March 2025

 With access now available to the upper part of the car work began on the roofs.

John is rolling up the metal roofing from the clerestory.

Down it comes!

It has seen better days.

Removing old wood from the clerestory.

More of the same.

Many hands!

The ceiling boards on the sides below the clerestory were removed to get access to the rafters in the lower roof.

This is a view from below of one of the main carlines extending from one side of the car to the other.  Notice the metal arch sandwiched between two wooden arches.  Bolts are placed through the arches to hold the "sandwich" together.

This would be a good place to copy a definition of "carline" from the Car Builder's Cyclopedia:

Carline, or carling.  (below) A transverse [cross-wise] bar of wood or iron that extends across the top of a car from one side to the other to support the roof boards. In passenger cars, carlines are divided into several categories: main carlines, which pass completely across the car; short carlines or deck carlines, which are confined to the upper deck of the clerestory; and rafters, which are confined to the lower deck of the clerestory. The carlines of freight cars are sometimes called rafters.

It helps to be tall for some of these jobs!

Decking on the south side is being removed.

This photo shows the ceiling boards having been removed from the lower roof and the roof decking partially removed.  A main carline can be seen in the middle of the picture with rafters on either side.

Craig and I have "graduated" from climbing around on these cars.  This photo shows him cleaning up the interior wall at the west end.

Looking east, most of the lower roof decking and rafters have been removed from the lower roof on the north side.  The main carlines remain in place.

North side looking west.

A closer look at a main carline.  Old wood has fallen away from the metal core in the left lower corner of the photo.  The clerestory sill rests on the carline providing support for the clerestory.

Lower roof decking remains in place on the south side, looking west.

Looking east.

The lower roof decking becomes part of the overhangs at the ends of the cars.  Part of the overhang here is missing with the decking removed.

Craig has been busy making new rafters in his shop.

By the end of March the new rafters were being installed.

More rafters going in.

The rafters are fastened in place with deck screws.

New rafters from above.  The metal core from a main carline is in the foreground.

Good progress with the rafters.

Craig has also made the wood pieces for the main carlines to go over the metal cores or struts.  These will be bolted to the struts, one on each side.

I would like to credit Glenn Butcher for the use of some of his photos.

 

February 2025

In the first work session in February the temporary floor in the car and raised platform on the north side were finished and stairs at the east end of the car were built and installed.

Work continued on the temporary floor in the car.

Screws were placed into the 2x4's.

The interior was cleaned of sawdust and scraps.

The raised platform along the south side of the car is complete.

The platform on the north side is almost done, and will be complete by the end of the work session.

This is a view looking out one of the side baggage doors showing the outside raised platform.  The framing for the .platform at the doors is different from the other parts of the car.

Rolling scaffolds were assembled for both sides.

Light fixtures that were added to the car after it was built were removed.

Dean is installing the stairs on the East end.

The next series of photos were taken of the upper part of the car as seen from the side platforms.  A lot of work remains to be accomplished!  Click on the photos to enlarge.

The south side looking east.

Closeup near the center on the south side.

South side looking west.

North side looking west.

North side looking east.

A view of the clerestory near the center of the car on the north side.

The northwest corner of the car.  A couple of the clerestory windows have intact glass.

 

January 2025

 The New Year saw work wrapping up on the floor framing and tie rods therein.  Work continued on installing a temporary floor in the car and elevated platforms alongside the car for work on the roof area.

The needle beam bolts were installed.  Here a nut is being threaded onto the bolt underneath the car.

Then it is tightened.

But it is a two person job!

The beams were held in place with pipe clamps while bolts were placed.  This clamp can be removed now.

This shows the heads of the bolts in the intermediate and center sills.

Another item to be completed before the temporary floor is installed is replacing the horizontal tie rods.  This one goes across the end of the car on the west.  Holes were drilled in the sills for the rod.

The holes have to line up.

Ron is drilling the outer sill for the rod.

These are the chainplates where the truck chains will be attached.

This shows the rod in place detoured around the chainplate.

Now the temporary floor can be installed.  Dean is putting down 2x4's so the floor can clear the various bolt heads in the sills.

The elevated side platforms were installed as well.