Back at work, May-June 2020

With virus restrictions easing off in May we were able to get back to work.  However, we had to observe protective practices, including wearing masks and gloves, and maintaining social distances as much as possible.  Our group is not prone to bar-hopping and protesting so we feel fairly safe.  We went to a 2-day, every other week schedule so have been able to accomplish quite a lot.  Plans now are to move 470 to Antonito in the middle of September.

Work on the seats continued with Dean and Ron making adjustments and reinforcements where necessary.  The goal was to have the seats and seat backs slide smoothly in their grooves from the upright to flat positions.

Some of the seats were binding a bit and  needed sanding etc.

The brass sliders on the seat backs needed reinforcing so Ron added more solder around the pegs as well as reinforcing them internally.

He then ground them down until smooth.

In this photo Dean is working on one of the brass fittings on a seat back.  In the lower right area of the picture can be seen a wooden rail extending from the seat behind Dean to the seat in front of him (not included in the photo).  There will be one of these on the other side (aisle side) as well which will support the seats when in the position for reclining.

These rails are supported by metal hangers attached to the seat framing.  This photo shows one of the hangers clamped in position ready for drilling and inserting screws.  The tab pointing downward can be snapped up to hold the rail in place.

This was an awkward position in which to work but it helps to see what one is doing.  Craig's right angle drill helped as well.

This photo shows a hanger in place with a rail resting on it.  The rails had to be level with the seat frame so the seats can slide over onto the rail easily.

Here the tab has been raised against the rail to hold it in position.

The next project was to install seat locks so that they would not slide forward inadvertently when someone was sitting in them.  Wayne and I worked on these.

Again the working positions were a bit awkward for this.  Wayne is drilling into the seat cross frame.

We used a brass bolt assembly fastened to the cross frame with a hole drilled into the bottom of the seat for the bolt to hold the seat.

Here the bolt has been raised and locked to stabilize the seat.

Work continued on the clerestory windows.  Here the frames are installed and Bill L. is helping to install the glass.  This was a two person job with one inside the car passing the glass up to the person on the outside doing the glazing and caulking.

Don did much of the outside work on the glass installation.

This is a view of one of the panes from the inside.  (Click on it to enlarge.)  We had one pane available from which the design was copied and etched into the others.  I do not know who created the design but the Arts and Crafts movement was beginning when the car was built, which emphasized aesthetics as well as function.  The rest of the interior is quite spartan, but the woodwork is beautiful nonetheless.

This is a photo of a window installed before the caulking was done around the frame.

Tom was in the process of caulking this one.

This is an "after" picture.  It was decided to mount the windows with the original hardware but they would be fixed in place rather than be able to open.

Installation of the upper berths was begun.  The platforms are heavy and bulky so weak backs weren't much help.  The aisle side rests on the brass castings and the hinges are adjusted to level the berth.

Care had to be taken to allow for clearance on either end so the platforms could be raised and lowered easily.

Craig put together a mockup of the latch to hold the platforms in the raised position.  The rounded part will be attached to the clerestory above the berth and the hinged part attached to the platform.

Craig is checking the position and function of the hardware.

Photographs show louvered screens in the upper sections of the lower windows to provide protection from the sun.  Note also the vents in the roof over the men's lavatory area.  The one on the left is over the toilet.  The middle one pulls air out of the car when it is moving.  The one on the right is for access to fill the hand washing tanks.  More on these later.

Craig found louvered screens on line but had to do some cutting and gluing to make them fit.  He did most of this in his shop, but took them to Antonito to finish.

The final step was to spray with sealer.

This photo shows one of the screens in place.  The lower sash can be raised behind the screen.

Hooks were present above the berths for hanging coats, etc.  Dean is installing one in this photo.

A closeup of one of the hooks.

The original caps for the vents were usable but new ducting was necessary.

These vents draw air out of the lavatory areas using Bernoulli's principle (remember high school physics?) as the train is moving.

Craig is doing more cutting and fitting so the vents are vertical.  The curve in the roof adds complexity.

Tabs were cut in the bottom of the vents, bent out and fastened to the ceiling with screws.  Bill L. is doing the work here.

Dean is introducing one of the vents into the hole in the roof.  The person below checks for plumb and makes adjustments as needed.

Some of the vents in place.  These are over the women's lavatory area.

Bill L. did yeoman's work sanding the end platforms.  They had gotten very dirty over the months (years?) of people walking on them, etc. 

They cleaned up well but it was a tough job.

Joe S. has made four grab bars for the car, one at each set of steps.  Some adjustments are being made so they have not yet been installed.





Thanks to John, Tom and Don for contributing photos.

March 2020

We were able to accomplish a few things in early March before the shutdown of operations of the Friends due to COVID-19.  The sliding doors between seats were installed, the interior woodwork was sprayed with a clear sealer and there was progress on installing the clerestory windows.

For spraying the seats and hardware, etc., were taped off and covered.

The wood was wiped with tack cloths.

Craig did the spraying with Mike helping mix and pour.

It was a water based sealer but Craig wore a protective respirator.

Here is some of the door installation crew.  Dean is seen through the opening, John C. is removing tape from the masking, Craig is next to the right, Larry in the background, and John W. to the right.  The wood is more reflective after the sealer was applied.

Craig made the doors in his shop.

John E. is installing the brass hand-holds.

Dean is fastening down the upper track.

This photo shows the door in place, partially open, with the brass hand-hold.  The hand-holds all face in the same direction on both sides of the car according to photos that we have.

This photo shows one of the doors in the closed position, providing privacy between the berth areas.

We made good headway on the clerestory windows.  Some of the hardware is mounted, most of the pulls and some of the ratchet hardware for holding the window open is installed.

We had an assembly line going for the hardware mounting.  Mike on the left, Don and John E.

I was marking and drilling holes.

Mike and Don are applying the moisture barrier to the pillar between clerestory windows.

This photo shows the window opening from the inside of the car.  The moisture barrier (gray and black) is wrapped around the framing of the window and a wood block fastened over it.  See previous post for a view of the outside.

Dean and John C. are fitting a window.  Each one had to be custom fit.

This photo shows a window in place with hardware installed from the outside of the car.

A closeup of the hardware.  Originally the window could be tilted open toward the inside of the car and the notches in the fan-shaped piece would hold it open to various degrees.  It has been decided that these windows will not be opened but will retain the original look.

This is a view from the inside of the car.  The brass pull is on the upper part of the frame.

Craig was also able to get the clerestory window screen frames primed.

We had a "mini" work session in Craig's shop to make the berth platforms.  He had a piece of plywood cut to the size and shape of the platforms with a panel saw.  There was some slight variation in sizes of the different platforms so each was labelled.  We first laid out the three frame pieces, one at each end and one in the middle.  Craig and Dean are starting a new platform.

The edge piece was clamped in place, then the first board nailed to the cross members.

More boards were added and nailed.

When all the decking was in place the platform was turned over and additional framing nailed in  place along the edge.  The initial edge piece, now on the underside, was secured with nails.

Craig, with Maggie's help, continued on subsequent days to finish the berths.







Now we are "paused."  What happens going forward I don't know.  I will not be able to go to Antonito so this blog may or may not continue.  If I can get photos and updates I will be happy to post them.  Stay tuned.

ADDENDUM:   The weather has been good and while maintaining social distancing/staying home guidelines, Craig has kept busy.  He sprayed the upper berths with clear sealer.  This photo shows them drying.

He also obtained some bronze screen material and mounted it in  the clerestory screen frames.