September 2020

September saw the move of 470 back to Antonito.  There were some busy days and weeks in preparation for the move.  Most of the painting was completed and it was made weather tight for the trip to the Railroad.  The shelter had to be dismantled for crane access to lift 470 onto a flatbed truck.

Some prep work was done prior to spraying the paint.  In this photo Randy Q. is masking off the roof at the west end of the car.

Craig, Ron and I are masking the side of the car with tape and paper on the roof.

Brad has agreed to do the exterior with his airless sprayer.

You have to start somewhere.

Brad is moving right along.

The Pullman Green is covering very nicely.  Because of the color of the shelter fabric filtering the light it is difficult to tell the true color.  Here it has a brownish cast.

Here is a view of the north side where there is less color distortion.

The west end where the end of the shelter is mostly open.

It was thought three coats might be necessary but after the second coat it was apparent that coverage was very good and a third was not applied.  In this photo Randy is removing the masking from a window.

Mike and Don removing more of the masking.

The exterior doors and end platforms were painted by hand.  Here Craig is painting one of the doors.

Mike and Randy are priming the end platform.

Wayne is priming the railings.

The west end looks good.

The vent caps were installed in case of precipitation during the move.

Craig worked from below fastening the duct in place.

Ron was guiding from above.

This is a photo of the vents at the west end of the car.  The one on the left is for the stove/heater and the other two are in the women's lavatory.

These are the vents at the east end of the car.  The first two (left to right) are in the men's lavatory and one on the right with the cover is for filling the water tanks for hand washing.

Moving day was on a Friday so that week was spent preparing for the move.  The shelter was dismantled starting with removal of the end pieces.  John Weed was volunteered to man the lift.

After the end pieces were off the large center section was released.  Then we all pulled it up, over, and off the frame.

It came off fairly easily.  Folding it up was harder!

The framing arches had to be removed so that the car could be lifted up and off the pit area.  This required ground crews on each side of the car as well as an aerial crew.  The arches were disconnected one by one and carried to the end of the car and set aside.

We finally get an unobstructed view of the car in the daylight, with John Engs in front.  For those that are not familiar with the Trolley Museum the large red building behind 470 is the Rock Island roundhouse which now houses the Museum's shops and display area.

Moving day arrived along with a very robust crane.  The flatbed truck has been backed in front of the roundhouse next to the crane.  The end of an operating streetcar is seen on the right.

Going back in time a little, the riggers  with the crane company executed the move very competently, with a little help  from Randy.

The straps are in place and ready to lift.

Up and over the truck.

Down gently.  The car had to be cribbed up so the truss rods cleared the bed of the truck.

Here is most of our crew, the "peanut gallery," during this event.

470 is loaded and ready to head south.  The truck's name is painted on the side of the hood, "Train Wreck," hopefully not an omen.

The next morning the truck and car have arrived safely in Antonito.  Don and John Engs have kindly provided photos from the work sessions there.

Another crane and off the flatbed and on to the trucks that have been built for 470.  These have been positioned in front of the Friend's Car Restoration Facility in Antonito where work will continue.

470 was towed inside with a tractor.

Into the CRF.  Much work remains to be done, permanently attaching to the trucks, couplers installed, brakes, completing painting, etc., etc.

The car was jacked up and put on jack stands to work on the trucks and to provide more room underneath to work on brakes.  Notice that the end platform and railings have been painted black.

Here is a look at one of the trucks.  The truck rotates in relation to the car on these plates for cornering.  The height is critical also so the couplers match other cars, and spacers are needed to adjust this.

In this photo Bill K. and Craig are making a platform for the air tank for the brakes.

Bill K. putting the platform in place.  I have heard that Bill was evacuated because of the Cameron Peak fire near Ft. Collins.  We wish him well.

Bill and Randy with the air tank in place.

Craig and Dean are installing grab irons in this photo.

Randy and Bill are working on the coupler pocket in this photo while John looks on.

In this photo Randy and Ian are working on one of the couplers.

Ian and Don are celebrating Don's birthday on the last day of the work session.  Ian was largely responsible for construction of the trucks.  Don provided most of the photos from Antonito.  Thank you both.

We will pause this blog again for a while.  There is still a long punch list of things to do before 470 is on the tracks.  Another work session in Antonito is scheduled this fall and there will be more in the spring.  The goal is to have it ready for service next summer.