Chipping away

Frank writes...

Sunday afternoon I made it out to IRM for a few hours. It was a pretty quiet day; there wasn't anybody at all working in Barn 4 or in the car shop. Richard, Thomas and Nick E. were running the CTA 2400s while Joel was running the North Shore train. Fortunately there wasn't anything on the inspection pit lead so I was able to bring the 36 and 319 over to the shop.

I spotted the 319 within easy reach of compressed air and got to work needle chipping underbody equipment. It seems like there's always more to do, but in fact the majority of the chipping work on the 319 is done. I've got a little bit more still to do, and then the next step will be to wire wheel it all and apply primer and paint. Then it's on to the 36 to finish the same work on that car. Above, the 319 (properly blue flagged of course) sited for work.

After I'd been working for a little while, Nick the E.D. showed up with a trio of student filmmakers from Columbia College. They interviewed me about my involvement with the museum and filmed me working - rare footage indeed!

I ended up getting more of the equipment under the 319 chipped but didn't get the entire car's worth done before I had to put the train away. Oh well, at least I've got enough to keep me occupied for a while! Richard, Thomas and Nick E. helped get the train back to Barn 8 - thanks! While we were waiting on the tail track the CRT service train passed westbound. Just think: of the four wood cars meeting here, not one was operational a decade ago and now all four are in regular use on IRM's railroad. Progress!