Sunday, February 26, 2017

Cleaning Up & Early Spring Maintenance

With temperatures reaching into the upper 60s, Saturday was highly productive.

In the morning, John, Bruce, and Kelly helped with cleaning up and moving cars inside the visitors' center. The caboose is in it's new home, 10 has been untarped after its brief stay outdoors, and 65 is back inside after having spent Winterfest under the train shed. We're excited to relate that visitors will be seeing some new cars in the display hall this season. Which new cars? Well, we're not about to spoil the surprise.

In the afternoon, Kelly introduced Motormen Roger Pierson, Sully Mrowka, and Larry Lunden to car maintenance. The team covered how to oil journal bearings and car motors and how to check a car's compressor to ensure it's in good condition. Larry also got to see the inside of a controller for the first time and learn how they are cleaned and how they could come to be damaged by poor operation of the cars.

By the end of the afternoon, both of 5645's controllers were cleaned, all four motors were oiled, and all eight journal bearings were oiled. 1326 also had its journal bearings oiled, two motors oiled, one controller cleaned, and its compressor checked. The Motormen seemed to have enjoyed themselves while developing a new appreciation for the work the Shop performs in order to keep the cars rolling.

Sully and Roger oil one of 5645's motors

Larry pauses for a break

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