TCDA No. 65 (Reefer) - Official Work Thread

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Ok Keith, now I'm not sure.  I think Zack got the plans when boxcar 309 was rebuilt in 1996-97 and I thought he mentioned the MSA in Augusta. Maybe it was the MHS.  If someone on here knows, (maybe James) what we did back then please advise.

[Chris Cardinal]

I may be wrong....but I thought I remembered the Portland Co. files were with the Maine Historical Society in Portland. Not the State Archives.

Keith

Yep, Maine historical Society has the entire Portland Company collection. They were kind enough to email me an Excel file of all drawings.

Can't wait to order copies!

C.

[James Patten]

Maine Historical Society in Portland has all Portland Company drawings.  The two-foot ones have been organized and cataloged, so you should be able to ask for a particular car's plans.

[Chris Cardinal]

Where did you folks source the big oak timbers from? I've been having a hard time finding decent lumber of any length!

C.

[Dave Crow]

Chris,

I believe the sills were purchased in Maine, and that they are fir.

The end sills, queen post timbers, and the wall studs were sawn by Dean's sawmill in NH - from oak logs that were cut on the museum's property.

All 18 pages of this thread, as well as the thread marked "Turner Centre Creamery Car" (I think) pretty well chronicles the start to finish of this project.  There are still little things to do to make the car complete; we still need to install the brake system, including the brake staff and brake wheel.

Dave Crow

[Matthew Gustafson]

Are there plans to bring to car back to the WW&F this year or will it remain on display where it is at?

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Matthew,
I know it's been a long time since the question was asked but we didn't have answers for months.  Now I can advise that there is a plan to get the car from Wiscasset, possibly next month if the trailer is ready.   The move will serve a couple of purposes, one being to test the loading down at the pier and another to see how to best rig the car for travel.  We'll also see how the trailer travels with the milk car.  The move should be fine since the car is less then half of the rated capacity of the trailer. 

More info will be posted once the trailer and crew are set.

[Mike Fox]

The trailer will be ready. The transportation division of ROWMOW 1 MFG. is designing blocking that can be secured to the trailer to keep the car stable for the ride on the trailer. This will keep the car from swaying while it did in the way down to the pier, and take some weight of the aging trucks.

Brendan and I have agreed on what else needs to be done to the trailer, my part will be done the first week or 2 in December.

[Mike Fox]

On the road again

[Brendan Barry]

Some interior photos I took last weekend while the car was being prepped for the ride to Springfield.

The piece of glass leaning against the wall normally goes in the wall at the far end of the car make an exhibit area. The glass was removed to avoid breakage when the car goes down the road.





When the glass is up the milk cans and other items from the Creamery are behind the glass. The dark brown sink looking item behind the wall is an ice bin.

[Duncan Mackiewicz]

Nice pictures Brendan. I can't wait to see the car sitting at the Railroad Show next weekend. That should make more than a few folks stop and visit. What a great way to make the museum more well known.
Duncan

[Dylan Lambert]

Maybe next year, 51 could be cleaned up for display. Just a dream...

[Steve Smith]

Or how about Caboose 320 or Boxcar 309.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

It would more likely be RC4.   We would have to find an enclosed trailer to haul it and have the fuel drained out of the tank and lines.

Start

[Brendan Barry]

I think the caboose might be too high on the trailer.