June, July, August 2026

 Summer means work sessions happening in Chama and Antonito so work on the baggage car over the summer was somewhat limited.  Progress was made on paint removal, filling and sanding, etc.  Work on the bolsters and end platforms was also begun.

The first two photos are of the walls at the east end of the car, the south wall on the top and the north on the bottom.  The old paint has been removed and fill material applied to defects in  the wood.

This photo shows the fairing around the end of a clerestory carline.

Door frames were treated as well.

A closeup of the filling and sanding in the upper wall.  It also is a good view of the sliding door track showing the flat steel piece the wheel rides on.

Sanding the fill material on the wall.

Screw and nail holes as well as abutting joints were filled and sanded on the exterior.

Mike is repairing the framing around the east door.

Just about done.

Craig has been busy laminating the platform end sills and brought these to the work site.

He made a spacer to help align the sills during installation.

Meanwhile Ron has been working on the bolsters and plates to attach the trucks.

During a visit to Craig's shop we saw the platform sills being  made.  In the center foreground is one that has been glued together.  To the left are three pieces ready to be glued.

He used a tenon and mortise system to align the boards and help hold them in place for gluing.

He also has made window screens for the clerestory.

More window frames.

By the end of August construction of the platforms had begun. The sills for the west platform were brought in to the car on a hand truck.

They are heavy!

The platform sills extend under the car and will be bolted to the car sills.

May 2026

Most of the work in May involved cosmetic things, installing trim, repairing and filling cracks, filling and sanding screw holes, etc.  Part of the crew was working in Chama and Antonito this month.

This photo shows a section of the clerestory interior with trim installed and the window frames cleaned.

Don working on the south side.

Craig sanding on the letterboard trim.

Trim on the end of the platform overhang is installed.

Two weeks later more sanding on the clerestory interior.

Craig is filling the cracks in the west door frame with epoxy.

The east door frame was done as well.

This photo shows the copper flashing below the end  clerestory window and along the side of the platform overhang.  Lots of fitting and soldering!

This shows a soldered flashing joint along the side of the clerestory.

There is a joint at each window.

The west  door frame two weeks later.

Installing trim on the clerestory.  Note the notch for the rafter.

Here is a closeup.

Screw holes were filled.

And sanded.

This is a look at one of the baggage door frames.

More paint removal on the interior wall.

This side looks good.

 

March-April 2026

 

Removal of old paint and cleanup of the framing were ongoing.  These are tedious jobs but necessary  and shared by all.

Some sanding, some scraping....

Some heat...

Some heat and scraping.

Craig made the two side sliding doors in his shop and these were fitted and hung during this time.  In this photo one of the rails is being put together for the door to slide on.

This is one of the castings with a wheel that holds the door and allows it to travel on the track.

One of the tracks being installed.

The door hanging crew.

Final fitting of the door was done at the time of hanging.  Allowances had to be made for floor height, etc.  Measure twice, cut once.

Trimming the top with a hand saw.

Trimming with the router.

The hardware was attached to the top of the doors.

This is a view of the door pulley, looking at the side that goes against the door.  The wheel travels on a steel bar fastened over the baggage doors.

Securely fastened with screws.

It is a solid core door.

They got it in place.

And it moves on the track.

There was a learning curve on the first door but the second went more quickly.

Looking good!

The putty covering the bender-ply on the roof overhangs was sanded smooth.

Looks good from here.

A view from above.

Work continued on trim.  It looks like Glenn has his hand on a piece that would fit above this door.

A trim piece on the roof end.

Curved trim pieces for the side of the overhang.

Interior trim at the base of the clerestory.

The west door frame was in need of repair.  A split in the frame on the south side has been glued and clamped.

Another view of the door frame.

A section of the east door frame needed replacing.

Thanks again to Don and Phil for help with photos.