Prelude for Four Horns

The weather was just perfect today, with a good breeze, so with doors open at each end of the barn it was not too hot up on the roof of the 451, as it often is.

The main task was to install the horns.  The 451 had dual air horns at each end, and when installed it looks like this, complete with the horn guard to keep a trolley pole from hitting the horn and breaking it.  Installation took longer than expected because I hadn't realized the horn castings need to have wooden shims underneath, so they had to be made.  And there's a lot of painting on installed parts that still needs to be done.

Now if I only had a compressor, the prelude could be followed by an actual fanfare.

Incidentally, the 451 was delivered with these dual horns, but as far as I can tell it was the only one of the ten that had them; the others were all single horns.  But I could be wrong about that.  There are lots of pictures of these cars, but it's often hard to tell about the horn arrangement.

I was also able to install the grab iron for reaching the roof at the #2 end.  The car needs to be wyed, or moved to another track, before the one at the other end can be safely attached.  This is another one of those things that just has to be right.

I was too busy to get any actual action photos, but here are some views of progress that was made today.  On the 306, Gerry did more welding and grinding: 

And John continued installing the floor.  At this end, completion awaits some more welding on side panels.

And Tim finished installing the anticlimbers on the 1754, and painted them black.

And while work was going on, I recharged the batteries, and later retested the MG set on the 451.

So this was another rewarding, productive day.