WW&F Railway Museum Discussion > Work and Events

Coach 8 - Official Work Thread

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Bill Baskerville:
Here is an update for both the away crowd and the Maine crowd who only see the Coach 8 part of this project.

Randy Beach, Jason and I have been doing preparation work for the Spring Work Weekend project to install Baggage (handicap) Doors on Coach 8.  We are using the attached Jackson and Sharp drawing of how the W & Q modified the coach as our guide.

Randy is working on Coach 8, I am creating the doors and Jason is keeping us on track and coordinating our efforts.  There was a picture of Randy working on coach 8 posted earlier on the forum, but I have lost track of where it is posted.

If you look closely at the attached picture of the new door frames you can see that the mortises have been cut into the two stiles and the bottom, mid and top rails.  The next task is to cut the tenons into the rails and mullions.  Then slots for the bottom panels and the top glass will also have to be cut.  The bottom panels have not as yet started yet, but I have located a large board to be planed down for that purpose.  Parts for two doors are at the stage in the photo.  I couldn’t get white oak, so the wood is red oak.

One of the issues I have been struggling with is how to get the doors, which are becoming heavier and heavier as the parts are created, from Virginia to Maine.  At first I thought of putting them on carrier rack behind my larger car.  That however, would create a lot of wind drag.  I then thought of putting them on the roof, but I now realize they will be too heavy for that also.  The good news is I just found someone who will lend me a small trailer upon which to transport them in April.

The plan is to open up the Coach 8 side and install one or two of the doors during the SWW.   I am sure Randy will be looking for help making the final modifications to Coach 8 and mounting hardware, painting and staining.

Brakie Bill

Mike Fox:
I am so glad this is finally being done. I have been pressing this idea for years. I know our handicapped patrons will appreciate it.

Thomas Evans:
Is it going to have the gold striping & say "Smoking Car"?

Tom E.

Ed Lecuyer:
FYI, a much better scan of the Coach 4 drawing is in Two Feet to Tidewater, page 253.

Is coach 8 going to be modified so that there is a handicap door on both sides of the car, or just the east-facing side?

Will the partition be moved to the point indicated in the drawing (closer to the baggage door), or will it stay where it is (at the center of the car?) Will the baggage end windows be closed off (as indicated as "probable" in the drawing.)

Bill Baskerville:
I was originally asked to only make one door.  I am making two because it is easier to only set up one time.

I don't think the partition will be moved.  I think Randy's plan is to only remove two windows for the new door.  It does appear that he is working on both sides.

Bill

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