TCDA No. 65 (Reefer) - Official Work Thread

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Except for some brake parts, the milk cars trucks were completed today.  The brasses and keepers are in and the packing and oil was finished at 3:30.  The B truck was turned in the shop, to be the south truck (for now).  Painting was completed Thursday and the trucks were test rolled in the shop tonight.  Jonathan made the brake staff and applied the sleeve that the chain wraps around.  The ratchet and wheel are next.  A couple more parts are needed so more work will be done on the brakes in the next week or two.   

Stewart

[Eric Larsen]

I think I remember Matt Sharp saying there was another branch of the TCD in Farmington.  It was on the Maine Central side of town and the structure is still there today.  I remember driving over there to see it about 10 years ago.

[Mike Fox]

Photo op today. The last time these should be seen without a car on them. Stewart put in a few hours this week painting them.

South Truck with the brake beam already installed. Stewart is checking the waste to see how much oil it had absorbed.



North truck getting some grease





And here it is. On the new trucks.

[Ken Fleming]

Fantastic!  Only question is how did attendant open the door from the inside?  Or did the original #65 have different door locks.

[Eric Larsen]

Yes.... I'm questioning this whole "Attendant" thing.  Maybe he was an "inmate".       Perhaps the train crew loaded the cans into the car and the stove was checked periodically as they had to stop and add cans to the car rather often.

[Dave Buczkowski]

Then why the windows? I've been told they were for the attendant because the railroad insisted on charging for the attendant to ride in a coach.
 

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

The information about a milk car attendant came from the memories of Ruby Wiggin.  She grew up near Albion and saw the milk cars in use.  I have wondered how long the "attendant in the car" practice went on ... and yes, how did the attendant open the door from the inside? We may never know.  The windows were supposedly for light and for the attendant to see what station he was nearing. 

A couple of reasons that regular boxcars do not have windows are (A) it would be harder to secure the products and (B) products are often packed into a boxcar up to the roof and could shift and break the windows and fall out.  The milk car's windows were not a problem because the products didn't stay in the cars unattended overnight and the cans were not stacked up where they would shift and break the windows.

Mikes 4th photo shows the east side of the car still in primer.  The west side is done except for the second coat of white on the letters.  The east side (shown in the photo) is now about half painted in the red top coat.  The south end has been done as well.

Stewart   

[Bill Reidy]

Any idea at this point when the car will be moved to Wiscasset?

Hoping for the 26th, When KD and I expect back.

[James Patten]

It won't be in May.  It needs a tin roof still.

[Mike Fox]

Sorry for the fuzzy photos. It was my turn to borrow Candid Courtneys camera. Hers is an Ipod device that you need a Engineering degree to just take the picture.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Hey Mike,

You did fine with the pics.  I should mention, Courtney didn't take as many photos Saturday because she worked hard on the milk car paint crew a good part of the day.  It all started when she walked over to the car and said "you missed a spot"  My reply was to hand her a paint brush.  Well she started right in.  We worked til about 4.  She may have taken a sample or two of boxcar red home on her clothes.

Stewart  Tom Sawyer

[Mike Fox]

A sample? I think she has enough paint on her clothes now she could get the paint code scanned off of them. She had a great time and am glad she found something to do that was helpfull.

[Fred L. Kuhns]

 Stewart,  The pictures of #65 on Saturday really shows how close to being finished you and your team members are, however, it really takes a great deal of time, money and hard work. Look forward to the completion of the metal roof and brakes.   Thanks again, for all your hard work and timely updates.   Fred L. Kuhns

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Fred,

You can thank team Fox for the pictures of #65.  The exterior is done except for the roof.  Not sure how many hours are in the project so far but it's probably over 1,000.  Finishing the brakes and having the roof installed will be the next big parts of the job.

Stewart 

[Ed Deere]

As the Reefer 65 project comes to completion, the Great Falls Model Railroad Club Train Time Video Team is interested in filming this historic event. We visualize the Turner Center Dairy car in along with a string of other cars being escorted by number 10. Maybe some interviews…. And even some pictures that you folks have taken during the building process. I have seen some remarkable ones in this forum. Also would like video of the car being transferred down to Wiscasset and with any ceremony done there.
Please keep us in mind.
Ed Deere