August, 2017 Work Weekend (plus!)

"Work Weekend (plus!)" because this post includes work accomplished before and after the official "Work Weekend."

To make the pathway between Old Threshers' Museum B and the platform on the north side of South Station an easier walk for the crowds at the 2017 Old Threshers Reunion, the tracks leading out of the station needed to be raised a bit. Matt C. and Scott D., using track jacks and the backhoe brought the tracks to the appropriate height for the pathway.

An ongoing project has been the resurfacing of inside of the 6's tender. In previous blog posts, the removal of the fuel tank, removal of access panels, and sandblasting have been highlighted.

This month, the final surface preparation and application of the epoxy coating was completed. The first few pictures show the tank's insides after sandblasting, needle scaling, wire brushing, and final cleaning with a solvent.

Rex F. mixes the epoxy coating.

James M. and Rex F. apply the coating to the tank walls.

On the east side of the South Station, ties west of the south spur's switch were nearly nonexistent. A group of volunteers removed what remained of the old ties, slid good condition used ties in place, and spiked the rails. The south spur switch will be rebuilt.

In late July, Dave O. led a project to move the trucks on the Mt. Pleasant (also known as the green coach) inward by a few feet. This will allow easier access to the journals and provide a better ride for the passengers.

-steam.airman 

-Pictures courtesy Matt C., Dave O., Elliot H.

July, 2017 Work Weekend

A wonderful day to do railroad work! Wonderful, that is, if you like a high of 85F and 60% humidity!

The location and type of markings on 6202's new sides had not been decided; Kendall O. and Brian B. discuss what and where the markings would be placed. Some electrical work had not been completed on the conversion to passenger service project which took place the previous week. Dave O. installs the wiring.

An ongoing project, the 6's water tank had been exposed two months ago but no progress was made on removing the rust or roughing the existing paint's surface. Matt W., with the assistance of James M., and Micah M. complete the task.

Nick M. and Micah M. remove sandblasting residue from the water tank.

The South Station expansion is near completion. The building has been extended, the LED lighting has been installed, and the concrete pad on the south side has been poured.

The next step was to raise the newly covered rails to match those in the old portion of the building. Over the years, the tracks outside the building leading to the road had sunk into the dirt but raising them had been delayed -- until now. The gap below the newly located west doors and the railhead was a bit more than optimum.

Due to the fine limestone fill, raising the tracks was more involved than on the rest of the system. Plus, the dust from the crushed limestone was simply a nuisance. On the other hand, the ties were in good shape as they had been kept out of the weather.

Make-believe backhoe operator Elliot H., scrapes the fine limestone from the ties in anticipation of jacking the tracks.

-steam.airman

Photos courtesy Rex F.

DRGW Flatcar 6206 Enters Passenger Service

A quick summary of flatcar 6206 at the MCRR:

For details about the refurbishing of 6206 and 6216, see:

• WWW.MCRR.ORG (page down a few times to the "Flat Car Restoration Project" section)
• 2008-01-12 Flatcar project shopblog
• 2008-02-02 Flatcar project shopblog
• 2008-02-12 Flatcar project shopblog
• 2008-02-25 Flatcar project shopblog
• 2008-03-08 Flatcar project shopblog
• 2008-03-22 Flatcar project shopblog
• 2008-05-05 Flatcar project shopblog
• 2008-05-23 Flatcar project shopblog
• 2008-07-23 Flatcar project shopblog 

⧫

A large portion of the conversion project's lumber was cut at Nelson S's sawmill in March. Additional finished lumber purchased from a lumberyard, transported to Mt. Pleasant, and loaded onto the flatcar. Numerous wood working tools were moved into the shop.

The specialty lumber cut at Nelson's mill was moved from its location in the south station into the shop.

Roger R., Konnor S., and Brian B.prepare some of the boards for the benches.

This scene was taken from the loft over the office looking down into the shop's pit track. There are at least 10 MCRR volunteers at work!

Dustin B. carefully marks a board before cutting.

Kendall O. measures one of the uprights.

The welding table, usually with a wide assortment of things that should be somewhere else, has the plans and bolt & nut packages for the benches. Several random tools and a piece of wood are placed on the table for effect.

Stakes are custom fitted into the stake pockets. The stakes will provide the support for the sidewalls and an anchor point for the benches.

Rex F. and Jesse V. apply paint to the edges of the cut boards. Apparently, the slow drying paint was the only serious problem for the entire project.

Griffin W. glances at Brian B's handiwork.

The pieces for one of the dozens of bench brackets.

Dustin B. drills holes for the bolts which fasten the bench brackets together.

A partial set of bench brackets.

More bench brackets.

A view of all the stakes in their respective pockets, some discussion of the horizontal side boards, and drilling of holes for fastening the side boards to the stakes. .

Assembling the "A" end of the benchwork.

The flatcar's right side has all the side boards fastened in place.

Some of the side boards were slightly warped causing them to lift the stakes out of the pockets. Dave O. fabricates a giant "washer" which was placed under several of the stakes to anchor them in their pockets.

Firewood!

Ready to assemble the "B" end.

Lunch time!

Assembling the benches.

-steam.airman

Photos courtesy Matt W., Joan M., Elliot H.