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CAR DEPARTMENT WORK ORDERS - 2010
by Rick Henn
| 1/2010 - "The Blue Flag" As I promised in an earlier newsletter, the car department has not had the benefit of much time off. In the lull between the last Wine Trains and the start of the Santa trips, the mechanical department remained active doing work on the interior of the cars as well as mechanical work. Coach 2906 has had nearly all of the seats recovered. The original seats were rotated through an upholstery schedule ten at a time. Each time ten recovered seats were installed, another ten were removed and sent out. The seat frames were repainted and the arm rests removed and dyed before being reinstalled. The crew spent a very pleasant couple of hours working on the generator for coach 2941. This was done on that beautiful weekend in November when it was sunny and 65. The job was to replace the low pressure pump in hopes that it would resolve an on-going and very difficult to resolve problem in which the diesel generator would become air bound and shut down. This problem defied even the mechanics from the manufacturer until they decided that the cause had to be the low pressure pump. The pump itself is small and the replacement would have been very easy if it were not for the fact that the pump is located behind one of the engine mounts. That meant that the unit had to be jacked up and blocked so that the mount could be removed to get at the pump. George Specht was the lead mechanic on the job and managed to get through it with a minimum of unpleasant language. At the same time, Dave Fleenor was working on one of the never ending projects, the need to repair window shades. Oh, By the way, the unit is working much better with the new pump. By the time you are reading this, the trips will have ended and the Car Department crew will probably completed the task of removing the brake valves for their bi-annual rebuilding. Hopefully, the winter will not be too harsh and the crew will be able to continue getting work done. The big project will be to start replacing the windows in coach 2933. In the mean time, work will continue on the parlor car and other equipment as needs are identified. |
| 3/2010 - "The Blue Flag" This time I must start with a story that is all too familiar to those of us who have been around the Society for a while. It has to do with cleaning up after vandals broke into and “decorated” the Nickel Plate caboose that is stored in Hamburg. It started with a call from Scott H. who discovered that our large hasp and lock had been removed from the end door and replaced with a lock and chain belonging to the vandals! They had turned the caboose into their private club house, complete with beer, a radio and some bedding. The windows had been spray painted on the inside to afford privacy. A few words had been painted on the interior walls and they had painted the front of the coal burning stove. The hasp for the lock had been damaged, so something new was needed. On Saturday, January 16th, instead of doing brake valves in Medina, George Specht and I were in Hamburg, where George fabricated device out of an angle iron to replace the original hasp to hopefully secure the door. We left the radio and the chain and lock outside to be claimed by their owners. The cost for the materials to make the new locking device was $40. The cost to replace the windows will probably be about $300 to $400. The time lost was a couple of hours to do the job, but an entire week when looked at in terms of having to put off doing the brake valves in Medina. The vandals also tagged (painted things on) the Buffalo Creek switcher which had been recently moved to Hamburg from North Collins. Fortunately, they didn’t bother the Lackawanna caboose or the Pennsylvania steam engine that had just been painted by Scott last summer. By the way, it looks great ! Sadly, the story does not end here. Two weeks later, we returned to the site to find the kids had gotten inside again. This time a police report was filed with the promise that charges would be pressed if anyone was caught. Both the Village of Hamburg and the Town of Hamburg police departments were very responsive to our request. We made a check of the equipment at Lake Avenue and found that it was all secure, so we moved on to look at the Hocking River, which is parked all by itself in the Buffalo Creek yard off Tifft Street. The yard is no longer used by the B&P, but the car was left there. We found the end door open and signs that people had been inside. However, there were no signs of damage or missing items. The door was secured before we left. We did find time to remove the brake valves from the cars in Medina, and Jim Szymanski once again donated his time and fuel to deliver the valves to Pittsburgh Air Brake for rebuilding. Jim has done this for many years and saved the Society a lot of money that would otherwise be spent in shipping costs. It is greatly appreciated. Soon things will really start hopping as we prepare for the new season. Anyone who would like to get up close and personal with a railroad car is encouraged to let me know and come out to help. We call them work parties but, while we get lots of work done, they are fun. |
| 5/2010 - "The Blue Flag" After much delay, work has begun to prepare coach 2933 for service. The first step was to begin the replacement of the windows. Many of you already know the history of the car, but for those of you that do not, here is a brief review. The car was purchased after sitting unused for several years. It was manufactured by the Budd Company in 1946 1nd 1947 for the New York Central, and was part of the same order as the Society’s other five coaches. After sitting in the sun, the polycarbonate windows on the south side of the car had completely clouded over and were opaque. A grant obtained through the help of Senator Maziarz allowed us to purchase the materials to replace all of the windows in the car. We started on March 14th by replacing two broken windows. It took about four hours to replace just those two. This is one reason that we are always looking for more help. Many of these jobs are very labor intensive. Our plan was to go back the next weekend to do more. Unfortunately, vandals struck again. This time they broke into one of the coaches that are used on the excursion trains. They broke windows and spray painted the walls and window shades. They also discharged the fire extinguisher. The broken windows were spotted by the crew of a Falls Road local, who notified the Medina Museum. Obviously, this had to be repaired before we could get back to 2933. The repairs to the two broken windows took another four hours and cost us a day’s work on 2933. Sadly, that was not the end to the vandalism. The cars stored on the South Buffalo were hit. We found a coach seat outside one of the cars and lots more broken windows. Then the Hocking River, which is still in the Tifft Street Yard, was broken into again. This time, the Norfolk southern police notified us. Joe Kocsis and I checked it out and found that someone had kicked the end door so hard that the dead bolt was driven through the metal frame around the door. That was no small feat, or maybe no small feet, since we found footprints on the door. On a happier note, Joe and I showed the parlor car to Gerry Bertoldo and Jay MacFarland from the Adirondack Scenic Railway, who are interested in leasing the car for the summer. They were impressed with the car, but there are some things that will have to be worked on before it leaves town. The brake valves have to be done and there are some windows that need replacing. This wasn’t vandalism: it was polycarbonate fading in the sun. So, as if I don’t have enough Car Department work to do, now there is more. The brake valves are back on the coaches, and, by the time that you read this, the cars should be running behind “Thomas, the Tank Engine” in Medina. This has been the kickoff event for each of the past few seasons. I cannot stress enough the appreciation the Society has for those who volunteer. Without them, none of this work could be done for a price that would make the cars attractive financially. |
| 7/2010 - "The Blue Flag"
Let’s start off with huge congratulations for our friends at the Medina Railroad Museum. This marker the sixth year of successful Thomas the Tank Engine trips, and it also saw them sell the 100,000th ticket for Thomas. The honor went to two year old Liam Huels of Pittsford, NY. “Thomas” is an enormously difficult undertaking, and to do it as well as the folks in Medina have done, is a tribute to the time, effort and attention to detail that they put into this event every year. Of course, we must also acknowledge and thank the many members of the WNYNRHS that volunteer to act as part of the safety crew for the trips. We must also recognize member Dave Fleenor for completing his 400th trip with Thomas. That works out to 1,900 miles. Dave has acted as head conductor for the trips the past two years. After several long weekends of getting the cars ready for the excursion season, the Car Department was able to take some time to relax a bit before getting back to the work of keeping the cars running and making upgrades as we can. This will be a very expensive year for the Car Department because this was the year we had brake valves rebuilt and this is the year that will see a wheel set swapped out under one of the coaches. The parlor car also had some work done. Several fogged windows were replaced and the vandalized end door was repaired and reinstalled. Now things can be move at a slightly slower pace, but there is still much more to do. There will be more to report in future articles. I want to take a minute to officially welcome Anthony Fusarelli to the Car Department crew. Anthony joined us late last year as part of a high school program. Anthony needed a project to complete some school requirements, so he combined his love of trains with the project and came out to work parties. He has proven to be a great addition to the crew and has become “one of us”. He isn’t afraid to get dirty, and works hard when he comes out. After he completed the school project, he has stayed on with us , and his help is greatly appreciated. Now Anthony is recruiting other young men to come out and join us. Welcome aboard, Anthony, and thanks for your hard work. |
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WANTED: The Western New York Railway historical society is looking for one or more persons to assume the responsibility of overseeing the display cars at the Erie County Fair. This is an excellent opportunity for someone to take over when the major work has just been completed on both cars, and the Fair is over for this year. | ) |
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A lot of work was done this year because the Fair moved the cars and the Society took advantage of that to repaint and re-letter both the box car and the caboose. The Fair Grounds work force reattached electricity and water, and have provided a new brick walk, new stairs and a | ) |
| new deck. This means that only minor maintenance will be needed to keep the display in top condition for several years. This is a wonderful opportunity for someone to “get their feet wet” by taking on a first-time project, or for an “old hand” to get involved again. This project requires attention approximately three months of the year (June through August), and even then, not on a daily basis. There will be help available from long-time fair display experts, so you need not fear being left alone to figure it out for yourself. |
| The Erie county Fair is a great way to bring the Western New York Railway Historical Society to the attention of many people that might not otherwise know about us. It always brings in some donations and a few new members. So, if you have been wondering just what to do, here is a chance you should look into. The society will supply with everything you need to get started. If you are interested, please send me an e-mail at rh1027@aol.com. |
| I want to extend a special thank you to our new members, Bob and Mary Alice Ganz. Bob and Mary Alice donated signs, flyers and their time to help make the “Caboose Affair” the great success that it was. They were not members prior to getting involved in the “Caboose Affair”. They just wanted to help, and that help is greatly appreciated. For the Car Department, this summer began with a whole lot going on, but then slowed down considerably. There were a couple of reasons for this, which I’ll be happy to explain. One reason probably had to do with the economy. The budget for the Car Department is dependent on the amount of revenue the cars generate. This year saw several trips cancelled because of poor ticket sales, and some trips run with only three cars. Fighting for the spare money that people use for entertainment, has become more difficult. The other reason related to the number of people in the Car Department that had to be “reassigned’ to the Fair project (see above). From the end of July to the end of the Erie county Fair, there were not many people available to work on the cars. This is not a complaint: we’ll go wherever we are needed, but that means something else is left undone. So, if you just skimmed over the “membership Mileposts” article, please go back and read it again. What time that was available was spent on basic, on-going maintenance projects that must be completed. As always, I must thank the members of the Car Department for coming through when they are needed. Where, you wonder, does that leave us for the next season? Well, actually in not too bad a place. We will not have the two very expensive jobs that had to be done this year. One was the replacement of the D-22 brake valves, and the other was the replacement of a wheel set. These two items pretty much accounted for the entire Car Department for the year. A lot will depend on how much the cars are used, and that we won’t know until later in the winter. So, next season should allow us to move forward again with the interior upgrades and a handful of things that didn’t get done this year. From now until the end of the year, the cars will be busy holding down the last of the Wine Trains for the Spring Lake Winery and then doing the fall foliage and Santa trains for the Medina Railroad Museum. If you have never taken either of these trips, they are well worth the drive to Medina. The fall colors can be spectacular along the Erie Canal, and the Santa trips are great family fun. Buying a ticket gives you and your family a fun day out and helps to support both the Medina Railroad Museum and the Western New York railway historical society. Sounds like a win-win situation to me. Here’s hoping you had a great summer and that you have an autumn that is magnificent as the colors and the weather.
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| This has been an unusually slow season for the car department. It wasn’t that there weren’t things to do, it was just that the manpower was needed elsewhere, such as the Fair Grounds, and money was tighter than usual. Two important projects were completed, and both on the same day. Dave Fleenor and Joe Kocis spent a day securing the Hocking River, which had become the target of vandals as it sat in the Tifft Street Yard. Fourteen windows were damaged or missing. They have been replaced with plywood and studs, and the end doors have been secured…. AGAIN ! Hopefully, in the near future, the car will be moved so it is with the other equipment stored near Tower D on the south Buffalo. That same day, George Specht and I completed the yearly maintenance on the diesel generator under the coaches. Honestly, when I say “we”, I mean that George did most of the work and I read the instructions. We replaced filters and changed the oil. We also replaced a leaking lubricating hose that was “conveniently” (said with no little sarcasm) behind the injectors on the side of the diesel engine. Shall I say that some interesting language went along with that project. Next chance we have to do much on the cars will be after the Fall Foliage trips and before the Santa trips.
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| The coaches have been “put to bed” for the winter after another successful excursion season. These cars continue to impress the people that show up for rides, often not knowing what to expect. There is a wide range of excursion equipment out there. The comments are almost always positive, especially for the smooth ride and the comfortable seats. In fairness, some of the credit for the smooth ride goes to the Falls Road Railroad and to Genesee Valley Transportation. The railroad is very well maintained and the track is in excellent condition. The train crews do an amazing job at providing a good ride time after time. People are amazed when they hear that the cars are over sixty years old. The longevity of the card is due to the quality of their construction by the Budd Company, both in workmanship and materials used. I also must give a lot of credit to the members of the Car Department, from those who are there all of the time to those that get out when they can. The cars would not look as good as they do, nor would they run as well as they do, without the many hours the members of the Car Department put into them. It becomes difficult to work on the cars in the winter mostly because they can not be kept warm, so there can be no painting done and things like floors cannot be replaced, although this would be the ideal time to be able to do those kinds of jobs. It is often hard to plan certain kinds of work between trips during the excursion season because we have to be certain that we have finished so that the car can run. There are no spares currently. That means that every job has to be planned so that it can be started and completed within a day, especially if the job would leave the car exposed to the weather or vandals if it were not secured again. So things like windows cannot be left partially done and finished the next time. They must be finished and reinstalled. Next season will see one major and costly project when a wheel set is replaced. This means hiring Winters Rigging to come out with its big crane to lift the cars so the lead wheel can be removed and the new one rolled into place. We have been able to put this off, but now the wheel must be replaced. This will also be a year in which we do some major window replacements. The polycarbonate windows are virtually unbreakable, which is a big plus when there are little vandals about. However, they decompose with extended exposure to sunlight and eventually reach a point at which they become nearly opaque instead of clear. As we go through the cars and make our list of things that need to be done, I am quite confident that there will be enough to keep the guys busy all summer. We could use some new hands to help with this work. One perk of being part of the Car Department is that it gives you the opportunity to also come out and work the trains as a car attendant or conductor. So, if you have ever dreamed of working on the railroad, this is your chance. |
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