November 2015

In November we continued working on the roof, underside, and platform tie rods.

Don and Jim are installing the finishing pieces on the soffit.  Access was an issue but working from the inside of the car seemed easiest.

Not a lot of room to maneuver through the windows but it worked.

Looks good, guys.

Tie rods extend  from the underside of the car out through the platform framing and are threaded at the end of the platform to hold the framing in place.  Here Bill K. is drilling for one of the rods.  Another hole can be seen at the right edge of the photo.

In this photo Bill K. has gone below to push and pound the rod through while Bill L. and John help direct the end.

A little bending was necessary to make it through all the holes in the wood and steel.  The hook on the end to the left in the photo hooks on to the bolster.

The rod is in place but needs to be cut where John is pointing and then threaded.  A hole will be drilled in the end sill that Bill's left hand is resting on and the rod will be passed through that hole and a nut and washer installed.

Finally, two photos showing the bolster and needle beams bolted in place.  Here the top and bottom plates of the bolster are shown with an oak wedge between them at the end for rigidity.

This photo shows one of the two needle beams bolted in place.  More bolts will be added at the ends.