, that car should be back in revenue service along with 4290 and 4412.