Thursday, April 15, 2010

IT RUNS!


Dave Johnston reports: Yesterday afternoon SN 1005 was switched out of the shop in order to turn it around so the coupler can be installed at the rear of the car. The car was moved off shop track 2 and placed under trolley wire by diesel locomotive VE 502. Then the pole on 1005 was placed on the wire and the dynamotor compressors pumped the car up. With a small group of shop staff on board, the 1005 made two trips down the tail track and around the loop under its own power. With the exception of a sticky whistle valve, the car operated flawlessly. This is the first operation of the 1005 in over ten years.

The brake system has been converted back to the M 24 A and M2 B brake valves, which operated much better that the system it had since its Key System days. Work still needing to be done includes seat upholstery, upper sash, final paint, rear coupler, and lots of details.