Railway Museum q u a r t e r l y

"Advancing Railway Preservation"

Number 51 A Journal of the Association of Railway Museums Spring 2009

An invitation received at the ARM 2008 Conference inspired the Editor to visit the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, a growing ARM member in Kennesaw, GA. It’s home to the General (Rogers 1855), the Civil War’s most famous locomotive. For more on Georgia railway preservation, see page 4. Aaron Isaacs photo. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S LETTER railway By Suzanne Grace Each time I attend an ARM Board of museum Directors meeting, I am again impressed with the progressive leadership of the association. It is refreshing to observe a board whose members work solely for quarterly the benefit of the organization with no self-interest and in full cooperation with one another. There is, of course, no remuneration for ARM board members. Railway Museum Quarterly is published quarterly by the Association of Railway Museums and Although much is expected of them, the distributed free of charge to member and affiliate member institutions and individuals. The work is strictly voluntary. opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Association. Articles appearing in RMQ Each meeting begins with a review of may be reprinted in whole or in part provided proper credit is given the source. Submissions are the association’s strategic plan. This always welcomed, along with accompanying photos. Articles covering programs, initiatives, major document is a living plan for the events and undertakings of member institutions are of special interest. association, a step-by-step map for reaching ARM’s goals. Our facilitator is ARM member Don Evans of the West ARM Membership Coast Railway Heritage Park. His Membership in the Association of Railway Museums is open to nonprofit organizations preserving profession is strategic planning and he and displaying at least one piece of railway or street railway rolling stock to the public on a consults with organizations and regularly scheduled basis. Other organizations, businesses and individuals interested in the work of companies all over the world. We are the Association are invited to become affiliates. most fortunate to have someone of his All members and affiliates receive Railway Museum Quarterly as a benefit of membership. For caliber assist us in our planning. more details, or to report address changes, please contact the Association of Railway Museums, The association’s plans are big and all 1016 Rosser St., Conyers, GA 30012, or email to [email protected]. will result in better member service, new Call us at (770) 278-0088 or visit our Web site: www.railwaymuseums.org. member benefits, and a smoother, more efficient operation. Here is the board’s vision for ARM: Directors In 2016 ARM is recognized as the Richard Anderson, Northwest Railway Museum, [email protected] leading railway preservation support David Dunn, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, [email protected] organization in North America. We have Bob LaPrelle, Museum of the American Railroad, [email protected] a membership of over 300 railway Peter Murphy, Exporail, [email protected] museums and heritage railway G. Mark Ray, Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, [email protected] operations and several sources of Ken Rucker, National Capital Trolley Museum, [email protected] revenue are sustaining our activities. Jim Schantz, Seashore Trolley Museum, [email protected] Our collaborative initiatives in Eric Sitiko, HART-TECOLine Streetcar Museum, [email protected] working with other organizations have Kyle Wyatt, California State Railroad Museum, [email protected] resulted in a unified and powerful voice in advocacy, education, and support for railway heritage. Officers New technology enables member President: Bob LaPrelle connectivity and communications, and a Vice President: David Dunn constantly updated set of Recommended Secretary: Ellen Fishburn, [email protected] Practices are the standard for our sector Treasurer: Ken Rucker, 1313 Bonifant Road, Silver Spring, MD 20905-5961, and a model for others. [email protected] Some of the ways ARM is fulfilling Committees its vision include discussions with other Renewal Parts: Rod Fishburn, Chair, [email protected] railway preservation organizations to seek out areas of common interest for Staff collaboration and greater efficiency; an Suzanne Grace, Executive Director, 1016 Rosser St., Conyers, GA 30012 active membership campaign; a new [email protected] web site set to launch before summer; a study committee to review member Railway Museum Quarterly suggestions for revising and updating Aaron Isaacs, Editor, 3816 Vincent Ave. South, Minneapolis, MN 55410, (612) 929-7066, ARM’s Recommended Practices for [email protected]. Railway Museums; improved member communication through email; and an The Association of Railway Museums is a Professional Affiliate Member of the American effort to provide educational sessions at Association of Museums. ARM conferences that meet the needs of all members. Organizational Mission: The purpose of the Association of Railway Museums is to lead in the The ARM Board of Directors is advancement of railway heritage through education and advocacy, guided by the principles working hard and smart on your behalf set forth in "Recommended Practices for Railway Museums" and incorporated in other best and you can expect to see great results practices generally accepted in the wider museum community. this year and in the coming years.

2 ARM 2009 IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

SEPT. 16-20 AT WEST COAST RAILWAY HERITAGE PARK “CHANGING SCENES”-THE 10-YEAR DEVELOPMENT OF A MUSEUM Featuring: Conference Pricing (US Dollars): BC Electric Traction Tour ARM members Non-ARM members BC Museum of Mining Tour Until July 15 $275 $300 Trip to Whistler Resort on the Whistler Mountaineer July 16-Aug 15 $295 $325 Royal Hudson steam trip to North Vancouver After Aug 15 $325 $350 SkyTrain Ride Sea Bus cross harbor ride Registration: Lunch on the Rocky Mountaineer Canadian ARM members: Book through West Coast Ry. Heritage Park’s new roundhouse Assn., www.wcra.org, 1-800-722-1233 Former Pacific Great Eastern Shops Others: Book through the ARM office in Conyers, GA, www.railwaymuseums.org, 1-770-278-0088 Seminars: How planning drives museum development Lodging: Developing a future technology museum Garibaldi Springs Resort - $99 studio / $119 - 1 bedroom Developing a learning destination Mountain Retreat Hotel & Suites - $95 Finding sponsors and putting a name on facilities (Rates in Candian dollars, US equivalent about 80%, Safety in museum workshops taxes not included) Developing museums as sustainable attractions Fundraising never stops Customs broker for US exhibitors: Maintaining a mainline steam locomotive Pacific Customs Brokers, www.pcb.ca, 604-538-1566 Steel and wood passenger car restoration 3 Savannah Roundhouse Museum

RAIL PRESERVATION Southeastern Railway Museum 1919), which for years ran at Stone In 1998, the museum moved from its Mountain disguised in faux-Civil War- IN GEORGIA old, 12-acre open-air site to a new, 30- era paint and diamond stack. Southern acre former railroad car shop that was E8 #6901 (EMD 1951) graces the By Aaron Isaacs donated. Along with more land came property in Southern Crescent green two shop buildings, which made and gold. It is one of seven diesels in Sometimes things converge. At the possible covered storage for a third of the collection. The 24 passenger cars ARM 2008 Conference in Colorado the collection. It converted the include most car types and eras. Springs, I had met Dick Hillman, who buildings to museum use through an Notable is the all-steel private car encouraged me to do an article on his $810,000 TEA21 grant. The larger of Superb (Pullman 1911), which carried place, the Southern Museum of Civil the buildings houses the museum’s best President Warren Harding and is listed War and Locomotive History in artifacts, a museum store, offices and on the National Register of Historic Kennesaw, Georgia. I needed material interesting exhibits. The smaller Places. The nine cabooses represent for RMQ, and a break from a building is open on the sides and only most of the region’s carriers. particularly long, cold Minnesota winter shelters rolling stock. Outside, a 44- sounded pretty attractive. ARM tonner and caboose provide short rides Southern Museum of Civil War and Executive Director Suzanne Grace lives on the yard trackage. Locomotive History near Atlanta, and wanted more first- The collection of over 50 pieces The subject of two motion pictures, hand exposure to rail preservation, so provides a good cross section of the Civil War’s Great Locomotive she accompanied me to Kennesaw, plus southeastern railroading. There are nine Chase was certainly one of the most a short visit to the Southeastern Railway steam locomotives, including a famous rail episodes in American Museum in Duluth, GA. The trip significant pair of 4-6-2s, Savannah & history. Its notoriety was sufficient to concluded with a day-long visit to the Atlanta #750 and Atlanta & West Point preserve its locomotive protagonists, Roundhouse Railroad Museum in #290. Recently the museum acquired the 4-4-0s General and Texas. Both Savannah. Red River & Gulf 4-4-0 #104 (Baldwin survive today. The historic event itself started at Kennesaw, and that was the

4 The Southeastern Railway Museum occupies a former car repair shop outside of Duluth, GA.

Left: New York, Ontario & Western 44- tonner #104 (GE 1941) pulls the caboose train past Red River & Gulf 4-4-0 #104, still partially decorated for Stone Mountain.

Above: The complete interior of Southern RPO car #153 (Bethlehem 1928).

Middle right: Savannah & Atlanta 4-6-2 #750 (Alco 1910) occupies a display track in the main exhibit building.

Southern Cresent E8 #6901 (EMD 1951) in the smaller, open air carshop building.

5 impetus for the museum created to display the General. Dick Hillman gave us a tour of the place, which is much more impressive than I had expected. The City of Kennesaw owns the museum, but it receives considerable financial support through the efforts of its non-profit foundation, which employs Hillman. It is a Smithsonian affiliate. A modern, professional-looking facility, it has been expanded more than once. It is divided into three main sections. After leaving the lobby, visitors enter an exhibit area that deals with the Civil War and the role of railroads in fighting it. The largest portion of the museum’s space is dedicated to telling the story of the Glover Machine Works. This local company started out manufacturing machinery for the lumber business, including steam powered log skidders. Having learned to build skidders, it was a short step to building locomotives. Between 1903 and 1930 the company turned out 200 of them, mostly small industrial and logging engines. Family owned, they never threw anything away. When the company finally shut down in 1995, it was a virtual museum in its own right. All the records and tooling from the very beginning were intact. There were even two complete, unsold locomotives inside one of the buildings. With the family’s cooperation, much of it is now displayed. The third portion of the museum tells the story of the Great Locomotive Chase, featuring the General itself. The Texas, by the way, is exhibited in Atlanta at the Cyclorama. Open seven days a week, the museum sees 50,000-60,000 visitors per year. There are 20 full time and part time paid staff, as well as 15-20 regular volunteers. There are 270 museum members. Revenue comes from admissions, the gift shop, capital grants, donations from local families and the city of Kennesaw. Hillman showed us the state of the art climate controlled archive room. In addition to the Glover records, it houses a large collection of Southern railroad operating records, which are the owned by the Southern Railroad Historical Association. Its members are active in the cataloguing effort. Fundraising is underway to expand the archives space. Savannah Roundhouse Museum Its name is somewhat misleading, because this museum is preserving and Top: The exterior of the Southern Museum of the Civil War and Locomotive restoring not just a roundhouse, but the History in Kennesaw, GA. entire eleven-building shop complex of Middle: This complete locomotive, built in 1926 and then repossessed, had been the Central of Georgia. Much of it dates stored at the Glover Machine Works since the late 1920s. from 1855, and it was expanded in the Bottom: Wood patterns from the Glover Pattern Shop. 1920s. Abandoned in 1963, it had been heavily vandalized and portions had 6 MAP OF THE SAVANNAH ROUNDHOUSE MUSEUM

AND CENTRAL OF GEORGIA SHOPS

7 Above: All the shops’ exhausts were routed through underground pipes to this single smokestack. The doors around the base are individual toilet stalls.

Top left: The 1923 Coach Shop/Paint Shop building is being restored and will reopen in 2010.

Central of Georgia 2-8-0 #223 (Baldwin 1907) inside the roundhouse.

The allready restored Central of Georgia depot is across Louisville Road from the shops complex. Today it houses the Savannah History Museum.

8 collapsed by the time the City of storehouse. A master plan for the Savannah purchased it. The machine roundhouse and shops was completed in THINK YOU HAVE shop and carpenter shop currently have 1998. Beginning in 2002, a new local PROBLEMS? no roofs. The impetus for the city to sales tax was approved to fund the step in and save the property came restoration of the rest of the complex. How hard is it to manage a railway when local preservationists noticed that This was combined with other city the tall smokestack was being money, TEA-21 grants and fund raising museum? Here are two stories that may disassembled for its bricks. by the Coastal Heritage Society. Repairs be more extreme than most—or maybe In the 1989, the city contracted with began to the roundhouse itself, which not. the non-profit Coastal Heritage Society still needs rear windows. In 2004, the to operate and restore the complex. The city was able to purchase the rest of the Society was already operating the site from Norfolk Southern, including Part 1--My Last President’s Report Savannah History Museum, located in the large coach/paint shop building. It By Jim Lundquist the large C of G depot across the street and the adjacent carpenters shop are from the roundhouse. Since then there currently being rebuilt, with completion Reprinted with permission from the has been a major effort to stabilize the scheduled for 2010. The boiler room, Pacific Southwest Railway Museum’s buildings, restore them and reopen the lumber shed and planning shed still Hot Scoop newsletter. place as a museum. require stabilization. As 2008 comes to an end, it’s hard to The early 1990s saw major repairs to With the completion of building believe that I am wrapping up my sixth the roundhouse dispatch office, tender renovations within sight, the staff is year as your President (for the second frame shop, blacksmith shop and turning its attention to museum term). This was far and away the operations and interpretive activities. hardest adventure in my life (possible The Savannah History Museum will exception – my teenage kids), and yet it move from the depot to the coach/paint all seems to have gone by so fast. shop building, which will also house a In late December 2002, the members children’s museum. Spring 2009 will see voted to install a new 25 person Board a track extension to the paint shop to run the Museum. At the Board’s first building, and the first regular shuttle meeting, I agreed to be appointed the trips on the existing yard trackage, President. As a first order of business, including a spin on the 1923-built 85- we had to get a handle on where we foot turntable. were as a Museum. Frankly, it wasn’t a Currently, the roundhouse yard is very good place. isolated. By late 2010, the goal is to We had an office in the Santa Fe rebuild the missing bridge over Depot, in downtown San Diego, staffed Louisville Road and reestablish a live by one employee and some dedicated connection with the general railroad volunteers. The office rent was behind, system. The city owns 2.5 miles of right the payroll was behind; we owed tens of way extending north from the depot of thousands of dollars for office and that will be available for excursions. equipment and the utility payments In its current situation, partially were behind! In addition, our Library restored with no formal docent program was also in the depot and was facing Preservation bonuses: A privately and with large areas off limits during eviction. A quick review of the books and the profit/loss statement told us that owned Cincinnati curved side construction, the museum has been drawing about 19,000 visitors per year. we couldn’t afford to keep the office carbody in Marietta, GA, and the old That is expected to increase as soon as open nor a paid employee to staff it. We Wrightsville & Tennille Railroad train ride and other programmed sought relief from the owner of the offices in Wriightsville, GA. activities are established. Active depot, which granted us a waiver on the interpretation will begin this year. Seven back rent if we moved out as soon as paid docents will alternate between the possible. In no time, we were sorting roundhouse and the Heritage Society’s papers and moving stuff into storage or nearby historic Fort Jackson. There are the La Mesa Depot. Almost currently no volunteers, but that will also immediately, our last paid employee change in the next year or so. left on her own. A few months later, we The museum has representative paid the last payroll check to her. No collection of historic pieces. All are sooner did we finish up that move, our regional, except for a couple of 44- library was evicted. Once again, we tonners that were purchased to power the fired up the moving vans, acquired used shuttle trains. The museum employs a trailers and containers and moved shop staff of eight people, who hours everything to Campo. In just a couple add up to five full time equivalents. In of months, we were out of the rental 2006 they completed the overhaul of 0- office space. 4-0T #30, which will be the Our attention then turned to Campo. demonstration steam locomotive. It wasn’t any prettier there either. There Recently they completed restoring C of was a shut-off notice from San Diego G heavyweight office car Atlanta and a Gas & Electric taped to the Campo flatcar with benches for the shuttle runs. Depot door. The upstairs portion of the Currently they’re working on a depot was being used as an office and refrigerator car and an outside braced then an apartment. We lost part of the boxcar. depot parking lot to a sand pit. Our Tecate trains were being operated by 9 someone else, with 10% of the gross starting getting easier to manage. That the Display Building is a nice new being passed along to us for using our first meeting in Spring Valley featured video program and TV showing off our name and equipment. The Shop 25 board members and a public of beautiful #2353 steam locomotive. The Building housed offices for another around 40 members. One by one, the Display Building has been the venue to company, and the yard and shop were Board members resigned for various several nice evening programs and full of employees for that company. reasons, and, the meetings started could host others once a restroom is There was contaminated soil calming down and became more constructed nearby. everywhere. Furthermore, we had no manageable. Eventually, the members The Shop Building features a new operating locomotives we could call our adopted new bylaws which called for concrete pit, upgraded electrical and own. For me, it was simply eight Board members, a true blessing in air. All the contaminated soil has been overwhelming to look at the work terms of managing the meetings. removed. There are numerous new before us and think we could pull it off Our train operations continued to tools and machinery equipment inside. by ourselves with our small group of expand – some with great results, some Outside is a new Track 15 with dedicated volunteers. Soon enough, the still awaiting success. Our Tecate trains maintenance of way equipment, and a other company left Campo for another were popular, and really took off when new motorcar shed. On the tracks are east county town, and took their Huell Howser ( a local TV celebrity) several pieces of new rail equipment, equipment and tools with them, leaving came out, spent a day with us, then an which took hundreds of hours and behind the contaminated soil and evening of fundraising showing our thousands of dollars to acquire, broken down Museum equipment for us train trip on the air and inviting KPBS including ATSF #2381, a former San to deal with. listeners to travel with Huell. That Diego switch engine and SP #7304, a “Where to start?” was the huge program still continues to pay dividends former SD&AE operating engine. In question. We started by cleaning up and for us. We started a Christmas train, addition, we have a rubber tired car cutting costs. I cut-out the switch to the working with the local High School mover, multiple forklifts, loaders, air conditioner in the lounge, and students. Each year, the event keeps backhoes and other power machinery. begged the trash company to forgive the getting bigger, so that this year we are We have much less “stuff” under and back bill for trash. We filled up many running ten trains and 3,000 people to around the one remaining oak tree, as boxes of contaminated soil and paid to the North Pole. Also successful are the junk has been tossed and recycled over have them hauled away. We were able Pumpkin trains and Easter trains. Still a four year period of time, lead by to “blue card” a locomotive and start awaiting success are the Campo Valley yours truly. Also, we installed new our Golden State operations again. Flyers and any train with food service. electrical service and have set up the Soon, the other company wrote us Driving out to Campo and entering library trailer and containers in this giving us back our Tecate trains. That our property, it’s easy for me to spot area. was the break we needed. We had our improvements, starting with the So, as of December 2008, we are several meetings with officials in Caltrans direction signs on State Route totally debt free, and in charge of our Mexico to reestablish those operating 94 and our own signs at our gate future. There are new and energetic rights. Soon, our trains were once again welcoming and thanking people for volunteers to be found on site. I am operating to Mexico and we were able visiting us as they enter and exit. The turning over our Museum to our new to keep 100% of the ticket sales less main entrance road has been cleaned up President in much better shape than costs. That was a huge break. With the somewhat, with the run down when I found it, thanks to a dedicated revenues up and our expenses down, we equipment removed and additional core of hard working volunteers. We were back to breaking even. But, how signage to the Depot. At the Depot, are all doing great things together. to get caught up with all the past due there are also two new signs there bills? welcoming our visitors. The Depot Part 2--Nevada Northern’s 2008 Along came a savior in a plain itself features new siding, some new By Mark Bassett, Executive Director envelop to our La Mesa Depot address. windows, new signs, a wheelchair lift, a Reprinted with permission. I opened the mail one afternoon and completely rebuilt upstairs (not yet In March, we were finishing up inside was a check for $210,400. Not open to the public – a success story still different building projects around the quite believing it was real, I called the waiting to happen, as are the new property. The biggest one was the bank in Florida and was told the check restrooms) and new paint. There are conversion of the Boiler Building into was indeed real, and the donor wanted new swings, tires for the children, a ADA restrooms. In April, we started in to be anonymous. I immediately drove new loading dock and new lights for the on locomotive 93 and made an historic across the street and deposited the tracks and parking lot. A new brick decision. The repairs to locomotive 93 check into our account, then started sidewalk, a water fountain in need of would be thorough, no half measures. calling all our friends to tell the good repair and new shade trees replacing We had a plan and we were confident news. We paid all our back debts, our beautiful tree which died of old age. in the plan, but we didn't have the repaid the restricted funds and then There is a new Workamper site where manpower to implement it. A call to the looked for projects we wanted to push happy volunteers live onsite, which Heber Valley Railroad asking for forward. As I recall, we put in the lights replaced an old trailer which we hauled assistance was answered in the positive. in the Display Building, a concrete slab off to the dump in three large roll-off They would help. there also, upgraded the Campo Depot containers, one piece at a time. Still Our plan lasted until we removed the with new siding, donated windows and awaiting attention are the old tank car first tire from the wheel center. As the paint, and put some away to start our on the ground and the section houses. tire was being removed, shims started endowment fund. Meanwhile, we Up on Track One is our ATSF freight raining down. This was unexpected plugged away and restored yet another train, which is awaiting signs to and, it turns out, all of the tires were locomotive and we reroofed and interpret for our visitors. The Display shimmed. This would add to the cost repainted several of our passenger cars. Building has a new sign and, new and difficulty of the project, as well as The emphasis was on our presentation interior concrete floors with electrical more time. to our public – the train, depot and lights and new wiring replacing the People come to the Nevada Northern Display Building. extension cords which made their way to ride behind our steam locomotives. During this time, our Board meetings down from the Shop Building. Inside With no steam locomotive in operation, 10 the 2008 season was beginning to look project and with it a disaster. The East Ely Depot Museum is slated to bleak. Then in May oil prices hit $130 a project bid was a lot higher than we close July 1, 2009. barrel. If we were shocked to be paying expected or that we had money for. At Wow! This is devastating not only to $3.50 a gallon for gas, the worse was the same time, the track project was the state employees who work at the yet to come. By mid-June, gas was over consuming more resources than was depot but also to us. All of a sudden, we $4 a gallon and in some of the more planned for. And more was being found start getting phone calls from people remote areas, it was over $5. No steam wrong with locomotive 93. All three who believe we're closing. They are locomotives and high fuel prices were projects would take more money than confusing the East Ely Depot Museum bad enough but then the metals market was budgeted for them. with the Nevada Northern Railway went crazy. Daily, prices for the metal The Club 50 crossing project was to Museum. We put out press releases to needed for the repairs to locomotive 93 be paid with grant funds. If we didn't do try and clear up the confusion but it's a kept going up—sometimes in the project, we'd lose the funds. If we tough fight. The news that the Easy Ely substantial amounts. didn't renew the crossing, the next Depot Museum may close travels like Meanwhile down at the shops, work option was to remove it and pave over wildfire. The state attempts to separate was proceeding on locomotive 93 and it. Then if we could find the funds, the the two of us, but the message was locomotive 204. All of the sixteen project would be even more expensive. already out there. cylinders and heads were replaced with The Club 50 crossing was tied into October comes and with it the rebuilt units on locomotive 204. Then the track rehabilitation project. It would Haunted Ghost Trains. The amount of locomotive 105 goes out of service make no sense to rehabilitate the track, effort to do the Haunted Ghost Trains is because of a traction motor bearing if the Club 50 crossing was not done. enormous. Not only do we need train problem. Meanwhile locomotive 109 Meanwhile, we found another crews but ghosts and goblins are needed develops a water leak. Thankfully, it's unexpected problem with the wheel too. And my hat is off to these ghosts caught in time and repairs are made. centers from locomotive 93. The good and goblins, they're real troupers. They In addition to taking care of the news is that the problem was repairable; are at their haunting place regardless of locomotives and track, we also have the bad news is it would cost more the weather. This year we had snow, sixty-six buildings and structures to money and delay the project. This rain, and wind—sometimes at the same maintain. In June, RFP's were released setback was discovered right after all time. for building projects in the East Ely the summer issue of Ghost Tracks had It's heading into November and the Yard and McGill Depot. In preparing been sent out inviting everyone to come weather was great! Projects are the RFP, a chilling discovery was made. to East Ely to see locomotive 93 operate beginning to get wrapped up. The The Master Mechanic's Building had Labor Day weekend. building projects are almost done. The received severe damage to its masonry. Additional money was found for the Club 50 project was almost done. The An inspection revealed that the building Club 50 project, it was now a go. Work track work was over for the year. The had new and recent degradation of the was continuing on the track leading up annual food drive with the local scouts blocks and joints. We suspected that the to the crossing. In addition work was was a success. culprit was the Wells earthquake. Since now being done on the McGill Depot, Next up are the Polar Expresses! And we had received earthquake damage to the Transportation Building, the now the economy was heading south. the Master Mechanic's building, we Garages, the Bus Garage, Chief We depend on the Polar Expresses for took a closer look at the Bus Garage. Engineer's building, the Master our end of year revenue. The bad news Cracks had been noted in the masonry Mechanic's Building, the Electric Shop, was that the pre-ticket sales were down, in the past and now it was evident that the Ice House, the Enginehouse and the but walk up traffic was way up. We they had opened. That spring, the north Machine Shop. Work also continued on were actually running ahead of last wall of the Materials Storage Building locomotive 93. And did I mention as all year. had been blown down. Then there was of these projects were going on, we also Now it’s December, the weather is the Air Brake Building, foxes had had a railroad to run? During the cooperating, we're getting snow for the burrowed under the building summer months, we operated two trains Polars and all of our construction threatening its foundation. Its roof had a day, every day, except Tuesday. So in projects are winding up. On December blown off three years ago, and the addition to all of the projects, we had a 9, locomotive 93's wheels and axles temporary roof was failing. The good train schedule to maintain. arrive back in Ely. The shop forces news: we had enough grant money to July, August and September fly by, jump in and start the reassembly of make the repairs to the buildings. The ridership was still off but it was locomotive 93. She looked strange bad news: we might not have enough improving each month. The Club 50 floating in the air since April waiting time to do the projects. It would be a project was going on and looking good. for wheels. In four days, all of the axles race against time and the weather. The track project was on going. The are installed. Then the rods and brake By late June, the new forgings for state track inspector came to town. rigging go back on and just before locomotive 93's axles were delivered to Together we inspected our track and Christmas locomotive 93 is back Salt Lake City. The wheel centers were success! We opened the track from East together! What a Christmas present! being built up. Here in Ely, work was Ely to Hiline Junction and then opened At the same time, the Polar progressing on the locomotive as well. the track from Hiline Junction to MP Expresses were going well except the Things were beginning to look good; it 130. He complimented us on all of the flu was knocking out staff and looked like we could have locomotive work that had been accomplished. volunteers. People are juggled to fill 93 running by Labor Day. To celebrate Unfortunately, the track to Adverse is positions and the Polar Expresses keep we planned to have an open house still out of service. running. On December 26, locomotive featuring locomotive 93. Things were looking up, ridership 93 rolls out of the enginehouse to the The 4th of July came and we carried was improving month by month, gas coaling area and the tender is filled with more people than we had the previous prices were falling, projects were being coal! December 27, a fire is built and year. Locomotives 204 and 109 were completed, and now it was time to start locomotive 93 is hot for the first time running just fine. Ridership was off, but our fall fundraising drive. Letters were since July 2007. December 28 is THE it was stronger than it was earlier in the prepared, mailed out and then the bomb DAY!!! Locomotive 93 was running year. The RFP came in for the Club 50 hits. The State of Nevada announces the and everything appears to be great! 11 On December 29, after some Owing to a lessening demand for its roller a six-inch long piece of high adjustments locomotive 93 was out the wall coverings the company sold this count tight twill weave cotton the width door again for some additional testing. business in the mid 1990’s. The of the shade less side hems was Everything was looking good. successor company closed in early attached to the un-hemmed top of the Last year we received $2,235,000 in 2003. The Pantasote Company was Pantasote. The sheeting was inserted funding for a long list of projects. The faced with an increasingly difficult into the roller and retained by a steel biggest project was the rebuilding of business environment stemming from wire. A common roller was the ‘REX’ what we refer to the Club 50 crossing liabilities incident to its contamination made by the Curtain Supply Company on US 93. Other projects were track of manufacturing sites (now on Super of Chicago. Adams & Westlake (still in rehabilitation along with building Fund site lists), employee work related business and may still have some) repairs and renovations. These projects health claims, and financial problems. made a number of models of rollers were all funded through grants. The remaining business units were sold under the trade name “Adlake”. In addition to the above projects, the in a leveraged buyout to the Butler When compiling specifications for foundation undertook $470,000 in Printing and Laminating Company. A the construction of new blinds, I locomotive repair projects and $58,600 brief communication with Butler carefully disassembled original, but in additional track repair projects. These suggests that they have copies of now distressed blinds retrieved from projects were funded by private Pantasote’s pattern books. Butler can old car bodies and body owners. After foundations and local grants along with produce a product similar to older having verified that a particular blind money raised from our members. railway coach blind material. However, was correct for a restoration job by So the year ended as it started. We they appear to have only two colours in type, model, reverse finish or pattern, had our ups and we had our downs, which Pantasote was formerly length, and width, I completely sometimes within minutes of each manufactured and will only make large measured the hems, bottom rod loop other. At the end of the year, amounts in a product run. They have the and the hemmed and surged leader. The locomotives, rolling stock, buildings, capacity to laminate cloth to vinyl and stitching patterns were also noted. and track all received needed attention. can print up to six colours. Custom runs Measured drawings of each blind type We're not done by any stretch of the would be exceedingly large and (e.g. side window, vestibule, etc.) were imagination, but indisputably, progress expensive. then made . Next I tried to identify the was made on all fronts. The roller The highest demand for Pantasote fabrics by fiber and weave in order to coaster ride continues in 2009, and I'm was not from railway coach builders but find duplicates. I examined a second here to tell you—it's unquestionably an from buggy and carriage makers, blind in detail to confirm the E-ticket ride. upholsterers, and automobile construction and materials. Fiber manufacturers. Most autos were open specifications and weave types were with a cover that could be used in foul confirmed by a university fabrics REPLACEMENT weather. Pantasote was the chosen laboratory. I was also able to get a MATERIAL FOR cover material well into the 1930’s. second confirmation on textiles from PANTASOTE WINDOW Prior to WW I embossed Pantasote the upholstery shop. wallpaper similar to Lincrusta-Walton There appear to be two basic types BLINDS was sold in a very competitive upscale of Pantasote blinds based on the types market. of material used. All were of the same By Michael Jansson type of general construction as Availability and Substitution The Pantasote Company summarized above. The only departure The type of Pantasote used in railway from this construction are horizontal manufactured a “vinyl like” material for blinds is no longer manufactured nor is use in the transportation, upholstery, blinds for separating the streetcar body old stock available from commercial from the vestibule and/or motorman’s and wall covering industries. The sources. Some museums have small company switched to petroleum based cabs, and perhaps some customized stocks for their own use. Therefore, shapes in railway cars. vinyl products in the 1950’s and was restoration shops are required to sold in 1989 owing to liabilities incident The first basic window blind type is manufacture their own Pantasote, a the “one sided”. This blind consists of to the contamination of manufacturing virtual impossibility, or find a good sites, work related employee health what appears to be a single sheet of substitute – a replica material. Pantasote, generally embossed with the problems, and financial problems. This Most Pantasote blinds used in rail paper describes a technique for figures visible on the inboard side of cars are constructed on a plan utilizing a the blind. I have not personally replicating two sided (printed cotton on sprung roller (without stop ratcheting as reverse) Pantasote railway coach blind examined this type of blind in detail but in home window shades) at the top of do know from personal experience the material using modern vinyl, and silk the blind. The bottom of the blind screen processes. material was heavier than that used in incorporates a horizontal rod with pinch two sided blinds discussed below. The Company History handles to free the rod ends from stops material may have been two ply (i.e. The Pantasote Company put a faux in the window jamb, allowing the two thinner sheets glued together), leather product named Pantasote on the attached blind to travel vertically in a which would allow reverse embossing, market in 1891. “Pantasote” is a coined track in the window jamb. The rod is or just a thicker material. This paper word from Greek meaning “to serve all held to the jamb stops by internal spring does not discuss the replication of “one purposes”. The product was used for expansion pressure on each end. sided” Pantasote. wall covering, vehicle covers, Sometimes one inch wide (1/8” thick) The two-sided blind consisted of a upholstery, and blinds. It was probably flat stock steel cut to the jamb width sheet of Pantasote with a sateen weave derived from coal tar and as such, was sewn into the curtain at additional cotton (medium thread size) bonded to would be considered a precursor to points. These “sash guides” ensured that the reverse or non finished side. The modern petroleum based vinyl products. the curtain stayed in proper apposition sheeting was printed with a pattern of The company did move to a petroleum to the window and traveled smoothly. one or more colours. The blinds may based manufacturing system for its faux To avoid problems in attaching the have been hung with the print side leather and sheet goods in the 1950’s. relatively thick Pantasote to the steel either in or out, however, the print side 12 usually faced the car interior. advertise that they make custom boat printable. There is some controversy as to how covers, antique car roofs, car interiors, NOTE: We did conduct numerous the cloth and vinyl were bonded to one and other custom fabricated vinyl experiments in bonding cloth to vinyl. another. The attached GSA document products. All ended in failure. suggests a “Pantasote Gum” was used. The upholstery shop is also critical to 2.) Calculate the amount of vinyl Those that I consulted, as well as my the choice and purchase of the vinyl to required. This must include extra for own investigation suggest a hot rolling be used for the project. The shop should hemming, experimentation, and general process. The Pantasote leather and have sample books from several wastage. Since vinyl will stretch a great printed cloth were bonded by roller manufacturers and access to their deal on one axis it is most important applied pressure when the Pantasote respective wholesalers. In the textile that the ordering calculations and was still warm from manufacturing. business wholesalers will not usually cutting plan are based on the shorter This would have been a continuous sell to persons or organizations outside dimension, i.e. generally the width of flow process. the trade. This actually makes the the vinyl being on the high stretch axis. Pantasote was available in a variety proper selection easier and more This is most important for the silk of finishes and colours. Various print convenient. screening. Failure to do this will result patterns and colours were available for The choice of a graphics shop should in out of register multi- colour printing; the backing. Many specification be guided by the same general also deformation of a pattern may occur documents for the purchase of railway principles applied to the choice of during printing if the stretch axis is and street cars indicate the finish, upholstery shop. The shop must have a going the wrong way. colour, and pattern by catalogue large format (at least 48” x 96”) silk Using your previously made drawing number. As an example a City of screen table, scanning equipment and the upholstery shop cuts vinyl blanks Edmonton purchase specification for computer graphics abilities, and the for all the curtains required. NOTE: A streetcars included the following: “All photographic equipment to produce the more conservative approach on your side windows to be provided with colour separations required to print the first attempt at curtains would be to curtains made of Pantasote, mounted on reverse pattern. These shops may be have the shop order and cut 2-3 blanks tin barrel shade rollers, and fitted at the found under “Advertising Design” and for experimentation; first in the bottom with Forsyth Roller Tip Pinch “Decals” in the Yellow pages. They graphics shop and then returned for Handle fixtures. Curtains also to be most commonly produce billboard final sewing and attachment of the provided for doors and windows in advertising sheets, car cards, sports cotton leader. This is a less risky bulkheads. Sliding doors to be fitted venue advertising, vehicle decals, and approach and allows everyone to with curtains rolling with door. other large format low volume printed become familiar with requirements. Pantasote material to be pattern H, items. As well the shop should be 3.) The blind blanks are now colour #74.” experienced in the colour matching and delivered to the graphics shop. Most of Still extant Pantasote catalogues mixing of silk screen inks. Most of the the graphics procedures are quite would be a valuable research tool. shops listed under “Graphic Design” technical and will be competently However, an actual sample would be produce logos, menus, posters, handled by shop staff. They will already much preferred for the replication brochures, and other small format items have the technical knowledge for the process. and are not suitable for work of this steps outlined below. scale. 4.) The graphics shop, using a How to Produce Replica Blinds Hopefully the graphics and sample of the original Pantasote scans The first step is to identify upholstery upholstery shops are close together. the printed cotton pattern. From the and graphics shops interested in this This will make the transport of the computer scan file colour separation highly customized work and possessing materials between the two shops less positives are made for each print colour. the equipment required. The proprietors time consuming. At this point the shop can provide you of these shops should display a genuine with a computer printed sample of the interest and appreciation of what you The Step by Step Process – pattern for comparison with the are trying to achieve as well as have an Two sided type original. While the colour match may appreciation of the history involved. The process is described in some not be exactly perfect, any lines and Such highly motivated people can often detail and may seem overly figures should have clean edges as good help in finding solutions to process complicated. It is not, it merely reflects or better than the original. problems and give insight into the necessary work and documentation 5.) To help maintain the dimensional historically correct fabrics and colours. to properly make replica material for integrity of the vinyl during the printing As an example the upholstery shop historical restoration. The background process a Sandblast™ card is glued to owner doing blinds for a 1912 car was material and details given here may the obverse side of the vinyl. This is very familiar with streetcar blinds speed your examination and also necessary to attain proper having often rode the cars as a child. He documentation of original blinds, and registration, the card is registered to the was emphatic in stating the Pantasote the creation quality replicas. table. sample was “burgundy”. I had always 1.) Choose the vinyl. Using a sample 6.) Ink is mixed to achieve proper thought of burgundy being a deep of an original Pantasote blind choose a colours. A lot of ink seems to be purple wine like colour. It turns out he vinyl that is similar in finish, colour, required to get good results. This is was correct. Evidently 90 years ago and weight. Most modern vinyls will be probably due to the large spaces in the burgundy was basically dark brown thicker than Pantasote. A thinner vinyl loose weave low count backing. with only the slightest hint of purple. is most desirable. 7.) Silk screening is completed and Similar changes in colour nomenclature The most important factor in the backing card removed. cleaning may be through time have been noted by others. choice of vinyl is the closeness of the required to remove all glue. The The chosen upholstery shop should weave of the cloth on the reverse side. operator must be careful to minimize be familiar with working with large All vinyl has a cloth backing. On most effects of stretch. pieces of vinyl and have the requisite varieties the weave is loose and has a 8.) Printed blanks are returned to the equipment. In the Yellow Pages low thread count. Some vinyls do have upholstery shop. (Upholsterers) these firms will usually a more substantial backing cloth that is 9.) At this point the upholstery shop 13 will need the bottom rods with pinch ASL or more likely YUCo had done the those on freight cars properly? handles and any other hardware that same kind of replacement of the top 3 Because we had covered and/or was sewn into the finished blind. in. of their ends. They did an excellent filled in the pair of holes down through 10.) All blanks are hemmed and all job of trimming and smoothing the each sill at the bolster with new wood, other sewing, including the remainder of the long sills so the new and because the new holes in the bolster incorporation of the bottom bar is wood lay smoothly on the old. To were slightly different than the original, completed as per the supplied drawings. fasten the joint they used square-head getting them to line up all the way from 11.) The cotton leader, unbleached machine bolts. We have used the West the top to the bottom was a matter of tight twill, as per original sample is then System epoxy and no bolts but are careful ‘guestimation’. We drilled up sewn to the un-hemmed top of the wondering if we shouldn’t do a ‘belt from the bottom and down through the blind. and suspenders’ thing and also install top with a metal-cutting bit about 9 in. 12.) Blinds are attached to bolts. If we do, we’ll have to make long. The holes lined up better but still refurbished or new spring rollers. Sash another 25 or so bolts. there was a bit of a bent, making it very guides, if used in the original blinds, are The body bolsters – These heavy difficult to get the bolt down through. then inserted into the sewn strips. steel fabrications are located about 5 ft. So we then purchased an extra-length Blinds are installed in car. in from each end and in addition to their 13/16 in. twist drill which could go The visual quality of our replica function of connecting the truck with through the metal. This did the trick. blinds is quite high. Installation did help the body, also tie the eight longitudinal With the help of Dick Avy and Brendan us identify one anomaly that does not sills together. Before the ‘new’ outside Barlow all 12 of the 14-in. square head effect the functionality of the blinds in long sills could be installed, both bolts were inserted in sills 2-7 and the the car in which they were installed. As bolsters had to be solidly in place. The bolsters are firmly in place. Now there noted previously most vinyl is thicker no. 1 bolster was installed in the fall is something to support the side sills. than Pantasote. In cars with tight and in December the no. 2 put in. The long sills – as you look at the clearance for the top roller there could As we put them together we noticed front of 100 from the no. 1 end, the sills be problems. The initial choice of a thin that YUCo had installed shims between are numbered 1 through 8 from left to material and fine hemming is essential. the side bearing castings, the center right. The original no. 8 sill has been The value of having a prototype blind is bearing and the bottom of the bolster gone since 1965, replaced by a large obvious. frame. Those on the side bearings are spruce timber by an enthusiastic group The blinds were installed in a car that rectangular pieces of steel. Over the of early Seashore restorationists. It has is not yet operational so their center bearing the two pieces are strips now been replaced by a ‘new’ no. 8 performance in regular service has not of steel about 4 in. wide x 18 in. long syp. Sill. The no. 1 sill had been been tested. There is some distortion of with a large scoop out of each to make fabricated and installed the week the edges from the unavoidable clearance for the king pin. We wonder before. stretching inherent in the printing why they felt they had to do this We would love to have seen the huge process. Exposure to hot sun may because the castings are shaped to machinery at Laconia Car Company remedy this. The aging qualities of the ‘surround’ the bottom plate of the which made the two tenons on each end material in this kind of use is unknown. bolster? With the shims in place, the of the sills. We didn’t have that At this time there is no deterioration only thing which keeps these castings in advantage. After carefully laying them evident. place is the tightness of the bolts. Could out, we cut the tenons with a it be the springs in the trucks or the combination of circular saw (which wear of the wheels lowered the height could only get half-way through the 5 RESTORING ATLANTIC of the couplers so they didn’t meet in. thickness), a very coarse-toothed SHORE LINE #100 PART 8

By Donald Curry, Seashore Trolley Museum At long last it looks as if we’ve turned the corner. We’ve removed the last significant pieces of wood and are putting on new. The ends – All deteriorated framework pieces have been replaced or repaired with an infusion of West System epoxy and new/old southern yellow pine (syp). The no. 1 end is level and ready for the big 8 x 8 in. end sill, fabricated by Tom Dow last summer. We did a temporary leveling of the sills on the other end but some fine shimming and trimming is still required. We still have to dado near the outer ends of sills 4 and 5 on each end for the heavy reinforcing plates over the coupler braces. To bolt or not to bolt – The original The original body bolster--note how it supports the eight sills that run the length sills were 5 x 11 in. 30 ft. solid pieces of the carbody. of southern yellow pine. At some time 14 timber saw and a chisel. On the bottom horizontal band saw. He didn’t have accessible, the following must be done end of each sill we copied the one with a sufficiently long carriage so (starting from the least flexible): ‘aerodynamic’ curve of the original, he ended taking the beams across 1. The two truss rods (between sills 1 telling people this apocryphal tale: Massachusetts to a company that did. & 2 and 7 & 8) The Cabot Paint Co. has been in There is strong evidence of a wiring 2. The two coupler through-rods business for well over 100 years and fire between sills 6 and 7 above motor (between sills 3 &4 and 5 & 6) there is no question that Laconia Car no. 4. The surface of these sills was 3. Air piping and air brake Co. used it on their cars. So, they must charred. (The motor wiring in general equipment (we have a purchase order to have used one of Cabot’s gallon cans as seems to be a patchwork of spliced and get the pipe) the pattern for the curve because it was friction taped bits, so there probably 4. Motor wiring and headlight exactly the same as what we found on were other incidents of this sort that wiring, ground wire (the wire is now on the old sills. didn’t get to the point of actually hand) This involved cutting with the coarse starting a fire.) Using the random- Barnstormers! makes their final saw followed by some ‘trimming’ with orbital sander with 60-grit paper this delivery, the remainder of the recycled the very coarse belt sander. area was quickly sanded down to solid wood. For that we presented him with a However, first the old sills had to be wood and given a coat of Cabot’s stain. cheque for $4,750, the other 50%. We removed. There were a number of bolts When the locomotive was built, the have enjoyed dealing with him finding that required the use of the Sawzall, under framework, except in the very him genuinely interested in what we do, then driving out to be turned into no. 1 outer surfaces was given a treatment of and furnishing us exactly what we scrap. some sort of wood preservative—a barn asked for including some extra (just in We had pondered what to do with the red. We have seen this in virtually case!). He apologizes for delays but no. 8 sill, which was still in one piece every wood car we have but don’t know also says you can’t rush in this without rot or deterioration. However what it was. We have found it has lost business. reality set in as we saw it would be any preservative value as it scrapes or What came in this delivery was red impossible to store it inside anywhere, sands off readily. (The air compressor, oak for the decking and pilots. Some of let alone handle it so; reluctantly we located under the no. 2 end hood, must the pieces are absolutely beautiful—fit also cut this into three chunks. It’s have leaked oil badly because the sills for living room use! The decking is probably going to end up as first-class in that area are coated with a mixture of milled in 6 and 8 in. widths. (The blocking. dust and oily mud, which has done a original was in various widths.) It has Cross sills (needle beams) - About good job of preserving the sills’ been stacked up against the walls of the 1/3 of the way down the body from integrity. We have scraped off as much box enabling us to walk safely around each end is a cross sill, 5 x 7 in. syp, of the grit as we can.) the body. (Now with the sills in place with notches in the top into which the For want of anything better we have the box is actually much more longitudinal sills were set. These must painted what we can reach of the sills ‘spacious’. The pilot ‘kit’ is a bunch of have served to hold the sills in line as with Cabots’ oil-based wood stain, Barn 2-in. pieces all labeled and ready for the frame was constructed. There is a Red. It covers well and looks about the milling and assembly.) square head bolt going down through same as the original treatment. We The cab – Bob Reich and John the sill and holding the cross sill in. apply it with a small foam roller. Where Fatula are overhauling the ten cab sash. place (two each on sills 4 and 5). Their there are joints-at the intersections of (six rectangular ones for the ends and other function is to hold and be the the sills, we will insert a layer of four large squarish ones for the sides) anchor for the casting under which the Phenolseal caulk. The end sash are in pretty good longitudinal truss rods pass. The truss As we were scraping the tops of the condition although they are repairing rods also pass through the end sills and long sills, in the area of the air any deteriorated joints. They have the pole pockets in each corner of the compressor, where things were better noted that whatever the original coating car. As the big square nuts on the ends preserved, we noted the remains of a on them was, it is extremely hard to of the rods are taken up, the truss rod, white coating. It is probably white lead. remove! Paint remover and elbow which is now unsupported in the middle We did try the Seep ‘n Seal but found grease don’t work as well as they would bows way down, will tend to straighten our supply was old and didn’t dry. So like. and provide a lifting—straightening we’re going to go a bit modern and use The wood appears to be cherry but force to keep the outer sills straight. As strips of ice and water shield, the it’s hard to tell. What I have seen looks this is written, the cross sills and side rubberized sheeting used to prevent ice as if they used the light colored sills are all ready to be drilled and dams on house roofs. While not sapwood that they would not use in a bolted into place. necessarily curatorially correct it will passenger car. It’s very hard to tell what Finishing treatments - provide the best possible protection for the color was originally and we Unfortunately the physics of drying these vulnerable areas. couldn’t afford another color match. large pieces of wood means they will The paint system, for the wood areas What they have found under the present inevitably form longitudinal cracks. The will be Fine Paints of Europe very deteriorated barn (or tile) red is two long sills have cracks which do not Hollandlac enamels over their gray brown, green, white, black, etc. affect their strength however, we have primer-undercoat. These will be Possibly the sash was originally filled them with the West System resin brushed and rolled on. The price is now varnished but, since we’re going for the and sawdust mixture and sanded them $100 per ‘euro gallon’ (2.5 liters) for 1930s era, we’re going to use a barn red down smooth with a Bosch random- the enamels and $90 for the undercoat. enamel, inside and out. orbital sander and 60-grit paper. They 1. Basic body exterior black One of the side sash appears to have are now probably as smooth as those 2. Cab interior lower wainscot brown been a replacement. Whatever wood which left the Laconia plant. 3. Cab interior window posts and was used was certainly not kiln dried We were pleased with how smooth ceiling ochre and has warped about 2 in. along the the beams were considering their size. 4. Windows and doors tile (barn) red stiles (sides) (bow-shaped) from being John Rousseau, President of What’s next for the body work? straight. We will have to make a new Barnstormers! told us that they were cut Before anything can be done above the sash in this case while the others appear using an electric-powered ‘Woodmizer’ sills, while things are open and to be salvageable. 15 formerly operational cars that are now out-of-service due to mechanical failures. They have started a campaign to make those cars operational. The first two to run again are Connecticut Company open car #355 (St. Louis 1902) and Connecticut Company closed city car #1326 (Osgood-Bradley 1910). Edmonton Radial Railway Society Edmonton, AB The society’s streetcars currently traverse an unpaved recreated commercial street in Fort Edmonton Park. That experience will become more authentic when the park Hydro testing an air reservoir. completes a $10 million project to replicate actual long-gone buildings from downtown Edmonton. These are For some reason the two side sash on times the operating pressure of 110 lbs.) classic 1920s one- and two-story the right side have the glass divided in We set up the other two tanks for testing commercial blocks, including a silent half by a horizontal rail, while the two on but before they even filled with water, movie theater, bookstore, barber shop, the left side are the original single pane. holes were found in each. On both the beauty parlor, furniture store and tailor There is evidence of this change having failure was under where the supporting shop. In addition, the street will be taken place quite early and certainly was straps were—not an uncommon thing. paved. Construction is expected to be there during our period of restoration. We also found that the auxiliary tank had complete in 2010. The work of adding the rail is a bit crude been brazed in at least two places, not a so it definitely wasn’t Laconia. good sign. Both tanks were unusable. Ft. Smith Trolley Museum Truck work – Dean Look fabricated So we set out to look at our large and Ft. Smith, AR new motor mount angles to replace the varied supply of air tanks, scattered here Federal and city funding totaling eight originals that are badly rust-eroded. and there on the grounds. Unfortunately over $450,000 has been approved for a The original angles were bent from 1 x 4 many were buried in snow and all are in track extension. in. bar in Alco’s blacksmith shop, very areas which make them subject to Fraser Valley Heritage Railway likely using a steam or mechanically corrosion. We did find one 16 x 60 in. as Society operated bulldozer. Dean joined these a replacement for the secondary main The Society, already owner of from two lengths of the bar by beveling reservoir. Fortunately there is room for British Columbia Electric interurban one end of each piece and filling them the larger tank on the locomotive’s left- #1225, has purchased BCE interurban with weld. Chuck Griffith trimmed off hand side where there is only that tank. #1304. The car was located at the the corners of the angles and ground the The auxiliary reservoir will be a very Oregon Electric Railway Museum. Car welds. Bill Pollman and Bert Rendall new tank, constructed in 1999. It was #1304 has an unusual history. It was primed and painted them. Bill is now designed to be mounted to brackets originally built in 1911 by BE Electric's fitting and installing them on the first welded to the tank but we plan to New Westminster Shops. It was almost truck. Dean fabricated eight motor carefully remove them and return to the totally destroyed by fire in 1945 The mount bolts. Lloyd Rosevear blasted original strap style of mounting. Because BCE Kitsilano shops rebuilt it in 1946, them, preparing them for Bert to prime there are two tanks on the right side there complete with wooden body and arched them. is limited room so it can’t be any longer windows, perhaps the last wooden With the extreme (record) amount of than the original 36 in. (The distance interurban to be constructed in North snow in late fall and early winter we are between the trucks is short. Given the America. It was preserved by Seashore recalling how lucky we were last year poor conditions under which our spare Trolley Museum and loaned to OERM. when we were able to take the trucks tanks are stored, it’s very likely many apart outdoors before bringing them more of these tanks will fail their test.) Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec inside for their final disassembly. Also it The Friends have entered into a was fairly comfortable in the box cooperative arrangement with the because of the warm temperatures. THE MUSEUM REVIEW Montana Heritage Commission. The Air reservoirs – 100 is equipped with Friends will volunteer for a variety of three reservoirs, all of which are the old- Canadian Museum of Rail Travel projects at the Alder Gulch Short Line style riveted construction: Cranbrook, BC in Virginia City, Montana. In exchange, Two main reservoirs 16 x 48 in. When the privately owned Granville the Friends will receive up to twelve One auxiliary reservoir 12 x 36 in. Island Museum in Vancouver closed pairs of narrow gauge trucks that are We were planning to send them to A. recently, it donated a 65 x 15 foot O correct for the C&TS’ narrow frame C. Electric for sand blasting but it gauge model railroad that depicts UTLX tank cars. That in turn will free seemed prudent to hydro-test them railroading in the British Columbia up trucks that are correct for recently before that. mountains. It had to be cut in 30 pieces acquired “frameless” tank cars. We set up the high-pressure test pump and transported in three trucks to In the last issue of RMQ, the Editor and found it leaked to the point it Cranbrook. remarked on how much better the track required repacking and a new check was than during his last visit in 2001. valve. Fortunately it is a simple-minded Connecticut Trolley Museum The latest Dispatch newsletter includes device and was easy to fix. Main Windsor Locks, CT a detailed description of the work reservoir no. 1 passed at 185 lbs. (1.5 The museum has a number of completed over the last three years. 16 30,000 ties-14 percent of the entire South Shore & South Bend line car car (Barney & Smith 1911) main line complement-have been #1100 (St. Louis Car 1926). It’s a Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & replaced. 52 of the 64 miles have been classic heavy steel interurban that was Pacific Milwaukee lightweight office ballasted, surfaced and aligned. In the built for Indiana Service Corporation, car (Milwaukee Shops 1948) course of this work, 81 kinks have been which was absorbed by the Indiana Baltimore & Ohio #5551 low profile removed by cutting excess rail length. Railroad. The South Shore bought it in dome car (Pullman-Standard 1949) Beyond the main line improvements, 1941. The car had been donated to Union Pacific #903673 lightweight the Osier loop has been made another preservation group by the baggage-mail (ACF 1949) operational, the Cumbres wye has been Northern Indiana Commuter lengthened, and ties have been replaced Transportation District, but they were Cabooses in the Chama yard and at mainline unable to follow through and the car Wabash #2229 wood cupola sidings. The work has come in under was made available to IRM. (Wabash 1904) budget, in part through the purchase of As the largest North American Missouri Pacific #1155 side-door almost-new wood ties from class one railway museum, IRM not surprisingly steel (Missouri Pacific 1940) railroads converting to concrete. has a very active website. Its activity New York, Chicago & St. Louis The Friends has a restoration site in numbers for February 2009 give an idea (“Nickel Plate”) #1143 wood cupola Colorado Springs, which rebuilds one of the potential impact of the web on (ACF 1909) rail car at a time. This year it completed rail preservation. The month saw Southern Pacific #1859 steel bay the rebuilding of 1891 pile driver #OB. 2,251,143 page views, an average of window (International Car 1970) Its new project is Maintenance of Way 167,339 per day by 18,932 unique kitchen and diner car #0252 (Pullman users. Of those, 25 percent visited more Streetcars 1889). The work is being moved to a than once. These numbers are for the SEPTA #2186 PCC on standard new site, on the grounds of the Pikes off-season, and certainly increase gauge trucks (St. Louis Car 1948) Peak Historical Street Railway during spring, summer and fall. Foundation, host of the 2008 ARM Maintenance of Way Annual Conference. Museum of Transportation US Army #226 25-ton locomotive St. Louis, MO crane (Orton 1953) Halton County Radial Railway Continuing a trend that started with Milton, ON the California State Railroad Museum National Capital Trolley Museum Barn 4 has been erected and and the National Railroad Museum in Colesville, MD $660,000 has been expended to date. It Green Bay, the Museum of All the museum’s streetcars have has received $20,000 from the Town of Transportation is reducing the size of its been moved into the new display Milton Community Fund, but needs collection. It is deaccessioning the carbarn. The carbarn yard and loop at another $80,000 to install the doors and following pieces of equipment. the old site have been removed. The rail track. is going to the Shore Line Trolley Steam locomotives Museum and the original ex-Baltimore Houston Railroad Museum Great Lakes Carbon #7 Fireless overhead wire to the Baltimore Houston, TX 0-4-0 (Porter 1941) Streetcar Museum. Completion of the A grant from the Houston Great Northern #2100 Vanderbilt new Visitor Center awaits the Endowment has funded the repainting tender only (Baldwin 1923) installation of the storm water of Missouri-Kansas-Texas and management system sand filters. A Southern Pacific cabooses, Spokane, Diesel Locomotives Transportation Enhancement grant has Portland & Seattle heavyweight CB&Q/MARC #66 E8A (EMD been awarded for two of the sand baggage car #50 (which serves as the 1954) filters. museum’s library car) and Houston Wabash #547 GP-35 (EMD 1964) Belt & Terminal Alco S2 #14. As part US Army #1844 H-1244 (Fairbanks- Niles Canyon Railway Sunol, CA of the painting initiative, volunteers are Morse 1955) The museum has acquired Santa Fe readying sleeping car Verde Valley for Minneapolis & St. Louis #546 RS1 steel cupola caboose #999081. It had repainting. (Alco 1946) been owned by a private individual who rebuilt the trucks with new wheels, Huntsville & Lake of Bays Railway US Army #7765 tiny single truck switcher (GE 1943) rehabbed the brakes, replaced the Huntsville, ON couplers, replaced exterior sheet metal The 36th Annual G8 meeting of and stripped the interior for rebuilding. world leaders will be held in Huntsville Electric Locomotives in June 2010. In preparation, a large FDS (Italian State Railway) side rod Northwest Railway Museum media center building will be steeplecab E550.025 (Westinghouse Snoqualmie, WA constructed during 2009. The new 1910) On January 7 and 8, the Snoqualmie building requires the relocation of the Valley experienced heavy flooding. It railroad’s Rotary Station, which serves Passenger Cars washed out the museum’s railroad in the Muskoka Heritage Place historic St. Louis-San Francisco #200 steel numerous places and rose almost to the village. The railroad will not operate sheathed wood office car (St. Charles underframes of the rolling stock stored during 2009. The station will be moved Car Co. 1891) outdoors. Uninsured damage to the further into the village, requiring a Lehigh Valley/Chicago & Eastern tracks totaled $116,000. To date track extension up a rather steep hill to Illinois #405 1911 steel coach $70,000 has been raised to fill, ballast reach the new site. This year will be Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville and resurface 2000 feet of track. used to relocate the depot, build the Monon #90 steel sheathed wood office new track and refurbish the line’s car pre-1885 Oklahoma Railway Museum rolling stock. Colonial steel sheathed wood office Oklahoma City, OK car (Pullman 1905) The museum has purchased an ex- Illinois Railway Museum, Union, IL Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Sault Ste, Army SW8 switcher (EMD 1954) The museum has acquired Chicago, Marie #49 steel sheathed wood office through the State Surplus Property 17 By rendering modern surroundings invisible, darkness can help a museum recreate historic scenes, such as these evocative ones provided courtesy of the Monticello Railroad Museum. program. It will serve as backup power for the regularly scheduled trains. Orange Empire Railway Museum Perris, CA Although not yet complete, the large new Ruffalo carhouse has all its tracks and is connected to the rest of the museum’s railroad. However, a number of pieces have been located for years on pieces of isolated track. On April 1-3, twelve of them were moved to live trackage and then into the new barn. This was a major undertaking, as most of these pieces hadn’t moved for decades. Some had been used for storage and had to be emptied. In addition, a carbody that had been stored on the ground was placed on trucks and moved indoors. The moves were accomplished using a rail tilt trailer from Silk Road Trucking, known for museum equipment moves. It had delivered a pair of power trucks from the Electric City Trolley Museum, scheduled to arrive in Perris for the OERM project. The museum has taken delivery of 18 Union Pacific 1928 modernized Shore Line Trolley Museum part of the first group of PFE cars with heavyweight buffet diner #4051 . East Haven, CT mechanical refrigeration. During 2008, volunteers contributed A&K Railroad Materials has donated Pennsylvania Trolley Museum 16,458 hours. The Tripper newsletter 44-ton center cab diesel #735 (General Washington, PA notes that 110 different volunteers were Electric 1946), the first diesel on the Two significant private artifact the equivalent of eight or nine full-time Tidewater Southern. collections have been donated. John employees, and even at minimum Western Railway Museum has Wilkins’ includes 243 Pittsburgh wage, have a value of over $100,000. deaccessioned Denver & Rio Grande Railways signs, maps and drawings Compared to most charitable Western wood boxcar #62962 (ACF dating as far back as the 1890s, and 45 organizations, volunteer-based railway 1909), and it is now part of the WP West Penn drawings. Cy Hosmer has museums are extremely efficient. Museum collection. donated a large group of images and Ninety percent of each donated dollar catalogs which had been discarded by goes directly into operations, Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Westinghouse Air Brake Company. maintenance and restoration, as Railway Museum Alna, ME The photos include early Pittsburgh opposed to administration. A 30 x 41 expansion of the shop Railways air brakes and the 1928 signal Volunteerism should insulate museums building is nearing expansion. The installation on the interurban to from the current financial downturn. additional 1230 square feet is about the Washington, PA. size of a three-bedroom ranch house According to the latest Trolley Fare Steamtown Scranton, PA and has a high ceiling. newsletter, Bombardier contacted the The National Park Service has museum to say they could donate seven announced nearly 800 projects totaling flat files, good for storing drawings and $750 million that can be completed THIRD HAND maps. This turned out to mean seven across the country with funding from INFORMATION pallets of flat files, totaling 17 cabinets the American Recovery and with 112 drawers, worth $19,000 if Reinvestment Act of 2009. Of this, The Galveston Railroad Museum purchased new. This is good news, $3.3 million will go to Steamtown to suffered major damage from Hurricane since the museum’s archive has stabilize 27 pieces of historic railroad Ike. Floodwater that topped seven feet sufficient items to fill all the drawers. equipment, remove asbestos, improve ruined most of the displays and artifacts Park infrastructure and maintain/repair inside the museum’s four buildings. Seashore Trolley Museum and restore operational locomotives and The 50 pieces of rolling stock in the Kennebunkport, ME passenger cars. collection sat in eight feet of water. Seashore members have always been Total damages are estimated at $7 generous financial contributors, and Western Pacific Railroad Museum million. Insurance is expected to cover 2008 was no exception. Total support Portola, CA only a small portion of that amount, for the year reached $338,000, from Equipment acquisitions: Pacific Fruit although about $5 million in FEMA 579 members. Express refrigerator car #100468 has funding is anticipated. Gulf Coast been acquired from the California State Railroading Railroad Museum. Built in 1953, it was

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At the Maine Narrow Gauge Museum, Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes two-foot gauge combine #15 has been restored by the Penobscot Company. The work was a donation. Photo courtesy Maine Narrow Gauge Museum