2008 IRM Journal

 

2008

1. Wednesday, January 2

   1. 309:

      1. I installed the four 309E’s from last time in sectors 5, 7, 9, and 10. One of them was a 318E and needed a slot chiseled out for the spring.

      2. Good 309I’s were installed at 7, 9, and 10.

      3. I put a coat of white primer on the outside surfaces of two 309E’s which I sanded down last time.

      4. Another coat of Fleet Grey on two 309I’s.

      5. I tried to bend and install a replacement section of half-round molding over the oval sector arch, but it wouldn’t bend, perhaps due to the cold. I took home the pipe and other stuff to try and soak a piece at home where it’s warm.

2. Friday, January 4

   1. 309:

      1. I put Fleet Grey on four 309E’s which I had sanded down and/or primed.

      2. 309I’s were installed at sectors 1 and 3.

      3. I installed the thermostat at 5-6.

      4. I removed and reset the window shade box at 25-26.

      5. Sorting of screws and parts.

3. Monday, January 7

   1. 309:

      1. I removed or pounded down all tacks from the linoleum that had been removed from sectors 3-26 to about 8-21, in preparation for installing new material.

      2. Painting the floor: a second coat of brown primer on the #2 vestibule and sectors 1-4 and 25-28, including the parts around the nickel seats, etc.

      3. I installed a section of half-round molding to complete the oval arch, and thus the whole car.

      4. White primer on the oval arch and 19-20 trim.

      5. I permanently installed the seat backs at 15 and 18.

4. Wednesday, January 9

   1. 309:

      1. Painting the floor: a first coat of finish brown paint on the #2 vestibule and sectors 1-2-27-28.

      2. Varnish on the four 309E’s which had been painted last Friday.

      3. Filler around the moldings over the oval arch, toilet arch, and 19-20. Later sanded.

      4. I set nails in the clerestory moldings as needed, filled them with mahogany filler, sanded, and stained.

      5. Installed two more screws to hold the frame for the 40” seat more securely.

   2. Misc.:

      1. Dropped off the two Santa Fe school books for the Strahorn.

      2. Max and Roger were working on installing a switch box for the 600 volt supply to the barn.

5. Friday, January 11

   1. 309:

      1. I installed the four 309E’s from last time; sectors 23, 24, and 6 with 309I’s and all trim; sector 8 with 309E only. Only two more to go: 5 and 28. 23 still needs a window shade.

      2. Fleet Grey on the last two 309E’s to be painted. This included cutting grooves in a 318E for the springs, which I removed from a spare 309E.

      3. I sanded down the trim around the moldings over the oval arch, toilet arch, and 19, then white primer.

      4. Cut a piece of wood to size and attached to the seat cushion for 15, to hold it in place.

      5. Moved the platform to sectors 8-9-20-21 for more ceiling work.

6. Monday, January 14

   1. 309:

      1. I put varnish on the last two 309E’s.

      2. I installed four more 309I’s, filling every sector except 4 and 28.

      3. I installed a window shade in the box at sector 23.

      4. Installed the 40” seat back at the oval sector.

      5. Started working on installing the window shade box at 7-8.

7. Wednesday, January 16

   1. 309:

      1. Installed the last two 309E’s at 4 and 28, then the interior windows, thus completing this task.

      2. Finished installing the window shade box at 7-8.

      3. Put stain on all of the (unused) interior window tracks and the spacer sticks in the main compartment, except sectors 23-26 where the insides are down, due to lack of springs.

      4. I sanded down and repainted the bulkhead panels above the door at the vestibule end of the smoker.

8. Friday, January 18

   1. 309:

      1. Installed vertical trim strips, followed by the window shade box at 9-10. All windows, shades, and woodwork are now in place. I also sanded down the arches over windows 7-8 and 9-10 as needed, then stain. Also stain on the frames for nickel seats at 1 and 28.

      2. Painting the ceiling: finish yellow on the center ceiling, section 9-10-19-20, plus most of 8-21.

      3. Sanded down the 93” molding as needed in sectors 8-10, where the varnish never set properly for some reason.

9. Monday, January 21

   1. 309:

      1. I finished stripping the last four arm rests, and stained them as needed.

      2. Moved the platform one sector towards the #2 end.

      3. Sanded down the moldings over the alcove at sector 22, then white primer.

      4. I put the seat frame for sector 27 back in place. However, the end casting is about 1/4” away from the wall, and cannot be pulled closer. Will need a shim about 5½” by 16”.

10. Wednesday, January 23

    1. 309:

       1. I varnished the last seven arm rests, and installed the two at sectors 12 and 13.

       2. Installed a spring from the 321 to hold up the inside window at sector 21 (the arrangement with new brass sticks out too much).

       3. Sorting of screws and parts.

       4. Installed some more screws to hold the window shade boxes. The left end piece at 3 broke apart during this process and will have to be glued together again when it warms up.

11. Monday, January 28

    1. 309:

       1. I removed four more sash springs from the 321 and installed them in sectors 23-26 to hold up the inside windows, thus finishing this job.

       2. Painting the ceiling: moved the platform another sector towards the #2 end, and finished painting sector 7-8-21-22, plus the patch plate and cord hanger.

       3. Installed arm rests at 2 and 3.

       4. I sanded down the “new” wainscot at sector 19-20 and stained it some more. It’s better, but still redder than the original material elsewhere.

       5. Sanded down the 93” molding as needed in sectors 6-8.

       6. Black paint over the primer on the lower wall of the toilet compartment.

       7. Reset nails and applied mahogany putty over the clerestory window trim in 7-8 and 21-22 alcoves.

       8. I made a list of all the car cards currently installed, so I can plan what to do next:

28				1
Sparky - Fire	B	Orig	28	Brand Names	B	Orig	28
Faith	B	Orig	28	The Year Is 1948	A	H	17
Smokey - Fire	A	Orig	28				9
Red Cross	C	Orig	28	Krispy Krackers	A	CERA	21
Iron Curtain	C	Orig	28	Savings Bonds	B	Orig	28
Ready for College	C	Orig	28	HomeKraft Bread	A	CERA	21
			20	Corn Creole	B	Orig	28
Harding’s	B	Orig	28	3 in 1 Oil	A	CERA	21
			40	Burnets Vanilla	A	CERA	21
Chesterfield King	C	Orig	28	Better Schools	B	Orig	28
Cancer	C	Orig	28	Heinz	A	CERA	21
Brand Names	A	Orig	28	Tribune Want Ads	A	Orig	28
				Blessed	A	H	28
				Paul Reveres	C	Orig	28
19				10
18				11
Over 45?	C	H	28	Sparky - Fire	C	Orig	28
Action	D	Orig	28	Faith	B	Orig	14
48 Ford	B	H	28	Want to Advertise?	A	Orig	28
Litterbug	B	Orig	28	Mental Health	C	Orig	28
			5				36
The Year Is 1948	A	H	17
15				14

12. Saturday, February 2

    1. 309:

       1. I redid car cards in the main compartment, installing some new ones and removing all but one of the CERA ones. Looks much better; each side still has a very narrow gap or two. I also removed the cards in the 16-18 sector (all except “Litterbug”) for repair and replacement.

          1. The old cards are frustratingly fragile. I tried to install a better copy of “Want to Advertise?” but it started to break apart as I was bending it. Uggggh.

       2. I received the original framed photo from the #2 end from Johnson, as well as two new prints. They look very good. I agreed to bring out the other photo, damaged as it is, for him to copy.

       3. Reset nails, applied mahogany putty, sanded and stained the clerestory trim in sectors 7-8-21-22.

       4. I cleaned up and stained the window tracks, etc. for sectors 23-26. This included removing some shade tracks and sanding.

       5. I put a first coat of finish yellow on the center ceiling patch pieces at 2-3-26-27 and 4-5-24-25.

       6. I moved the platform back, then reset nails, applied mahogany putty, sanded and stained the clerestory trim in sectors 7-8-21-22.

13. Monday, February 4

    1. 308:

       1. I worked on freeing up windows that wouldn’t open, mostly the 1-14 side. Windows 1, 5, and 9 were removed and fixed. 7 works with difficulty, but we’re still missing the brass latch bracket casting for the shade track, so I didn’t take it apart. May have to remove one from a 321 spare. Window 9 still needed a spring latch; I removed the one on the 309 spare, drilled holes, and installed it. (Window 9 was made new c. 2004).

       2. There were a lot of OH screws missing in the shade tracks throughout the car, so I went through and filled all the holes I could (a couple have screws broken off in the holes.) All these need to be touched up when warmer weather arrives.

    2. 309:

       1. I went to the shop and found the 308 lower green, which I will use on the new photograph frames I have made. Took it and the white primer home.

       2. I cut out a ¼” shim for the seat frame at 27 and installed it.

14. Saturday, February 9

    1. 309:

       1. I went to Hicks Floor Covering in Geneva and picked up the rolls of new linoleum for the 309 and (eventually) 321. They are somewhat longer than I ordered: 22’ 2”. I cut one to length and installed it in sectors 3-8-21-26, approximately. I then cleaned the floor and started painting it with brown primer. First on the new linoleum, of course, and second on the wood in sectors 5-6-23-24, then I ran out of paint.

       2. Worked a little on stripping paint from the bottom of the 87” molding in sectors 13-14, but it’s very frustrating.

       3. Took some pictures for my new blog.

    2. 321:

       1. I put a ladder in the #2 vestibule and removed more wood from the roof, working from below. I hadn’t noticed this before, but the corner was rebuilt and there are already several Dutchmen installed. The whole end of the roof probably needs to be rebuilt.

15. Wednesday, February 13

    1. 309:

       1. I brought out another roll of linoleum, cut it to length and installed it to finish the installation. I then cleaned the floor and painted it with brown primer. I finished the rest of the main compartment (except directly under the 40” fixed seat.) Looks good.

       2. Oiled the seat frames in the smoker and installed the arm rest at 17.

       3. Took some pictures for my new blog.

16. Saturday, February 16

    1. 309:

       1. I dropped off the damaged original scenery photo for Johnson.

       2. I installed the last of the ½” quarter-round moldings on the #2 train door, then painted it with brown primer.

       3. I painted all of the new linoleum and the section under the 40” seat with second primer.

       4. Varnish on the wainscot in the smoker.

       5. I then cleaned up the smoker and painted the entire floor with second primer.

       6. First primer on the floor of the #1 vestibule.

       7. Took some pictures for my new blog.

    2. Misc.:

       1. Max finished connecting the new DC power switch in Barn 8. Thanks, Max!

17. Monday, February 18

    1. 309:

       1. I stripped the trim strip under the exterior window sill in about sectors 1-9; the old paint had never been stripped. Then sanded it down.

       2. I put first finish brown on the floor in sectors 2-10-19-27. Only the oval sector remains to be done. Includes the foot rests.

18. Wednesday, February 20

    1. 309:

       1. I stripped the rest of the trim strip under the exterior window sill in sectors 9-14, and sanded it down.

       2. I put first finish brown on the floor in the oval sector and the entire smoker. Includes the foot rests.

19. Monday, February 25

    1. 308:

       1. I worked on windows 28 and 17 so that they all work. I also worked on reattaching the spring latch on window 12, by inserting toothpicks in the holes. Needs to be watched.

    2. 309:

       1. I sanded down and removed all remaining paint on the clerestory windows and trim in sectors 25-26. Then first stain.

       2. Installed a ½” quarter round molding along the bottom of quadrangle 27-28. Then stain.

       3. Inventory of clerestory windows with original glass (here “A” is the triangle):

• 1 AB

• 2 A

• 11 B

• 12 B

• 13 AB

• 14 B

• 25 BC

• 26 AB

The distance from one pane to the opposite one is exactly 57”.

3. Misc.:

   1. Took pictures of the interior of North Shore 253.

20. Friday, February 29

    1. 309:

       1. I installed new clerestory (exterior) latch parts. Complete sets on quadrangle 21-22 and 17-18; 25-26 still had the star wheels so I added spring latches. Also spring latches at 13, and a new cap piece at 14. The only cap piece still missing is at 6; I moved the spring latch to the correct position, so it’s ready for installation. Later painted with primer.

       2. I finally decided stripping the lower edge of the 87” molding in the smoker is hopeless, so I put a first coat of finish yellow on the lower edge of 11-14; not quite complete because I ran out of masking tape – sort of annoying. Will need at least one more coat.

       3. Took pictures for the blog.

21. Wednesday, March 6

    1. 309:

       1. I started by making some more filler pieces for the outside of the clerestory. When the cap pieces were made, they had a gap on one side so the clerestory window frame could rotate. When the windows were fastened shut in 1925, small filler blocks were nailed in. However, over the years many of these have split and fallen out. So I installed several new ones on the north side of the car to correct that.

       2. Then I did some more interior work on the ceiling molding strips; the task of setting all nails, filling, sanding, and staining is nearly done.

       3. I also worked on some of the seat frames.

22. Wednesday, March 20

    1. 308:

       1. I found a replacement brass window latch track from the 318, polished it up and installed it in window 7, thus completing this task, finally. All windows should now operate properly. I also reinstalled the track in the toilet, although it’s non-functional.

       2. I signed up to do inspection on the 308 on Saturday, May 3.

    2. 309:

       1. I sanded down the north side of the 309: the letterboard and all T&G siding, plus the red trim strips. I need to wye the car or at least move it outside to do the upper part of the other side.

       2. I sanded down and repainted the interior wall panels with a new coat of green in sectors 4-10, including trimming all edges.

       3. Took pictures for the blog.