Today was a busy day in the pit.
I got most of the oiling and other stuff done on the trucks today. Everything has been greased or oiled as needed, and the motors have been looked at and checked. (All four motors appear to have the proper clearance, and none of the telltale signs of any internal electrical problems.) Thanks to Mr. Avy and Mr. Griffith for helping move things around at the beginning and end of the day.
The car should be ready for service, although there are a few more things I'd like to do before its released to roam free for the summer.
I'll post some picture of the work once I get a nice sunny day.
April 12, 2009
April 06, 2009
Work Report 4/5/09
Today was a busy day, and the spring maintenance has begun!
I got the carbons changed (they wear really badly, and I need to check them midway during the operating season in the future), and the journals were oiled. It's not a huge amount, but its still an important part of the inspection. (A bad carbon or damaged trolley shoe can take down the overhead.) Checking the trolley is the one thing on the inspection list that should never be put off (especially because it takes about 20 minutes to do an entire car, with a bit of practice.)
I had some free time before lunch, so I sandblasted one of the taillight covers and primed it so its ready for installation (#5 on the main to-do list/budget.) Cost : $0. (Had the primer.) I also did two small door parts as well (#1 on the list.)
After lunch the car was going to be used for some shifting, but the plans changed and I was left with some free time, and the can of white paint. Looking inside the car, the end that I primed in the fall was looking a little sad. Time to get the primer topcoated before it gets all dirty. (#3 on the main to-do list.)
The end looks really good now! The white primer looked okay, and sorta streaky, especially going over some of the old gray paint. The topcoat of white covered beautifully, and took away all the streaks and dried quite well. The end vestibule now has a new coat of white paint on the window frames, the dashboard behind the controller, and parts of the ceiling. I'm not painting over any of the original wood and cracked varnish unless the T sloped a coat of gray paint over it. The cracked varnish is a part of the cars 102-year history, and I'm not about to paint over it.
I'll try and take some photos of it in a week or two to post. It's amazing how much cleaner the painted end looks compared to the non-painted end. A few dollars and some elbow grease really paid off, although I did use up the last 3/4 of a quart of paint that I had. On the other hand, I've now got a good working estimate on how much paint I'll need for the other end.
Looking at the pole and roof equipment, I'd like to get the poles touched up sometime soon. (#2 in the budget list.) The snowplows in particular suffer a lot of dewirements (since they often run under the worst wire), and the trolley poles get a little dinged up here and there.
Thats all for now - the yearly maintenance is coming along well, and I got some serious work done on one of the main summer items for the car.
I got the carbons changed (they wear really badly, and I need to check them midway during the operating season in the future), and the journals were oiled. It's not a huge amount, but its still an important part of the inspection. (A bad carbon or damaged trolley shoe can take down the overhead.) Checking the trolley is the one thing on the inspection list that should never be put off (especially because it takes about 20 minutes to do an entire car, with a bit of practice.)
I had some free time before lunch, so I sandblasted one of the taillight covers and primed it so its ready for installation (#5 on the main to-do list/budget.) Cost : $0. (Had the primer.) I also did two small door parts as well (#1 on the list.)
After lunch the car was going to be used for some shifting, but the plans changed and I was left with some free time, and the can of white paint. Looking inside the car, the end that I primed in the fall was looking a little sad. Time to get the primer topcoated before it gets all dirty. (#3 on the main to-do list.)
The end looks really good now! The white primer looked okay, and sorta streaky, especially going over some of the old gray paint. The topcoat of white covered beautifully, and took away all the streaks and dried quite well. The end vestibule now has a new coat of white paint on the window frames, the dashboard behind the controller, and parts of the ceiling. I'm not painting over any of the original wood and cracked varnish unless the T sloped a coat of gray paint over it. The cracked varnish is a part of the cars 102-year history, and I'm not about to paint over it.
I'll try and take some photos of it in a week or two to post. It's amazing how much cleaner the painted end looks compared to the non-painted end. A few dollars and some elbow grease really paid off, although I did use up the last 3/4 of a quart of paint that I had. On the other hand, I've now got a good working estimate on how much paint I'll need for the other end.
Looking at the pole and roof equipment, I'd like to get the poles touched up sometime soon. (#2 in the budget list.) The snowplows in particular suffer a lot of dewirements (since they often run under the worst wire), and the trolley poles get a little dinged up here and there.
Thats all for now - the yearly maintenance is coming along well, and I got some serious work done on one of the main summer items for the car.
February 22, 2009
5106 Plan/Budget 2009
I've been working on a number of things on 5106, mostly fundraising and paperwork over the winter to make the project easier to work on in the future. When I get the funding, I plan to work on the following this summer :
1. Re-paint the side doors of the car.
They are currently not on the car, and it will be easier to work on the doors on the ground instead of on the car. Depending on cost, the plastic windows might be replaced with either new plastic or glass. (Being able to see out of them would be a plus, but is not a requirement.) Working on the doors is #1 on the list since they belong on the car, keeping the snow/rain out.
Materials on Hand : Paint, Doors, Sandpaper.
Materials Needed : Primer.
Total Cost : $8.
(Primer will be bought by the gallon, so the total is really around $20.)
Time to complete : 2 days.
2. Patch the roof, and get it watertight.
There have been some leaks in the past, and there are old patches that need new attention. This goes along with the overall goal of weatherproofing the car. The new trolley boards also need a final coat of paint; They have a primary coat, but need a final coat to protect the wood (Oak! The trolley boards were cut for another car, but didn't fit, and ended up on 5106 instead.)
Materials Needed : Some type of roofing caulk ($30?) , exterior paint ($5).
Total Coast : $35?
(Not really sure of the cost, will price it out further soon.)
Time to complete : Less Then 1 day.
3. Complete the re-painting of the interior of the cab ends.
The cab ends are the second most-seen part of the car (the outside being the first.) You run the car from the cab, most people sit in the cab (its got the only seats after all), and it needs to be clean. One end has been partially sanded, primed, and painted. The other end needs to be totally sanded, primed, and painted. Its okay for 5106 to look worn and well-used (which it is.) It's not okay for it to look like its falling apart. Worn and cared for is one thing; Falling apart and neglected is another.
Materials on-hand : Sandpaper, white primer, flat white paint, orange paint.
Materials needed : Some more finer sandpaper ($5), additional flat white paint ($10), painters tape ($10.)
Total Cost : $25
Time to complete : 2-3 Days.
4. Finish the re-siding of the plywood parts of the car.
I replaced the plywood on one end of the car a year ago. Fitting everything back together is a bit of a challenge (mostly getting the proper clearance for the door to open/close. A few things need to be tightened up, a new door stop needs to be installed, and some rubber gaskets need to be installed. I might also look at making a prop to keep the plywood up while working on the car.
All materials should be on hand.
Total cost : $0
Time to complete : 1-2 days.
5. Re-install the tail light covers on the ends of the cars.
This was started a year ago, but was never finished, and its been bugging me ever since. All materials are on hand for this job; It just needs a bit of sandblasting and painting for it to be completed.
Also, the last light string in the car needs to be activated; There's a bad bulb in the set somewhere, and it needs to be found. A replacement light socket might be needed, but can be acquired from another direlect snowplow. All the needed lightbulbs are on-hand.
Total Cost : $0
Time to complete : Less Then 1 day.
6. Re-install the air horns/Bells.
There needs to be a signaling system of some sort on each end of the car.
Last year a bell was re-installed on one end of the snowplow, and the air horns were removed, cleaned, and painted. I need some new copper piping and elbows to re-connect the air horn to the air system.
I have a bell assembly for the other end of the car that needs sandblasting and painting, but is complete and almost ready for installation. The other air horn needs to be cleaned, but there might be a lot more air piping that needs to be replaced before it will function again.
Materials Needed : Copper pipe ($20), some pipe elbows ($6ish), Assorted screws/bolts.
Total Cost : $26
Time to Complete : 1 day
And that's it for the summer.
Right now, I don't expect to have the budget to do any more work on the car this summer. Before I continue on the exterior re-painting, I need to have the funding for the primer, paint, sandpaper, and a little extra to deal with any surprises that come up. I will be continually raising funds to keep working, but this is as far as I expect to get this summer. The budget is not the only constraint for this project; There is only one of me, and there will be other museum-wide projects that will come up that could use my help more then 5106 can. I also have other things that I am working on, and I do not want to overextend myself.
The totals for the summer :
$94
10 days of work.
I will be doing the work in the order that its listed here. I would like to have 120% of the budgeted cost per section listed here before I begin any section of this project, just in case there are cost overruns, or I find a hidden surprise (it is a 102-year-old car.) Certain projects that either have no cost, or can be worked on in sections, might be worked on slightly out-of-order (For example, I might do some sanding or priming in the cab while I am waiting for the side doors to dry.) Overall, however, I am trying to be fairly strict about following the priorities/order outlined in this list.
So :
Estimated Cost of $94
+20% Overrun ($18.80) = $112.80
+9% Admin. Fee ($10.16) = $122.96
FUNDRAISING GOAL TO COMPLETE ALL WORK FOR 2009 :
$122.96
1. Re-paint the side doors of the car.
They are currently not on the car, and it will be easier to work on the doors on the ground instead of on the car. Depending on cost, the plastic windows might be replaced with either new plastic or glass. (Being able to see out of them would be a plus, but is not a requirement.) Working on the doors is #1 on the list since they belong on the car, keeping the snow/rain out.
Materials on Hand : Paint, Doors, Sandpaper.
Materials Needed : Primer.
Total Cost : $8.
(Primer will be bought by the gallon, so the total is really around $20.)
Time to complete : 2 days.
2. Patch the roof, and get it watertight.
There have been some leaks in the past, and there are old patches that need new attention. This goes along with the overall goal of weatherproofing the car. The new trolley boards also need a final coat of paint; They have a primary coat, but need a final coat to protect the wood (Oak! The trolley boards were cut for another car, but didn't fit, and ended up on 5106 instead.)
Materials Needed : Some type of roofing caulk ($30?) , exterior paint ($5).
Total Coast : $35?
(Not really sure of the cost, will price it out further soon.)
Time to complete : Less Then 1 day.
3. Complete the re-painting of the interior of the cab ends.
The cab ends are the second most-seen part of the car (the outside being the first.) You run the car from the cab, most people sit in the cab (its got the only seats after all), and it needs to be clean. One end has been partially sanded, primed, and painted. The other end needs to be totally sanded, primed, and painted. Its okay for 5106 to look worn and well-used (which it is.) It's not okay for it to look like its falling apart. Worn and cared for is one thing; Falling apart and neglected is another.
Materials on-hand : Sandpaper, white primer, flat white paint, orange paint.
Materials needed : Some more finer sandpaper ($5), additional flat white paint ($10), painters tape ($10.)
Total Cost : $25
Time to complete : 2-3 Days.
4. Finish the re-siding of the plywood parts of the car.
I replaced the plywood on one end of the car a year ago. Fitting everything back together is a bit of a challenge (mostly getting the proper clearance for the door to open/close. A few things need to be tightened up, a new door stop needs to be installed, and some rubber gaskets need to be installed. I might also look at making a prop to keep the plywood up while working on the car.
All materials should be on hand.
Total cost : $0
Time to complete : 1-2 days.
5. Re-install the tail light covers on the ends of the cars.
This was started a year ago, but was never finished, and its been bugging me ever since. All materials are on hand for this job; It just needs a bit of sandblasting and painting for it to be completed.
Also, the last light string in the car needs to be activated; There's a bad bulb in the set somewhere, and it needs to be found. A replacement light socket might be needed, but can be acquired from another direlect snowplow. All the needed lightbulbs are on-hand.
Total Cost : $0
Time to complete : Less Then 1 day.
6. Re-install the air horns/Bells.
There needs to be a signaling system of some sort on each end of the car.
Last year a bell was re-installed on one end of the snowplow, and the air horns were removed, cleaned, and painted. I need some new copper piping and elbows to re-connect the air horn to the air system.
I have a bell assembly for the other end of the car that needs sandblasting and painting, but is complete and almost ready for installation. The other air horn needs to be cleaned, but there might be a lot more air piping that needs to be replaced before it will function again.
Materials Needed : Copper pipe ($20), some pipe elbows ($6ish), Assorted screws/bolts.
Total Cost : $26
Time to Complete : 1 day
And that's it for the summer.
Right now, I don't expect to have the budget to do any more work on the car this summer. Before I continue on the exterior re-painting, I need to have the funding for the primer, paint, sandpaper, and a little extra to deal with any surprises that come up. I will be continually raising funds to keep working, but this is as far as I expect to get this summer. The budget is not the only constraint for this project; There is only one of me, and there will be other museum-wide projects that will come up that could use my help more then 5106 can. I also have other things that I am working on, and I do not want to overextend myself.
The totals for the summer :
$94
10 days of work.
I will be doing the work in the order that its listed here. I would like to have 120% of the budgeted cost per section listed here before I begin any section of this project, just in case there are cost overruns, or I find a hidden surprise (it is a 102-year-old car.) Certain projects that either have no cost, or can be worked on in sections, might be worked on slightly out-of-order (For example, I might do some sanding or priming in the cab while I am waiting for the side doors to dry.) Overall, however, I am trying to be fairly strict about following the priorities/order outlined in this list.
So :
Estimated Cost of $94
+20% Overrun ($18.80) = $112.80
+9% Admin. Fee ($10.16) = $122.96
FUNDRAISING GOAL TO COMPLETE ALL WORK FOR 2009 :
$122.96
STM Fund Creation Letter
This is the draft of the fund creation letter for MTA Type 3 #5106.
This is NOT an official submission, just an easy first post for the blog.
5106 Fund
Purpose : Stabilization and weatherproofing 5106 for future preservation and use at the Seashore Trolley Museum :
> Complete exterior repainting of the carbody to prevent further weather damage and protect the interior contents of the car.
> Patch, caulk, and waterproof the fiberglass roof to weatherproof the car; Apply a final coat of paint to the new trolley boards mounted on the car.
> Repair the broken coupler radius bar, re-mount the coupler, and replace the damaged section of cab floor (#2 end).
> Repair side panel damaged by wing blade accident while in service on the MBTA.
> Repair/rebuild braking cylinders as needed.
> Repaint the interior cab vestibules of the car.
> Install signal bells/repair whistles for safe operation of the car.
> Perform running repairs to the car on an as-needed basis.
>Continue restoration of doors and windows to smooth operable condition.
> No work shall be done on the car that shall hinder its retention as a locomotive or as a snowplow; No repairs will be made to the snow plowing equipment, but no snow plowing equipment shall be removed either.
>Analysis and/or estimate of removal costs for asbestos within the car.
Funding : This project will be funded through :
> Sales of snowplow related merchandise for fundraising purposes.
> Private donations.
> Other creative venues (Possibly a corporate sponsor. . . .)
This is NOT an official submission, just an easy first post for the blog.
5106 Fund
Purpose : Stabilization and weatherproofing 5106 for future preservation and use at the Seashore Trolley Museum :
> Complete exterior repainting of the carbody to prevent further weather damage and protect the interior contents of the car.
> Patch, caulk, and waterproof the fiberglass roof to weatherproof the car; Apply a final coat of paint to the new trolley boards mounted on the car.
> Repair the broken coupler radius bar, re-mount the coupler, and replace the damaged section of cab floor (#2 end).
> Repair side panel damaged by wing blade accident while in service on the MBTA.
> Repair/rebuild braking cylinders as needed.
> Repaint the interior cab vestibules of the car.
> Install signal bells/repair whistles for safe operation of the car.
> Perform running repairs to the car on an as-needed basis.
>Continue restoration of doors and windows to smooth operable condition.
> No work shall be done on the car that shall hinder its retention as a locomotive or as a snowplow; No repairs will be made to the snow plowing equipment, but no snow plowing equipment shall be removed either.
>Analysis and/or estimate of removal costs for asbestos within the car.
Funding : This project will be funded through :
> Sales of snowplow related merchandise for fundraising purposes.
> Private donations.
> Other creative venues (Possibly a corporate sponsor. . . .)
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