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As promised, here are our new arrivals. If past performance is any guide, you won't have to wait long before these cars too are running down the main line.
However, it seems rather counter-intuitive to me to have a museum piece with a URL painted on the sides. Perhaps I could letter "hickscarworks.blogspot.com" just below the Sunset Lines heralds on the 309. That might help.
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I worked some more on the 36. The areas of the bumper and side sill which Frank and Dan had needle-chipped last time were wire-wheeled, and then painted with primer. Next time, blue!
I also fixed (I hope) a couple of side doors on the car that kept popping open when the car was in motion. That's mildly embarrassing. They now latch firmly when the car is stationary, and didn't pop open during the short trip out to Central Avenue, which is a good sign. I also helped with switching for a while.
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For the Vintage Transport Extravaganza this Sunday, I'm planning to run the 36 and 309. So the three blue cars had to be swapped around again. You may notice that we have a recalcitrant retriever, but I'm sure our ace Wheaton Shop forces will replace it quickly.
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This will be vintage transport at its finest!
And by the way, we could still use another trainman!
I've been away for three weeks, and in the meantime the landscape continues to change at an impressive rate. The new alignment for Railroad Ave. appears to be nearly complete, angling off to the left in this view SSW, and Archer Ave. (I think) will continue off to the right.
36 looks absolutely amazing. I will be coming up from North Carolina to see her in the flesh next week. Theres a slight chance, we will be moving back to Illinois and if so, I hope to be a regular volunteer in helping out with what I can
ReplyDeleteBTW..Growing up in Mundelein even in daylight hours the North Shore always ran with headlights attached on..while I can't speak for the CA&E..Is there a reason the headlights during your operation are missing from the end doors? They look bald-faced..without them. Yes, its nitpicking at it's worst but I am curious.
Sure. Up until the end of service, the CA&E did not have the headlights mounted during the day. In pictures you'll see groups of headlights set on the edge of the platform, waiting for the motormen to pick one up as it was getting dark. And as a practical matter, they would get in the way of changing poles and so forth. I think our North Shore trains generally don't carry headlights either, because it's just one more unnecessary hassle. And do I remember correctly that it was only in the last few years that the North Shore started carrying headlights all the time?
ReplyDeleteI recall that it was only in the last years after another major grade crossing accident that NS trains ran with daylight headlamps.
DeleteYou are right about the NSL and headlights in later years. I have the original memo and the purpose was to avoid accidents.
ReplyDeleteRe: 2400s, we'll see what we can do about having them run soon. (Soon is a relative term.) Second shift put the drawbar back in last night, so that's a good first step. Thanks, Greg and Jamie. The cars now have handles on both ends again.
ReplyDeleteR. W. Schauer
News FLASH - This just in from METRA's web site. GENEVA, IL "EXPANSION PROJECT TO CLOSE COMMUTER PARKING DECK FOR SIX MONTHS. The deck is being expanded in order to accommodate parking that will be lost as part of Union Pacific’s future plans to add a third rail line, which will remove some existing surface parking spaces." Apparently UP has decided to follow the CA&E's lead and electrify with third rail
ReplyDeleteUP Geneva from: Bill Wulfert. Ran out of space.
ReplyDeleteThere is a new retreiver back on the 308. I will try to get our retreiver expert to start rebuilding them again.
ReplyDelete