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CAR DEPARTMENT WORK ORDERS - 2008
by Rick Henn
) 1/2008 - Members of the car department are always busy. Al Olmstead has made a couple of trips to Orrville, Ohio to man the parlor car and make repair on the go. None of the issues were serious and none represented safety issues but they were things that needed attending to in order to keep the car in top operating condition. Add to that several trips to Medina to deal with a generator that was acting up and Al has been quite busy. And, of course, George Specht, Mike Dorofy and Dave Fleenor have put in their fair share of hours as well. With the number of trips the coaches run from October to the end of December getting work done on them is limited to only what has to be done. They just aren't around on the weekends to work on them, which is a good thing. The cars will bring in record earnings this year.However, as we go into the New Year there is already a list of jobs that must be done so anyone interested in getting involved in some car maintenance should give me a call. First, it will be time for the bi-annual COT&S, which requires all the brake valves be removed, sent for recertification and reinstalled. Then the cars must be individually tested to ensure the brake systems are functioning properly. Two wheel sets have been identified that will need replacement soon. That means lifting on end of the car to roll out the old wheel set and replace it. Hopefully, we will soon have the promised grant money from NY State so we can get coach 2933 active and earning revenue. It needs new windows and a thorough cleaning plus some cosmetic work inside and out. On December 30th, coach 2933 came to life after many years of inactivity. For those of you new to the Society I'll do a quick recap of the story of 2933. Coach 2933 is a sister car to the five coaches that make up the bulk of our passenger fleet. The cars were built buy the Budd Company in 1946 and 1947 as part of an order of stainless steel lightweight cars for the New York Central's Empire State Express service. The cars went from the Central to Penn Central, to Amtrak and then onto private owners. The 2933 was last owned by the Delaware and Hudson Chapter of the NRHS and was last used in West Virginia. The car had been out of service for several years when we looked at it and made an offer to purchase it. Once the purchase agreement was complete, workers from the Potomac Eagle group did the necessary brake work and inspections before the car was turned over to the Falls Road Railroad. The Falls Road moved it to Medina where it joined the other coaches. Coach 2933 sports its original 64 volt DC electrical system, which makes it incompatible with our other coaches' 110 volt AC systems so it would be important to know that the system functioned properly. Unfortunately, a lack of manpower to handle all the necessary work on the revenue cars, staff train trips and do the many other jobs that needed to be done made 2933 a low priority. However, the original 16 batteries in the car were checked and all were found to be cracked. They were removed and scrapped. It was a little amusing to watch the guys at the scrap yard grab onto a battery expecting to easily pull it out of our truck. At 250 pounds a piece, they do not move easily! The battery boxes were cleaned and new wood floors were installed. Next, 16 batteries from the Levi Morton in Hamburg were moved to Medina and installed. At the end of this years excursion season, when the train was put onto the siding for the winter break, the railroad spotted a generator car next to 2933. Here is the reason why. The batteries used under 2933 are not readily available and would be very expensive to replace if replacements could even be found! So we must keep them charged, especially during cold weather. These cars came equipped with a device called a "Genamotor," which is exactly what its name implies. It is half generator and half electric motor. The generator is run off of a drive shaft connected to one of the axels via a spicer (gear) box. After the car reaches a certain speed, about 20 miles per hour, the the cluch allows the shaft to drive the generator, which makes electricity to run the car and charge the batteries. Below 20 MPH the car is run strictly from the batteries. The exception is if the car that allows the motor part of the "Genamotor" to be powered from an external power supply. The motor turns the generator to produce electricity for the cars system. Remember, this was top of the line technology for the 1947 railcars. By using a specially designed jumper cable, we were able to connect our generator car to the plug and power the motor. The first few attempts failed when the load caused by the "Genamotor" caused the safety breaker on our generator to trip. However, Al and George were able to reset the breaker with a longer delay and the "Genamotor" ran. Once it was running the load on our generator was minimal. It was the starting current that drew the heavy load. Once the "Genamotor" was was known to be working it was time to turn on switches. One by one, systems that had not been used for seven or eight years came to life and soon the interior lights and blowers were all functioning properly. While George and Al handled 2933 and Dave Fleenor did some much needed policing of the area, Mike Dorofy and I started taking brake valves off the cars. There are five valves on each of the five cars that must come off for rebuilding. We got 21 of the 25 before the light gave out and we called it a day. This job was finished the following weekend and, by the time you read this, the valves should be on the way back from Pittsburgh Air Brake, fully rebuilt, tested, and ready to be installed. Once on the cars the complete brake system must be tested by a "CAT." That's a Certified Airbrake Technician. Congratulations to Dave Fleenor who passed the certification classes at this years RPCA convention and is now a "CAT." Dave has been extremely active over the years as a part of the Car Department, acting as a conductor on excursion trains, holding a position as a trustee and showing up at just about every meeting and function the Society has. The cars have another full season of trips ahead of them. Officially, Thomas the Tank Engine© is the first scheduled event, during the second and third weekends in May but it is possible that a trip will run before that. The cars will be in service from then until Christmas. The parlor car is wintered in Orrville, Ohio and will be in service there. And there is always the possibility of other things to be done, such as painting, installing new seat covers, air conditioning work and surprises that wait until the most inopportune moment to jump out at us. The cars are a great asset to the society but there is no doubt that they are somewhat labor intensive. Once again, I have to thank all of the members of the Car Department for their outstanding dedication they have shown throughout the year. More hands would mean more gets done. Hint Hint!! |
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| 5/2008 - The Thomas© trips were a huge success and all of our cars performed flawlessly! All five cars' brake cylinders passed their "COT&S" (certify, oil, test and stencil) exam with flying colors! Looking back, the removal, rebuilding and replacement of all 20 brake cylinders was well worth the back breaking effort. All of them had to be taken apart, cleaned, have new packing and cups installed, greased and then reassembled. If the job goes smoothly it takes about thirty minutes to rebuild a cylinder. However, things do not always go well and it can take much longer. There appears to be a correlation between the length of time it takes to rebuild a cylinder and the amount of swearing that is heard. Sharp spikes of foul language can usually be associated with bloodied knuckles. Overall things were in very good condition, which once again testifies to the quality of the workmanship and materials used in the construction of these cars. With the trip season back is full steam we will again turn our attention to 2933. The batteries are holding a charge which is very good. However, it will need a thorough cleaning inside and out along with new windows, repairs to the interior, repairs to the roof and work on the air conditioning system. Since this car does not have any windows that can be opened the air conditioning must be operating reliably before the car can be put into service. |
| 7/2008 -
As I have reported in past newsletters, the members of the Car Department were very busy getting everything ready for this excursion season. Having the Parlor Car operating on trips in Ohio greatly increases revenues, but it also creates a problem for those working on the car and staffing it for trips. We like to send a rider to oversee the car when it is away from home. While riders donate their time, the Car Department covers the cost of gas (UGH!) and an overnight stay in a motel. It also means that members of the Car Department must plan trips to Ohio to work on the car. The next trip will include replacing some windows and giving the car a badly needed bath. While that is being planned and undertaken, work continues on the coaches in Medina. As previously reported, the biggest job completed to date was the COT&S needed to bring the brake systems on the coaches into regulatory compliance. Several big jobs still lie ahead. One or possibly two wheel sets must be replaced soon. That means hiring a crane big enough to lift one end of a 56 ton coach. Add to that, the on-going interior maintenance that must be done, plus the unexpected things that always pop up at the worst possible time (for example, a damaged buffer plate), and the members of the Car Department will have a busy season ahead of them. I’ll give more details on the buffer plate next time. I want to thank Mike Dorofy for agreeing to take over the primary responsibility for the work inside the cars. This assignment includes, but is not limited to, window shade repair, window sill repair and replacement, painting, repair of doors and door locks, and any number of other things that may arise. Dave Fleenor has largely taken on the dirty and often difficult tasks associated with the outside and of the the underside of the cars, such as brake system maintenance, truck work and coupler work. Al Olmstead and George Specht are mainly responsible for keeping the diesel generators operating, as well as for any other repairs that might need their expertise. Tom Stackhouse spends many hours tracking down parts and prices. Art Toale, Bill Glodzik and Geno Dailey are always ready to help with whatever project needs doing at the time. Usually, this means a lot of dirt and grease in generally unpleasant conditions. Jim Szymanski takes his time and spends his money to ferry parts back and forth between here and Pittsburgh Air Brake, which, by the way, is not in Pittsburgh, but is in Carnegie, PA. Finally, I must thank President Joe Kocis for coming out to help with the brake cylinder work. It’s a messy job and the Car Department appreciated his help. He might think he is finished, but I have other plans for him. How about a trip to Ohio? The work of the Car Department is most definitely a team effort, and it would not be possible to be as successful as the Car Department has been, without this team approach. |
| 9/2008 - If you recall in the last installment I brought up the possibility of President Kocsis joining us on a trip to Ohio to work on the parlor car, the Francis McGrath. Joe did join me, Dave Fleenor, Art Toale and Al Olmstead for a weekend in Ohio. By the end of the weekend the crew had replaced four windows (roughly 5.5 X 2.5 feet each), had thoroughly washed the car's exterior and completed other repairs. I was concerned as to how we would be able to transport nearly $500 worth of glass to Ohio safely but a call to Art Toale solved that problem. Art designed and built a crate that even impressed the folks at the glass supply company so much that they all came out to see it. The glass arrived intact. The trip was not without its problems, mostly the weather. The guys washing the car were constantly dodging torrential downpours and thunder storms, which only added to humidity after they passed. Many thanks to everyone for taking time to get this work completed. On July 27th the parlor car ran in an excursion and I want to thank Al Olmstead and Mike Dorofy for manning the car during that trip. It ran again in August and I want to thank Dave Fleenor for staffing it for that trip. Meanwhile, the coaches were active running an excursion as part of the Lionel Collectors convention in Buffalo. The convention goers boarded the train in Medina after touring the museum, rode to Lockport for the engine run around and then were dropped of at Spring Lakes Winery for lunch and wine. The train was then pushed back to the yard in Lockport, which provided an unusual perspective watching the track come towards us rather than watching it recede in the distance. The reason for this move was a unit train was behind us coming out of the ethanol plant in Medina and the car's next trip would be a Wine Train out of Lockport the following Sunday. That trip was highly successful and we received many fine comments about the event and the equipment. The cars then had a month off during which the Car Department completed some heavy repairs and some interior painting.
11/2008 - By the time this was published the coaches will be heading into the last round of trips in Medina. The Wine Trains and the Fall Foliage trips will be over and it'll soon be time for Santa Claus trains. It's hard to believe that another year is quickly slipping away. It has been a good one for the revenue fleet and the Car Department. Much has been accomplished and a lot of money has been earned for the Society. That's what the cars are all about. Not only are they an obvious and public reminder to people that trains still exist and are fun, but they are a source of income. The Wine Trains, sponsored by the Spring Lake Winery and the Medina Railroad museum were all sellouts and extra trains were added to give those people that wanted tickets a chance to ride the train and enjoy the museum and the winery. The response from those that ride has been an overwhelming, "Well done!" In between all the trips the Car Department was busy with mechanical upkeep as well as cosmetic improvements. The messiest job of the summer was emptying the fuel tank under coach 2941 to see why the diesel generator would start sucking air. Thanks to Life member John Corbetta of Rockelman and Henn Pump Company for donating the use of two fifty-five gallon drums so the fuel could be pumped out of the tank and stored while the repairs were completed. Once the tank was empty and the access panel removed the crew found that a pipe that returns excess fuel to the tank was not long enough to stay below the fuel level as fuel was used. The result was air seeping back up the pipe and into the system. I won’t go into all the details of the job but it was not easy due to how the tank had been constructed and installed, and apparently no one though about having to service the tank. After a full day of scrapped knuckles, digging out slop and replacing pipe, the generator runs like new! Another nasty job was repairing damaged buffer plates on coaches 2941 and 2918. While being pushed through a sharp switch in the yard one of the buffers snagged an edge of the buffer on the adjoining car and tore a piece of the buffer out at a ninety degree angle. When the buffer tried to return to its normal position it could not. The damaged sections had to be cut out and the edges beveled until new stainless steel plates can be found and welded into place. The damage will give some idea of the forces at work on a moving train. This was high quality, one eight inch thick stainless steel plate and it tore like a piece of paper. Thanks to Al Olmstead, Dave Fleenor and George Specht for making the repairs to the buffers and the tank. |
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| Inside work consisted of repainting the restroom lounges in coaches 2941 and 2918. In 2918 the old Amtrak applied wall covering had to be stripped off, some holes filled and then two coats of an industrial enamel applied. Coach 2941 was in better shape and just needed a few small holes filled and the painting. The floors were covered with commercial grade carpeting and the couches were dyed from the Amtrak blue and orange to satin black. The result was a much richer look. Some the narrow aisles at the ends of the cars and some of the bulkheads in the seating areas have also been repainted, which brightens these previously dark areas and makes them much more pleasing to the eye. Thanks to Mike Dorofy, Dave Fleenor and Bill Glodzik for putting up with very warm lounges to complete this work. Along with the new decorating scheme came a new idea for pictures. Mike Dorofy started this project over the summer and was able to complete recently the redecorating of the lounges in the coaches. All of the old pictures that hung over the over the couches have been replaced with large photographs of the Falls Road trains with our coaches. Many smaller pictures now adorn the walls. These are of local interest and have come from a number of individuals in addition to Mike, including Geno Dailey, Dave Armitage, and Joe Kocis, among others. Each lounge has become a sort of rolling picture gallery.The old, and by the way not original, pictures that hung above the couches were removed and replaced with the photographs taken by our various members or from collections. They were all screened so they were at or near professional quality and then some were enlarged to fit the frame of the pictures that were in the lounges. Coach 2941 now has a shot of the five coaches and a Falls Road locomotive along the Erie Canal near Gasport hanging above the couch. High on the list of major projects next year will be replacing coupler parts to ensure that the couplers function properly. Two couplers represents a nearly $3,000 investment in parts in addition to considerable labor on the part of the members of the Car Department. Also, one, and possibly two, wheel sets will have to be changed out soon. The wheels will have been inspected by the time that you read this, and a determination will have been made as to how much longer they can be used. Changing the wheel sets will require hiring Winter’s Rail Services to lift the end of the cars so the wheel sets can be rolled out and new ones rolled into place. We will also be assessing the polycarbonate windows and some will have to be replaced. It would be nice if we could go back to glass. Not only is it cheaper than polycarbonate, which is an oil-based product, but it lasts longer and is easier to clean. Even when well cared for, polycarbonate breaks down and discolors when exposed to sunlight over a number of years. Our fear is that if the vandals discover one glass window, they would quickly break them all and then it would be a major problem that would take the cars out of service for a long time, because changing the windows is a labor intensive project. The parlor car completed another highly successful tour in Ohio. I want to thank all the members of the Car Department, especially Al Olmstead, that staffed the car for these trips. While it is fun to ride the parlor car on rails that we don’t see regularly, it is also a tiring weekend. It usually means leaving the Buffalo area after work on Friday afternoon, driving five to five and a half hours, getting to bed late and getting up early to be at the train to get it ready for the trip. The day of the trip is usually long, so it’s another night in a motel and a drive back to Buffalo on Sunday. Once again, I have to thank all of the members of the Car Department and other Society Members who volunteered their time and for their outstanding dedication they have shown to make this such a successful year! |
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