Is TCDA #65 on display in Wiscasset for 2020?

[Benjamin Maggi]

I am planning on building a model of this car. I visited the WW&F in 2017 and took too few pictures of the car. I would love to take more to put on my blog, and to use for modeling. But, I live in New York State. I was thinking of taking a drive to Wiscasset some day to photograph this car if it was on display outside, but with the Covid 19 I am not sure if it will be or is already. And I know I don't want to drive 650 miles round trip only to find out it isn't there!

Can anyone give me some idea as to what the situation is with this car? Thanks.

Ben

[Keith Taylor]

When we drove through Wiscasset yesterday 65 was not on display. Most of the village was empty as almost all of the businesses were closed.

[Ed Lecuyer]

As of 5/15/2020, TCDA Car#65 is in Alna, Maine on the WW&F.

It is anticipated that it will return to Wiscasset for display downtown later this year. Wiscasset has requested that we move it there for display during the 2020 tourist season (if it occurs.)

[Benjamin Maggi]

Thanks Ed! I will have to follow-up on the forum in a couple of months. Thanks.

[Graham Buxton]

Benjamin, there are quite a lot of photos of TCDA #65 available both in the the WW&F forum threads, plus some others elsewhere.   If you already know how to find those, then  the rest of this is superfluous.     Otherwise, here are some suggestions.


Most of the TCDA photos are in the "Official Work  Thread:"
http://forum.wwfry.org/index.php/topic,1623.0.html

There may also others available in other wwfry.org  threads, the best way to see what is available to you is to put "turner" into the search box at the upper right of this page, but do so when you are at the forum "root". (Search at the WW&F forum is thread / category sensitive, so go to the root to do a forum-wide search. See the "root" circled in red in the attached screenshot.


Also, try a Google Image search with this phrase pasted into a Google Search box "TCDA turner  dairying", and then click the "Images" tab in the search results (default is the "All" tab)


If what you really need is 'dimensions' and not covered above, then I am out of ideas.

[Benjamin Maggi]

Thank you. I have actually downloaded most of the photos. Some of the underside would be nice.

However, I wouldn't feel right posting other peoples' pictures to my blog, hence why I want to take some myself.

[Paul Crabb]

I would think there are a set of plans for the car. If so perhaps a copy could be made and provided for modeling. Some On30 manufacturer might even be interested in producing a model kit with part of sale price going to the museum. Just a thought.

[James Temple]

Benjamin: I took about half-dozen pictures of the car's underside in 2012. PM me and I'm sure I can get them to you somehow.

Presumably she's changed somewhat since then (for instance, in 2012, it doesn't appear she had much in the way of brake rigging).

[Benjamin Maggi]

Thanks James. The brake rigging and such is what I am most interested in, but I will take any and all pictures.

[Mike Fox]

Benjamin, if you drive to take pictures and it isn't there, come on up to the museum. That is most likely where the car is at..

[Alan Downey]

65 doesn't have any brake rigging on it at this time. Due to its limited service useage, it's been low on the priority list for getting its own brake system. It had one (of two needed) brake beam mounted when it was first built, but this was "borrowed" for either coach 8 or 3 when those got brake upgrades in May of 2015. other than my uncertainty about whether 65 will have body hung or truck mounted brake hangers, Boxcar 309 would be a close representation of how 65's brakes will be configured whenever they are installed.

[Dave Crow]

In addition to what Alan wrote, there was hesitation to install the ladders and the brake staff due to the fact that we didn't want kids climbing on the car while it was on display in Wiscasset.  I remember finding the brake wheel up in the locked storage room on the second floor of the carshop; the original brake staff had somehow been cut up by someone thinking it was rod bar stock and not a brake staff...  I could not find the lower brake staff stirrup nor the upper plate; I made measurements of 309's hardware in the thought of making replacements in Baltimore, but never got around to it.

Take a look at Peter Barney's book on WW&F freight cars as well the Gary Kohler and Chris McChesney's books on the WW&F; brake arrangements for the sister cars might be seen in various photos.  One thing that may or may not be true: the creamery cars might have had a pass-through vacuum brake line so the passenger cars behind it in the train would have a vacuum line for brakes.  Others more knowledgeable may chime in as well as the photos in the books mentioned may guide you as well.

Dave Crow

[Benjamin Maggi]

Thank you Dave for your reply. I have reached out to Chris M. through his father, who is a friend, and hopefully I will find out some more information.