Today was a nice fall day: sunny and cool. More painting in the 36 was the order of the day, but let's start with a couple of minor patch jobs.
First is fixing one of the windows in the 36. Sometimes the springs on the sash can effectively dig a little hole into the window post, making it nearly impossible to raise the window. The CA&E solution was to nail in a couple of thin metal plates on an ad hoc basis to keep the windows movable. It looks like this, before and after. The problem seems to be solved.
Next: latches for holding up the folding signs. The original castings are in very short supply: IRM only has one, and it seems to be hard to reproduce. Both of the foundries I've talked to so far didn't want to try it, but I need to keep searching. On the #1 end of the 308, I had resorted to a short section of paint stick attached with a wood screw, but that's pretty pitiful --- and embarrassing.
On the #2 end of the 309, we have a repro I made from some dimestore hardware, which looks much more like the original, and we can probably do even better. (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the one good casting!)
Anyway, I worked it up at home, and installed it as seen here. Much better. It was then painted with primer, and will be painted blue next time.
Several of the Car Dept. guys were working on the new trucks and motors for the 24. They have several problems, but nothing we can't overcome.
This part of the project, of course, will need to be lubricated. With money. Hint.
But almost all of my time was spent sanding and painting, as usual. The second section has gotten much closer to completion.
Nick came by to visit today. I should have gotten a picture of him admiring my work, that really would have been special. Just use your imagination.
There are lots of projects of various sorts that we could use help on during the winter, several of which can be done in our nice heated shop. Face it: you're going to get bored watching TV, cabin fever will set in... hey, you could come out to IRM and do something useful. Let us know!
2 comments:
Will the trucks including the motors from the freight motor be used on the 24 or just the motors? Is this the same type of truck that was on the 24?
Thanks
Bob
Bob, the trucks that came from St. Louis are Hedley style cast trucks. Since they came from a homebuilt locomotive, I assume SLCC just tacked them on from an order for cars they were building with them.
Hedley trucks were used by the Brooklyn Elevated system and the Northwestern elevated. There are three cars at IRM with Hedley trucks, one being the operational 1797. The 24 isn't one of them.
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