Wednesday Report

Another busy Wednesday means that we probably have more pictures to attach than ever before, thanks to popular demand.  Got your bag of popcorn ready?  If so, let's go!

John the pharmacist is getting the MD car door ready.  This is not quite the right shade of orange, but will do for a first coat.  That way we're not wasting good paint.   I do the same thing on occasion.

Pete continues work on doors for the Illinois Terminal Class B.

I varnished the arm rests that had been stained last time.

The two on the top in this picture are varnished (first coat); the two below are only stained.

Lorne continues work on the Cleveland PCC.  This is a side sign box.

Another arm rest from the 300 was stripped and stained.

Parts of the bunks for Pennsy bobber are being assembled.   (L-R)  Dave, Victor, and Rich Witt.

The next arm rest was then stained.

 While the varnish was drying, I took the golf cart to move another couple of spare seat frames from the 150 to the 321.  Here they are slowly making their way into the car, sitting in the vestibule.

And meanwhile, a big switch move was taking place today, so I have several pictures of that.   Paul Cronin was running the Army engine.   Tracks 103 and 104 were partly switched out.

The recently repainted IC coach was pulled out of 103; it was headed to Barn 14.

That gives us a better vantage point to admire the rebuilt side of Victor's cabin car.

And then here's the other 308.  Those reflective stripes do their job.

And then, let's check in on the Electroliner.  We haven't been there for weeks.

A lot of work has been done on the interior of the end car.

Ed Oslowski and John Arroyo are having a board meeting; several exciting new fund-raising ideas are on the agenda.

North Shore coffee will soon be available at Schroeder's!  Sounds delicious, doesn't it?  And then they also plan to make reproduction Electroliner china, and things like that.   So stay tuned, this should be quite interesting.

Stripping of the motorman's compartment is essentially complete, and painting should start soon.

Another view of this rather cramped space.

New seals around the windows will be coming soon.

Sample material for making new window shades.  And the biggest part of the project, putting the train back together on the rebuilt trucks should be happening on schedule later in the spring.

Next door, John Faulhaber continues work on windows for the 68.

In more new member news, I met a new member of the Steam Team.  He wanted a brief tour of the Car Dept. wood shop, which was busy, of course.  Then Rich Thomas caught up with him, and it was back to the steam shop for whatever they were working on.  It's always encouraging to meet new people who want to contribute time and effort!

The big switch move continued while our attention was directed elsewhere.

The IC car is now parked alongside Barn 9.

And while I was watching the switching, Mark Secco drove by with this trailer.   He has proudly acquired a couple of spools of new 1 1/4" steel cable for the wrecking train.  

The orange Milwaukee car will go into the barn on 103, where the IC car was.

New wood for the cabin car...

And work continues on refinishing the interior.

The bunks are essentially wooden chests along the wall, on which sleeping bags may be placed.

A short section of one side was badly rotted and needs replacing.

Then I spent some time in the 309, removing the arm rests that don't fit the replacement seat frames.   This picture isn't very good, but should show vaguely what the problem is.

And in a couple of weeks the newly-varnished arm rests can be installed.   The old arm rests were put into storage.

Gerry Dettloff was painting stepwells for the 451.

Henry progresses along the upper wall, installing air piping.

Jon Fenlaciki was working on parts for the 65's roof.

John Faulhaber was also painting underbody parts for the 451.

A third coat of red on the 36 door; it looks ready for installation, after the other side is touched up.

New primer on the 65 roof parts.

Finally, some more switching pictures.