Danbury Railway Museum Thread

[Otto Vondrak]

Thank you, Stan! Didnt know about the web updates, they must be where I'm not looking. I know the calendar is kept current but a lot of the roster info is not.

-otto-

[runningwithscalpels]

Do you know if they have their full range of equipment out for display at this time of year, or is some of it stored for the winter? If I get the new camera I was planning on picking up tomorrow, I was thinking about going down there to try it out.

[andre]

Do you know if they have their full range of equipment out for display at this time of year, or is some of it stored for the winter? If I get the new camera I was planning on picking up tomorrow, I was thinking about going down there to try it out.

Its all out there,

Usually the equipment that is open is the RDC, the sperry track inspection car, the New Haven Caboose, CN caboose, MEC 661 Caboose, PRR RPO/Baggage Car, NYC 4069 E9, the reading coaches,
other pieces may be open or require a guide to take you. and never hesitate to ask any of the volunteers while outside in the yard.

there will be some work being done on the washboards this saturday

always of course please stay on the paved pathways and platforms and off the tracks

[Tadman]

Thanks! Just to prove I'm a traction junkie, here's a pic of our "washboards". They're fluted-stainless Sumitomo MUs used on the South Shore. Squint you've got New Haven cars with the orange window band. Here they're pictured in downtown Chicago a few miles south of the terminal.

[andre]

beat me to it tonight...

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hp ... 4710_n.jpg


picture of some of the members working on the washboard project

[andre]

Cleaning out the interior of the washboards is what we are working on at the moment. It is still configured for wire train service

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hp ... 3061_n.jpg


https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hp ... 0554_n.jpg

after the interior is cleaned out totally we can start work on the roof by assessing any rust spots that need to be sanded then weather sealing and painting the roof to prevent any further rust staining on the stainless steel fluting of the body. After the roof work is complete we will begin cleaning and polishing the stainless steel fluting and repairing as needed

(edited to add a couple more links)

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hp ... 2870_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hp ... 0188_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hp ... 1269_n.jpg

[andre]

other danbury railway museum related youtube videos


http://youtu.be/hloTNhZ4FsQ

http://youtu.be/HuHyEtAvAgY

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hp ... 8544_n.jpg

[andre]

This weekend more work has been done on the washboards, removal of items and debris from the interior.

Discovered much of the original floor tiles are still intact and in decent condition

[andre]

but as always, more work will commence this saturday. If anybody is interested in this project or interested in coming down and helping out you are always more then welcome,

PM me for information etc

[andre]

mooooooovvvviiiiiiinnnnngggg on...


This past Saturday a new member was welcomed to the crew of volunteers

purchase of a rare find was approved and finalized a New Haven letter board and a number board (these will be used as a template to restore the exterior graphics and lettering) still too early to decide if they will be used on the cars or put on display

Also some more work progressed on cleaning out the interiors and work began on the exteriors.

So far testing of several different solutions to remove the staining from the stainless steel was tested and we seem to have a winner.

Several spots of graffiti were washed off and electricity ran out to the worksite to provide power for tools, lamps, etc...

Soon we hope to begin work on preparing the roof to be worked on to seal any leaks, clean up the pantographs as well as prepping the surface for priming and painting


also on a different note, these particular cars did serve metro north in wire train service so were thus operated by

*drum roll*.......................... Metro North!!!

[Otto Vondrak]

also on a different note, these particular cars did serve metro north in wire train service so were thus operated by

*drum roll*.......................... Metro North!!!

Well aren't you boxing clever, Andre! I should be drummed right out of the preservation movement for ignoring that very important fact! Lol...

Let's put it this way Andre... Are you guys restoring the washboards to the way they looked when they ran on the Wire Train for Metro-North? No, I didn't think so. You're attemepting to restore them to their as-delivered appearance for the New Haven...

You guys are doing good work at DRM for sure. You really want some Metro-North equipment? You guys should got after an m-2 bar car before they all get cut up for scrap when the new M-8s arrive.

[Otto Vondrak]

Here's an undated photo of New Haven washboards sailing through the old Columbus Avenue station in Mount Vernon. The concrete supports for the old NYW&B viaduct and station can be seen at left. I don't know who the photographer is, unfortunately.

[andre]

Great photo Otto,

Iv been doing alot of searching online for photos of the washboards Front Ends while in service to be as historically accurate as possible

However i think the picture there is a very rare catch, look at the windows you will see that they are actually a bit larger then the standard washboard cars, i think this might be one of the Parlor Cars

[Tadman]

That is a great pic, too bad there's no video of these to be found. If you look hard, you can find video on Youtube of most old MU fleets.

[ExCon90]

Great photo Otto,

Iv been doing alot of searching online for photos of the washboards Front Ends while in service to be as historically accurate as possible

However i think the picture there is a very rare catch, look at the windows you will see that they are actually a bit larger then the standard washboard cars, i think this might be one of the Parlor Cars

There's certainly something different about the windows, but I never knew about any such differences. What were the "parlor cars"? Were they a special order for the commuter clubs that existed at the time? What were the interiors like?