Car 3001 Winter Update

 A lot has happened in the shop during the Winter to Connecticut Company Car 3001.

To start, all of the cars motors now have new bearings manufactured and attached.

The new bearing on the motor

An example of the new bearing

The shop has also rebuilt the motor field coils and soldered new leads to the coils. 

Newly wired Motor Field Coil

The cars journal boxes have been rewelded and newly fitted shims have been manufactured for them.

Newly Welded Journal Boxes

Shim inserted into the journal box

A shim in process of being created

The motor cases for the car have also been cleaned and the pinion and commutator mounts have been created to be attached to the motor case.

Cleaned Motorcase

Pinion and Commutator mounts to be put on the motor case

Finally, the West end truck of 3001 has been put back into Tram by heating the metal to be bent back into place.

West end truck back into tram

In honor of Montreal Tramways Car 4's 100^th birthday in 2024. the volunteers of the Museum's Operations Department have been working hard to restore it to its former glory. From June, 2020 to date a great deal of exterior work has been done with new paint all around - the railings and pillar were refinished in gold and the sides and posts in cream. The side panel received a new graphic, the first one since the 1980's. The old flooring has been removed and will be replaced in Spring, 2022 and the car will be ready for service by May. Thanks to the volunteers for their hard work and financial support and to the William & Alice Mortensen Foundation for their substantial support of this project.

65's New East End Lumber

 For the past two weeks, Car 65 has been getting a facelift in the shop. The front of car was almost completely disassembled and replaced with all new wood planks on the front of the car giving it a fresh look. While inspecting the inner wall behind the outer planks, some decay on the wiring of the car was found. During the replacement, those wires were replaced to prevent the further decay of the wiring on the car. 

65's new front end

Once this project on 65 is completed, the shop will refocus back onto car 3001 to continue work on the restoration. 

For the Halloween Season, car 5645 has been running almost daily to help break in the new components that were installed during the cars time in the shop. This car has been running without issue since its release back into operations.

During November's off season, the entirety of CTM's property has been decorated with thousands of Christmas Lights. On the mainline, crews have been working very hard to complete track repairs to Hartman's Siding as well as restore the overhead power out to Station 9. Both of these projects have been happily completed and Winterfest of 2021 will be a great show!

81st Anniversary and 5645's return

 Thanks to a huge push from the shop department and all the dedicated volunteers, car 5645 returned to service and debuted on September 4th for CTM's 81st Anniversary. 

On that day all of the running cars in the fleet came out for some public love including Line Car 1, S193, and 303. 

For about 2 years now, 5645's controller has been blocked into the series notches due to a shorting issue within the controller. Now with the car's former extended stay in the shop, John is confident he found the issue with the controller and plans to make the required fix.

303 has been moved out of Northern Barn and currently waits on the shop lead so the car's motors can dry out once again after the wet summer season we've had. It is planned for the interurban to make a few special trips for the Winterfest Season.

If you'd like to see photos of CTM's 81st, check out the museum Facebook page for some of the amazing photos!

5645 Nears Return to Service

 Over the last few weeks, we've gone over the work done to car 5645, and finally that hard work is coming to an end. This week in the shop, the door mechanism on the car was getting some much needed service as well as some cleaning. John also installed a new line switch into the controller of the car. Last Wednesday the car went out on a test run and most of the issues were resolved, with only a few remaining fixes needed. This car will be back in service for the 81st anniversary event on September 4th.

Car 16 returned to service this week and began running in public service with a new pole base roof section.

Car 3001 continues being worked on and specifically over these few weeks, work has focused on the field coils, motor cases, and work on the trucks.

Coming next Saturday is the Connecticut Trolley Museums 81st anniversary. This event has been named "Everything That Moves," and as the title implies, everything that CTM has in operating condition will be running in a trolley parade for the public. Be sure to check out the event on the CTM main page at www.ct-trolley.org

16's New Roof

 This week in the shop, 16 went up for a usual inspection. During this time, John found that the roof of the car was in need of work and possibly even replaced. Car 16 is currently still in the shop being worked on.

Also during this week, 5645 is getting some final touch ups and work done before its return to service by roughly the end of the month. 

Car 1326's paint work is 90% complete with the rest of the work being touch ups on the red paint. Special thanks to Roger P. and his crew for being so dedicated to repainting that car!

In other news this week, for the first time in many months, our two Connecticut Company Cars are finally next to each other in Kelly Barn! These cars really turn some eyes while on display.

Keep an eye out, there are a lot more projects coming soon that you're sure to want to see!

355 Returns to Service

 Last Monday, during the final run of the day it was discovered that car 355 had developed a brake issue. This issue was causing axle 3's brake shoes to drag on the wheel, rendering the car very difficult to move. John attempted to resolve the issue by using 355's hand brake wrench to manually release the handbrake, but was unable to fully release the handbrake. Roger P. from operations then brought the car up to the shop to receive a further inspection. 

Thanks to John's hard work, the car was released into service on Saturday and ran without issue. 

Sully M. and Brian O. bringing 355 down from the shop

At the end of the day on Saturday, 16 was brought into the shop to receive some much needed work on the roof of the car.

Roger P. continues to work on repainting the sides of 1326 and hopes to be done within the next week or so. Most of the remaining paint needed on the car is the red striping down either side of the car. 

A New Paintjob

 Over the weekend, thanks to the help of Operations Manager, Roger Pierson, Car 1326 has been receiving a new paintjob. After receiving the mixed paint from John, Roger, along with Wil, Jayden, David, and John Z. began painting both sides of car 1326. The red lettering was first covered in painters tape and will be redone after all of the yellow coats are completed.

Car 1326 primed and waiting to be painted

Car 1326 after being painted on one side

Once one side of the car was completely painted, it was brought up to the shop where it was discovered a motor lead was broken, causing wheel slip as the car tried to climb the shop lead. John promptly found the issue and replaced the broken motor lead.

Summer 2021 Update

 Hi everyone! First I'd like to apologize for the lack of updates. We at the Shop Blog are definitely now trying harder to update this blog somewhat weekly. Anyways, onto the updates!

After Winterfest of 2020, 5645 went out of service for some major overhaul work. This work mainly consisted of the bearings and trucks. We hope to have 5645 back in service by August. 

All the cars in the operating fleet have had their standard maintenance with cleaning controllers and bearings.

Earlier in the month car 355 experienced a problem where the breaker to the controller would open and so the controller would not operate the car unless reset. The problem part in the breaker was replaced. Once the new part was installed, it was discovered that the locking arm for the breaker arm itself needed to be replaced. After the new locking arms were built, the breaker operated like new.

Car 3001's progress is coming along nicely. The bearings have been completed on the car and John is currently working on the motor cases.

In track news, Camillo has been making amazing progress on the mainline. 6 new ties have been installed at Station 8 and trolley service is now extended past Station 7 out to that point. Hartman's siding is also being renovated to facilitate the easier movement of cars in and out of the Visitor's Center.

November 2020 Update

 A lot has happened at the museum since we last posted. 

As of 11/21/2020 the 4, 355, 836, 16, 1326, and 303 (for special service) have been serviced and are ready for operations.

John continues to work on Line Car 1 and 3001. Line car 1 should have functioning controllers on both ends of the car soon as well as design ideas and prep for the safety platform and diving board system for service in 2021 (Date TBA). 

Minor work continues on 5645 including doors, controllers, and getting the car prepared for overhaul work in 2021.

Dennis Pacelli has been instrumental in assisting John and taking on projects of his own to maintain and keep our fleet in excellent operating order.

303 needed 2 extra days of work to repair, service, and bring the car to operational standards because of Dennis's outstanding effort. 

101 and 18 will also be getting work done in 2021. In 2021 we will continue to rebuild the track and overhead infustructure on the museum property and having good service cars and locomotives at the ready.

Thanks to our new Track Department head Camilo Santiago, a section of North Road Track 2 has been dug out and new ties put underneath it to support the track. 

Camilio replacing a rail on North Road Track 2

We'd also like to extend a huge thank you to Roger Pierson and his crew for their dedication to decorating the inside of the Visitor Center for Winterfest this year!

Replacement Switch Timbers

 Due to last weeks rain, the tar for 303's roof was not all put in place. During the week when the weather is more promising the rest of the coat will be applied to the car. 

Line car 1's controllers continue to get worked on as well as fixing the fuse box inside the car.

The shop will be returning to work very soon on car 3001 once the shop cleanup is completed and some smaller projects are finished.

On Saturday, Camilo and his crew replaced multiple switch timbers within Kelly Yard to improve the trackage going into the barn on tracks 2 and 3.

Kelly 2/3 Switch being dug out

Special thanks this week to Chief Motorman Roger Pierson and his crew for completing the Christmas decorations on cars 355 and 4 in preparation for the Winterfest Season!

Work on 303 Continues

 John found wiring problems with Line Car 1's controllers during the week. We are still looking to have the controllers and handbrakes at the west end working properly by the end of this week. The shop is currently working on plans for the new upper work platform which will be a fixed stationary platform with a diving board system. The shop will also patch up any holes in the roof and winterize the car. 

John replaced the top of 1326's west end brake stand resolving the stiffness completely. Ryan Boucher also replaced the west end pole rope of the car as it was showing signs of wear. 

Work continued on 303 during the week and is showing great progress. Currently the 4 motors of the car are being baked to dry them of moister from the car's extended vacation in Northern Barn. The resistors have been inspected and given a clean bill of health from Dennis. The controller group is currently being inspected. The roof wiring is being replaced and conduit is being reattached on the car. Scraping of pealing paint has begun on the car and touch up paint will be applied. All leaking roof spots are being sealed with tar to re-waterproof the car. 

John putting sealing tar on the roof of 303

The headlights grounding is also going to be fixed. Hopefully this week 303 will be air and line tested. stayed tuned for updates throughout the next several weeks as progress continues.

Once 303 has completed her maintenance and check rides the shop will be moving on to car 101 where she will receive the same heavy servicing that 3030 has undergone. Check back weekly as work continues.

836 Back in Service & A New Project

Car 836 received scheduled service during this week. A few small corrections were made to the car and 836 is back in full service for the fall season. 

John has been working to complete the second controller for Line Car 1 with the help of members from other museums.

Car 303 is currently undergoing a full mechanical and operational maintenance plan that is beginning this week. All repairs to the electrical, roof, and resistors will be completed over the next few weeks. After some searching, all the documentation on the car has been found allowing the shop to have a more comprehensive maintenance plan.

All of the members of the shop have been working hard to get the operating fleet back up and running, with the help from members of our fellow museums. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered their time to help get our fleet back into operation!

1326's Brake Stand Gets Cleaned

 Over the past week, some of the operators who ran car 1326 noticed the west end brake stand becoming stiffer over time. On Saturday, John looked inside the brake stand and saw that dirt and grime has been clogging the brake stand, limiting its ability to move. The cleaning process only takes 10-20 minutes, so the stand will be cleaned out weekly to prevent the brake becoming stiff. 

Inside of 1326's west end brake stand

West end brake stand without the top attached

The shop has also been working on 5645. The bearing problem has been solved, but it has also been discovered that 2 motors are in need of repair. These motors will need to be sent for repairs in late December or early January.

We would like to give another massive thank you to John, our current shop manager for all of the hard work that he and his team have been putting in to keeping the fleet operational. We'd also like to thank Rob, the President of the CTM, Justin, the Operations Manager, and the Operations department for the hours of hard work they have put in to organizing and helping the shop finish projects to keep the cars in working order. Thank you to all!

Moving the Fleet

After a week in the shop for some quick touch ups, Connecticut Company 65 has been returned to the Operations Department for service!

65 departing North Road for a test run

In preparation to move 5645 into the shop for repairs, John and the shop needed to manufacture a new oil block for diesel 1. The old block required special hoses to be ordered if one ever failed. John manufactured the new block to be compatible with any standardized oil hose.

The new oil block (on the right with the hose attached)

169 was also moved up into Northern Barn while the fleet was being shuffled around. This was the first time 169 has seen daylight in over 40 years.

169 waiting to be moved into Northern Barn

5645 was moved into the shop after 169 was moved to complete bearing repairs as well as an annual inspection.

A new air tank has been restored to be put under car 16 within the next year. 

16's new air tank

We'd all like to send out a special thank you to Dennis. Dennis has been extremely helpful during our transition in the shop and has been with us to lend a helping hand. Thanks!

Welcome Back to The Fleet!

 The shop has been busy over the past two weeks and has made some outstanding progress getting some of our normal fleet back into operations. During the previous season in October a ringing sound was heard from one of the motors of car 1326, and was eventually taken out of service to be repaired. The car has finally been repaired and has been put back in service for public runs! Welcome back 1326!

1326 in the yard (photo by Wil Gambardella)

Once 1326 was returned to operations, it was 16's turn to go in for some maintenance. 16 was due for work on the brake and motor systems, both of which have been completed. 16 is now running again on all 4 motors as well as a clean brake system. Welcome back 16!

The next few weeks will be spent preparing the final cars (5645 and 65) for their return to operations. 

Truck Work and Maintenance

 During the week a lot of work was done on 3001. The main focus was on the trucks. One of the trucks for 3001 has been disassembled and the parts are being worked on so the truck can be reassembled.

3001's disassembled truck

With this, the armature's for the trucks are being shipped out to be rebuilt similar to how 1326's armature was.

 

3001's armature's

John also worked on the journal boxes for this truck. Since they have been sitting for so long, there were some holes in them. John welded them shut to keep oil inside of the journals and during future operation.

Welded section of one of the journal boxes

It was discovered that diesel 1 has a small oil leak in one of the oil hoses, and a new hose in on order to replace the one currently inside the locomotive.

Car 4 also saw some work done this week. Wil, Jayden, and Sully put more oil in the journal boxes on Saturday.

Shop Work Continues

To start, we'd like to specially thank Kelly and Galen for all the hard work they have put in over the years to keep the trolley cars rolling! 

During the week, the top of car 4's pole had a minor problem and had to be taken out of service for a short period of time. John quickly replaced the head of 4's pole and got it back into service. 

The new head of 4's pole

There has been continuing progress on 3001, and this week's focus was on the springs and suspension of the car. John has been working on restoring the springs to be able to put back onto the trucks of the car.

3001's temporary west end truck

There has also been an effort to reorganize the shop and prioritize where parts are stored so they are more readily available for use.

Scott removing grease from bearings

 Finally, last week car 836's west end window needed to be replaced. Roger from operations removed the window from the car and had it replaced with Plexiglas. It was reinstalled on Saturday by Roger with the help of Jayden and Sully.

Roger and Jayden installing the new window

Passing the Torch

This post is a week late and for that I apologize. It will also be my last for now. Galen and I have both reached a point where is it best for us to step away from the museum. We leave the shop in John's capable hands and I leave this blog with in the hands of my wonderful crew. I'm sure they'll keep you up to date on goings on in the shop.

With 1326 in the shop for motor repairs, Lou has begun refurbishing the controllers, another needed job.

Lou works on disassembling an arc shoot set from 1326

Scott is helping John out with 3001 by completing final cleaning on the journal boxes.

Scott pauses in his work to say hi

Tad is making great progress on 169. He's gotten much of the front of the clerestory prepped and has started priming work on the sides where accessible.

Clerestory paint work in progress on 169

While it's hard to say goodbye, I know the cars are in very good hands. I can still be reached via the contact gizmo on the sidebar if you need to get a hold of me for whatever reason. All the best. Kelly

Hello, 1326!

1 was released from the shop after Galen completed repairs to the east end tow point. This will allow us to safely tow the car with the diesel if needed. The car returns to Kelly Barn where it remains out of service until further improvements can be made.

We had a week of air system issues with both 16 and 65 being placed out of service. Jeremy came in and assessed 16, tracing its problems to a hole in one of the pipes. Unfortunately, the pipe was inaccessible in Kelly Barn so repairs had to wait a few days until the car could move up to the shop. Galen and Kelly replaced the rotted pipe and returned the car to limited service. 65 has been diagnosed with a rotted out gasket in the main brake cylinder. We've begun soaking bolts in PB Blaster and hope to complete repairs in the next few weeks.

16's old air pipe clearly shows the source of the leak

New air pipe in 16

Mike has added logos to S193 and completed painting the hand rails. Compared to where this car was last year, it has made a complete transformation, all for the better.

1326 was moved back into the shop so we can being repairs to the motors next week. We expect repairs to take about eight weeks if all goes well. 15 was moved in front of the shop to give the Operations Team better access to power so they can continue exterior cosmetic work. 5645 has been moved to storage while it waits its turn for repair.

1326 waits for repairs