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September 4, 2017

4 days to go!!

It’s now just 4 days to go until Rail Days 2017 and this weekend we had 2 good work sessions at the shop to get things ready.? We’ll still be out there a few more times this week to finish off some things, but everything is starting to look great.

Saturday was a big cleaning day mostly, with some painting being done on 46 as 6 members were out, Wayne G, Jim, Nolan, Mike, Ken & Ken. Monday however was much busier. Ken, Wayne G & JT worked in the office, cleaning, painting, and organizing things for the weekend. Need to make rooom for 3 more small layouts and a few vendor tables. Elsewhere in the shop, Wayne M cleaned, primed, and painted our ex-CNR steam locomotive rerailers, and they will be on display from now on. After that he started working on the TH&B gondola, masking off and getting a basecoat on the TH&B logo on the one side. Hope to have that done by the weekend.

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Wayne M cleaning the rerailers.

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Primed and ready for paint.

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All painted for display.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Masking the TH&B logo.

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Base coat on the logo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ken and Glen worked on 46. Stencils were cut and the striping was masked off and painted. It was a very long project, but it turned out fairly well.? It’s not perfect, but it really doesn’t make a big difference in her appearance.

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Glen masking the cab stripe.

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Engineman’s side.

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Fireman’s side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to everyone who came out to work this weekend.? We’ve been making some great progress the last 2 months, and it’s really starting to show. Really pleased with the amount of work on HEPC 46, she’ll be looking good for the night photo shoot during Rail Days.

August 4, 2017

The gondola has arrived!!

On July 21st, the Niagara Railway Museum successfully moved the last Toronto Hamilton & Buffalo gondola to the shop. It brought to end a very difficult time trying to preserve and move this car.? But after a year and a half, the car is now safe inside and the cosmetic restoration will begin. The car was unfortunately tagged with graffiti while in storage, but that has since been painted over. The 2676 is in relatively good condition. There are no holes in the body, and the sides are fairly straight. The car will receive a proper coat of black paint and have its lettering applied after that.? There is no time frame for this work, it will be done as time permits.

The Museum extends its thanks to Marcel Bill and Steve at Martech Rail Services in Welland for storing the car since the start of the year, Parkway Towing for moving one of the wheelsets from Martech to the Museum, and OWS Railway Contracting for handling the actual move of the car. The unloading didn’t go completely as planned, but Dan and Clayton from Attar Metals came down and saved the day with their help in unloading the gonola. They are the best neighbours we could ask for.

Thanks also to members of the TH&BHS (Lance Brown & James Gamble), for helping negotiate with CP to save this car. And finally, to our many donors who gave funds to assist with the movement of the car to the site, and also with the restoration.

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Pulling the car onto the float.

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Loaded up at Martech, ready to head to the Museum.

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Backing into the north track at the shop for unloading.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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First night in its new home.

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Painting over the graffiti.

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A couple of hours and the graffiti is gone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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