TCDA No. 65 (Reefer) - Official Work Thread

[Mike Fox]

In reference to the plans, we had them rolled up out of the way, or would lay them on the temporary floor of the car. I just stuck them up there so while I was laying out the rafter locations, I had a quick reference, and didn't need to worry about stepping on them.

[Eric Larsen]

John, how much of a system would one need to power just two light bulbs?  A motion detector to turn them on when people were present may cut down on power usage?  If it were slightly over designed would it still present the issues you mention?

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Hi Eric,

     Regarding car 65's stove, it was in the southeast corner of the car.  I don't know if the car was ever turned (probably not unless it went around the Weeks Mills wye) and all the photos show the stove being in the corner with the stove pipe coming out right above the R in the name Turner which was painted to the left of the doors.  There is a clear photo of the south half of the car showing the stove pipe near the end.  See page 50 of NGSV Vol IV.  

     As to the windows Chris and Gary researched the car when the book was written and concluded that there were windows on both sides.  Quote from page 49 of NGSV Vol IV which shows a full side view of car 65;  "Although not seen in two of the photos, the one above clearly shows the crewman window found in all the cars, and in fact the sides were mirror images."  This means that both sides had windows to the right of the doors.  That is one of the things that Zack based the design on.  

Stewart    

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

John,

     The plan that Steve Z. worked out with the town is to have the car open everyday with display photos, maps and information inside. As you know, the car will be sitting along side the shore edge of the pier.  Visitors will be able to walk from the pier right into the car since the car's floor will be at the same height as the pier.  The subject of the display and the type of lighting is being researched. 

Stewart

[Richard "Steam" Symmes]

Will the car be manned at all times that it's open?  Who will be responsible for that?  Sounds as if that could become a chore in itself unless there's a ready supply of dependable volunteers.

What about off-hours vandalism protection?  I can imagine it would be a nice "canvas" for graffiti artists to practice on. 

I remember how the famous old schooners were ravaged by weather and vandals until they collapsed into kindling wood.  Obviously the TCDA car is smaller and more easily monitored, but the dangers still are present. It would be a shame to see all of our hard work building the car be destroyed by bits and pieces, or by a fire some night.  Hopefully all of this has been taken into consideration.

Richard

[James Patten]

The boxcar will not be manned.  We'll have to open it and close it up everyday.  Several of us travel by it daily on the way to work.

The car will be next to the creamery platform near the waterfront, which is also the home of several take-out food vendor shacks.  There's nobody in the shacks at night, and I haven't heard of any vandalism going on with them.  During the day there are people around all the time.  I don't think there'll be a problem.

[Eric Larsen]

Suart.  Perhaps you are corect about the two windows.  Not sure where I got it stuck in my brain that there were windows only on one side but it has been there a while.   All I had to do was look at the milk car I made in SN2 about six years ago to confirm....
Any way, the idea of power to the car in some fashion is a good one so long as it is not a great on-going expense.  I would like to hear more from John M. regarding solar options as I have to think we would not be drawing much power with just two bulbs.  (If two bulbs is all that is realy needed)  John was correct as I was thinking of the highway style solar panels.....
The other option is that if it is near the food stands, there must already be power in the area.

[James Patten]

There is power available because of the food stands - but then we need to pay for utilities.  This is intended to be a zero cost operation.  With the two windows, and the open door there should be plenty of light.  It won't be open when there won't be light, and I think the period of operation is Memorial weekend to sometime in September, so we don't have to worry about early sunset.

[Richard "Steam" Symmes]

James, I hope you're right about the lack of vandalism in the area. Maybe folks up there are less inclined to that sort of thing than down here.  I can picture something like that here in Beverly.  You'd have to repaint it every other week.  The "taggers" are unbelievable.

The interior photos, displays, etc., will have to be really "tamper proof" if no one is going to monitor them while open.  Again, down here, half the stuff would be gone in a week if there were any way to get at it.

I know everyone thinks I'm eternally negative, but believe me, I've seen too much crap go on to just assume everything will be hunky-dory.  I hope it is, but you have to plan for the worst.

Richard

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Eric,

     IIRC Steve may speak to the town rep about getting a power feed in the car.  If we can get it at no cost then motion sensor lights could be installed in each end.  If there is a monthly electric bill then, as James noted there may not be any 120volt light fixtures.  Another possibility is with solar.  There is a new type of flat panel collector that would not be seen on top of the car.  It feeds small batteries that can be hidden.  This application is used for lighting on the new passenger car on the EBT that the Friends built.  Of course the initial cost and maint costs will decide what is done.  I think once car 65 is complete and we roll it out for the first time we'll have a good idea how much light gets to the ends of the car with the windows and one side door open.    

Stewart  

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Richard,

     I just saw your post and understand your concern.  As a person who drives through Wiscasset often I think the car will be ok in that spot.  It is right across the street from Red's Eats in a very visible place by the public pier.  I have never seen anything, (buildings, etc.) get "hit" around there.   If we worry about the displays we could place a small fake security camera inside the car to make the kids think twice.  After hours and after dark there are folks who sit on the pier to watch the boats or get a cool breeze.  The Lincoln County cop cars often sit down there too, watching for speeders coming across the bridge.  They would be sitting right next to car 65.  A few years ago Maine Coast RR, later Maine Eastern had rolling stock and locomotives sitting down there and they were not tampered with.  Car 65 will be right near the center of the well traveled area so I think things will be fine.

Stewart     

[Ken Fleming]

Will the trucks that going to be used on #65 be good enough for at least some some photo sessions at the museum?  It certainly be nice to see #65 in an all freight and/or mixed train photos before heading off to Wiscasset.

[James Patten]

Yes the trucks will be good enough for photo sessions.  We were going to put in oak blocks instead of springs, but given the price of springs we'll put springs in and have some left over for a future car.

[Mike Fox]

Todays progress.

Dwight, Fred and JB working on the flooring. The bracing that was installed that morning can be seen.


A couple of shots after they had gone as far as they could with the flooring.




The coupler shank after milling , grinding and partway through the drilling.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

More great pics from our newsman Mike.  Car frame update -

Yesterday we started with truing the east side of the car.  We set the come along at the north end and pulled the roof south to plumb.  It was only out by 1/2 inch so it didn't take long.  We then started at the southeast corner and made the corner and intermediate lateral braces.  As you can see, the side diagonals not only true the walls but are designed to distribute weight from the upper portion of the car to the bolster.  Fred and Dwight spent a good bit of time applying (boiled) linseed oil to the stringers, side sills and joints.  When that was done we measured for true center of the car and set the first floor plank.  Fred, J.B. and Dwight worked south, then north from the center installing planks as far as they could.  They had to stop at the second stud because the west side lateral braces are not in.  The flooring goes under the inside walls so the planks must be cut around the foot of the studs, braces and tension rods.  When the west side braces are in, flooring can continue.  We will then re-tighten the vertical tension rods on both sides so the frame will be ready for construction of the belt rail.

Stewart