Chicago Day, Part III: First Blood

As was mentioned in the two above posts, I was up at IRM this weekend to help Randy on the 277, and provide a brief assist to Frank on the 205.

What wasn't mentioned was what happened to my right index finger at the end of the day. I was helping Randy close up Barn 8 by closing the doors at the track-end of the barn. While placing one of the metal security bars across the door, which would prevent intruders from opening the doors, the bar slipped from my hands and I pinched by finger because my right hand was under the bar.

Lots of bleeding ensued. Thankfully Frank helped me clean and dress the wound, and after a couple of bandage changings, cleaning with peroxide, it looks a lot better.

This is probably a good time to talk about shop safety. Always be aware of your surroundings, including, but not limited to, potential pinch hazards. Had I done this, I wouldn't have pinched by finger, and had to deal with the resulting bleeding/soreness, etc. In other words, don't do what I did!

More Paint

Today was mostly the 277 again; I started by tacking down the new canvas with a double row of tacks completely around the periphery. I then put on a second coat of paint. The first coat needed a gallon to cover about 70 square feet, the second coat needed less than half a gallon. Next step: start reinstalling the saddles and running boards!

I then took some time to investigate a couple of minor issues that had been reported with the blue cars. It's nothing serious, and we will be able to continue operating as scheduled if we have enough crew members sign up. So check the list.

Then it was back to the interior of the 277. After some more sorting, I cut out and installed the last piece of plywood on the right side of the main compartment. Then a first coat of primer on the smoker bulkhead. The bulkhead had been stripped by Bob Bruneau, as seen in a picture before painting (L). After painting it looks like this (R). Of course, another coat of primer and two finish coats will be required.

Note on the roof: The 277 really needs a complete roof job. The original canvas is in bad shape and has many rips, holes, and missing sections; it's been patched with tar paper and canvas, and there are patches on patches. Some of the wood is rotted out and needs to be replaced, etc. This job would require a set of scaffolds which we can't set up in Barn 8 and more time and manpower than will be available in the foreseeable future. So I decided to fix up this one area of the roof, because it's where the trolley base is located and was something I could do without scaffolding. And it's something that one person could accomplish in a reasonable time, about a year. The car will still not be watertight, since I haven't yet addressed any of the problems with other areas of the roof. Perhaps over the next year or so more patching can be done so we won't have to worry so much about getting the car even slightly wet. Hope this helps.

Monticello Railroad Museum

On Saturday I got a chance to visit Monticello again. The most important news is that the restoration of Southern 401 is still on schedule, and they hope to fire it up later this year. As mentioned before, it has a brand new boiler, and everything else has been rebuilt. The backhead (R) appears pretty complete.

Here is the rebuilt cross-compound air pump waiting to be installed.

And one of the cylinders, with a string lined up to guide the boring process. Thanks to Paul Taylor who took some time to show me through the engine shop and talk about the project.





The revenue service train consisted of this IC combine (L), a Rock Island commuter car like the ones we all know and love....



a flat car converted into an open-air excursion car (note the lack of benches)




and this Wabash caboose. Everything is nicely painted.

277 Progress

Today I finished stretching and tacking the new canvas, followed by a first coat of canvas paint on the rest of it. No pictures, it's pretty much the same as before.

Then I started putting on a first coat of the finish color in the main compartment, as seen here; two double sections of the upper walls, plus the end wall. The end wall is metal, since it encloses the hot water heater. The paint was dirty and faded, but otherwise in very good shape. I also put a second coat of white primer on the next section, and installed the next piece of new plywood.

And I checked that the blue cars had been locked up properly, and mounted the signs.

Short Day at the Farm

I wasn't able to get out to IRM until 4:30pm today but decided to go anyway to check on the CA&E cars, which were in revenue service this weekend, and to take some quick measurements on the 205. I arrived with barely enough time to board the 308-309 for their final trip of the day. To the right is my none-too-good interior shot from my seat in the car. Jim Nauer was motorman and Joel Ahrendt conductor; Jim is seen at right below sweeping out the car after the last run. We always appreciate how well the train crews take care of the cars!

After this I headed over to the 205, where I took some measurements for window post caps. As seen at left, many of the original window post caps are badly rusted through. These caps provide part of the window track but are not major structural members. One of the solutions to this issue that was suggested was to make caps to fit over the original post caps, as a kind of sleeve. This would make for a good cosmetic appearance and would be fairly straightforward. I drew up a quick diagram of the proposed caps; we'll have a test piece made and, after any necessary adjustments, will have enough made for the whole car.

Finally, I helped out a small bit with closing up the Illinois Central MU cars, which were over at the pit being inspected. It was nice to see these cars out of the barn for the first time in a few years.

Mattoon Depot

The IC depot in Mattoon is undergoing a massive restoration, and here are some pictures I took of it yesterday, while visiting in-laws. This project is being funded by a combination of federal grants, city and local fund-raising, etc. and they have a very complete and detailed website here with lots of pictures and intricate features. Parts of it are open during restoration and it still serves as the Amtrak station; here you can see people waiting on the platform for the next train.

The building is interesting due to its two-story design; the north-south IC main is in a cut, and originally an east-west branch of the Big Four crossed over it on a bridge to the north of the station. (R) The north side of the station had this now-useless platform for the long-gone Big Four.

Here's a view of part of the interior. As I say, the website has more and better pictures, although most of them are artist's renderings of the completed project. Your tax dollars at work!

Oil on Canvas: Masters of the Bix Arts School

The first priority today was to fix two (actually three) windows in the 308 where the screws were pulling loose from the latches. This involves removing the windows, drilling out the holes, gluing in hardwood dowels, redrilling, etc. All pretty routine, but it takes time. The car is now ready for revenue service again.

I then started on the interior of the 277. I cut out another plywood panel, painted, and installed it, and installed the next "croquet hoop" and painted it, as seen here. This also entailed installing one window shade box, removing another, and installing/removing various window shade tracks for the various parts. I'd say real progress is being made.

Next, up to the roof. I started a final stretch of the canvas, and did somewhat over half of it, as seen here. This is harder than it looks, because I'm kneeling on the canvas as I stretch it, and then have to tack it down while holding it. After a while, I decided I'd had enough, since I wanted to go on to painting. And it was, of course, hot up there. In any case, I think the current method for stretching seems to be sufficient.




As we leave the French Depressionist wing of the Museum, we may make our way to the next gallery, where masters of the American minimalist movement of the early Twentieth Century known as the Bix Arts School may be viewed. (Note on French pronunciation: since Beaux Arts is pronounced "boh zahr," Bix Arts is obviously "bih zahr.") Here we climb a ladder of minimally functional black grab irons, where we see an untitled oil on canvas masterpiece by an unknown artist of the St. Louis School. Part of it is being restored by one of the Museum's many highly-paid professional art conservators. Here we may admire the artist's dramatic use of a single color for the huge expanse of canvas, the exquisite choice of Tile Red to represent the agrarian roots of the class struggle, and the uncompromising refusal to include any superfluous patterns or bourgeois ornamentation.

Remember that the display and restoration of these artifacts at our Museum is made possible by all you hoity-toity millionaire patrons of fine art, so thanks to all of you!

We Get a Lucky Brake

I was wrong. (Yes, it's happened before.) On further testing, I decided the problem with the 308's braking system was indeed the feed valve, which was stuck open. (The clock at the #2 end wasn't reading correctly; this won't be a problem in regular service.) I removed the feed valve and took it to the shop for disassembly and cleaning. Here are the parts of the control portion spread out on the bench. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the valve portion apart, so it still doesn't work properly. However, Bob Heinlein got me a spare which he had rebuilt and adjusted a couple of years ago, and when installed in the 308, the braking system now works OK. I wanted to take the cars outside for testing, but it started to rain off and on, so I'll rely on the results of static testing for now. Thanks, Bob!!!

Here's a picture of our air brake test stand, which among other things works well for testing feed valves. The feed valve is a regulating valve which is supposed to supply a constant 70 lbs of air to the brake system; if it sticks open, instead you get whatever pressure is in the main reservoir, which goes up and down. When that happens, the brakes don't operate correctly (although you can always stop! Sometimes, however, the car stops when you don't want it to.)

After that, I went back to the 277 and finished painting the ceiling on the right side of the main compartment, as seen here. I should now be able to install the baggage racks, and after some more painting on the walls, maybe even some of the seats.

Dave's Depots - Lincoln Depot, Springfield, Illinois

Work recently took me to Springfield, Illinois to appear before the Circuit Court of Sangamon County. Of course, Springfield is where Abraham Lincoln made his home as an adult and practiced law. Springfield has a host of Lincoln-related sites, from the Lincoln Library and Museum, to the Lincoln Home.

One of the interesting Lincoln sites sits next to the Sangamon County Courts building. It is the Great Western Railroad Station. This is where Lincoln left Springfield on February 11, 1861 to head to his inauguration in Washington. On the rear platform of his train, Lincoln gave an improvised farewell speech to the assembled crowd:

"My friends, no one, not in my situation, can appreciate my feeling of sadness at this parting. To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything. Here I have lived a quarter of a century, and have passed from a young to an old man. Here my children have been born, and one is buried. I now leave, not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of the Divine Being who ever attended him, I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail. Trusting in Him who can go with me, and remain with you, and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell."

The depot remains, and in good shape. The building is owned by the local newspaper, who maintains it.

Springfield also has several other depots, to be covered later, including an Illinois Central Depot, a Chicago & Alton Depot and the Illinois Terminal facility. I only wish I could have taken "the traction" back to St. Louis, to avoid the drive.

Minor Difficulties

On Sunday, the crew noticed a few minor difficulties with the 308. First of all, the brakes don't always release after a light reduction. I checked the operation to make sure it wasn't a feed valve problem; no, it's the triple valve. This happens sometimes because after a light reduction the brake pipe comes back up slowly and the valve doesn't move. We'll try lubricating it some more.

Then it was noticed we had a broken spring on one of the trolley bases. I'd never had to replace one before, and got a much better appreciation of little things like this. It was quite a project, and took me about 3 1/2 hours to complete. I had to run the cars outside so I could have the pole pointing straight up. Here we see the 309 with the big blue flag, and the 308 with its pole reaching for the sky. After what seemed like hours of pounding, I managed to remove the pins holding the springs, and replace the broken one.

Just getting the replacement spring out of the spare base was a difficult project. Each pin holds the ends of two springs, and they're held by cotter pins which are hard to remove, etc.

The replacement spring is rusty; the others are still coated with tar from when the CA&E was tarring the roofs back in the fifties.

I'd had enough of working on the roof, so nothing got done on the 277. Instead, I started repainting the ceiling in the main compartment. I recently got the paint mixed, and it seems to be a good match. Here we see it after painting, both before and after removing all the masking tape and drop cloth.

I was sent a video starring Joel Ahrendt picking up flimsies on the fly last Saturday; it was made from Tom Hunter's pictures by Jason Nates. I'm unable to include it here, but if you want to see it, send me an email and I'll attach it. Warning: 3 MB.

Nederland, Colorado

In the little town of Nederland, high in the Rockies, we happened upon these railroad cars on display, far from any railroad. This nice Burlington coach is C&S #544. It appears to be in good shape, although it badly needs paint. A door has been cut in the side, and I couldn't tell what sort of interior it might have; workmen were busy building parts of a circus museum of some sort which will incorporate these cars.

There's also a waycar and this baggage car. I'm a little dubious about its identity as an 1872 UP baggage car, but who knows?

Pictures, We Get Pictures

People who were riding the train with us this past week sent me some interesting links.

David Fullarton rode the 251/714 train on Memorial Day and took video from the front end. Here are links to two YouTube segments:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z-d_-F7F0o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55ef5jwAvoc

Our old friend Tom Hunter rode the 309 on Saturday, and took a large number of pictures. Here are just a few which illustrate picking up flimsies:


The dispatcher (Adam Robillard) attaches the flimsy to a loop of string and mounts it in the hoop.

As the train approaches, conductor Joel Ahrendt reaches out to put his arm through the triangle formed by the loop of string in the hoop. He doesn't have to actually catch anything with his fingers.

He has pulled the the string away from the hoop, and can now unroll and read the order.

Tom says he will also make a movie out of this sequence. So stay tuned!

So thanks!