M35 Update

We're glad to get an update of recent progress on our Union Pacific doodlebug, the M35, from project manager Gregg Wolfersheim:

My time is usually spent working on the Green Bay car, however, I try to spend a few hours each week on the doodlebug. Recently I found a door striker for the partition between the engine room and smoker compartment. The car was missing this item since we acquired it in 1975! It is shown all shined up and mounted. Too the left is the Peter Baker heater in silver.

I've been slowly needle chipping and cleaning up underbody components. This is the fuel tank, mostly in primer. I made a tracing of the contents lettering so we can put it back on after the salutary coating of safety red.

This is the forward end of the fuel tank. The old filling valve and gauge were located inside this compartment. The UP converted some of their gas-electric cars to burn Butane in 1940, our M35 being one of them. We have switched it back to gasoline because this is what the replacement engine was set up for. Presently there is a RoiLine model 1850 inside which we acquired from Sperry Rail in 1977.

One of the pipes for the cooling system was quite corroded from being wrapped in insulation. If you look closely next to the union, there is a black dot on the pipe. That's a hole big enough to put a pencil into! The challenge now, is to replace this pipe. Every fitting is rusted tight after 70 years, so some heat will be required to loosen them up.