[PRCo] [Fwd: Weakly Report 8/2/04]

[James B. Holland]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Weakly Report 8/2/04
Date: 	Mon, 02 Aug 2004 16:58:40 -0400
From: 	CuZinBruce
To: 	PaTM Shop News



Weakly Report
August 2 2004

So...here I am on a Monday morning, sitting at the local muffler repair 
place waiting for them to get to my truck. Last week in a double stroke 
of really good luck the truck developed a leak in the radiator which 
pretty much drained it and a small hole in the muffler that wasn't too 
loud until last night when we came home from the museum around eleven.

Well the weekend at the trolley farm shop was rather productive. The 
focus of the fun was the new empty space between the pit track and what 
used to be track 6, the area I refer to on my webpage as "skid row". 
Sarah, Laura and I arrived around noon and the work was kicking into 
high gear with Dave Hamley, Jack Sutherland, Justin Skrbin, Bernie 
Orient, Dan Bower and Bob Powischill working around the area. Dan and 
Bob were busy lining up ties and sighting up the rail on the remaining 
track, Bernie was contemplating the installation of air and waste water 
plumbing and the rest of the guys were eyeing up the parts of 4398 that 
needed to be moved to allow paving of one form or another.

The girls and I helped move the 4398 stuff. It all had to be tucked back 
into the corner where M1 used to sit. We also had to sort out what was 
4398 stuff and what was not, sometimes it was hard to tell or remember. 
One of the things we sorted out was the collection of Harmony route 
bracket arms that have been stored in that corner for some time. There 
was also a large collection of Pittsburgh PCC car metalwork that had 
landed there after 1711 was acquired as well as a steel exit door, 
several ceiling fans, a selection of railroad signal stuff a steel 
cabinet and some junk Edison cells. The job lasted all afternoon but the 
drizzly weather made that OK with everyone involved. The results of the 
day's work has a big pile of small metal ready for our scrap man 
"Pumpkin". Laura spent the balance of the day helping out in the store 
while Sarah and I hauled some items to the east site and took time out 
to visit the Chateau construction site to sort the wood so that the 
stuff we need first is on top of the pile...what a concept!

Up in front of the building (where the streetcars can go in and out) 
Alberto Almarza and Larry Lovejoy dug a ditch across the old track 5 
door and installed a piece of drain pipe to intercept the runoff that 
has come through the ground for years and made a big wet spot in the 
area next to the pit. They told my girls that it was important to go to 
school so that you could have the freedom to decide to dig ditches on 
the weekend as volunteers instead of doing otherwise. A valuable lesson 
for all young women. Once the pipe was installed Dan fired up the Euclid 
loader and brought in a couple loads of crushed stone to fill the ditch 
and some of the low spot.

Meanwhile out along the line Dan, Bob and Bryant Schmude were picking up 
ties and placing them into the latest dumpster that Scott got donated by 
the local landfill. The first dumpster was filled to overflowing last 
week with ties, tarp scraps and general cullch that collected under the 
cars stored in the shop over the years.

During the week the SEPTA bucket truck was taken by our friends from the 
Fair and the rebuilt auger motor was installed. On Friday Out along the 
now (largely) empty County Home passing siding Scott Davis and his crew 
(Bill Comley, Jeff King, Jim Crouch & Grandson) cleared trees from 
around the line poles in anticipation of replacing the motley collection 
of poles found there. This will also unify their appearance for 
historical accuracy! Several of the poles go back to the Pittsburgh 
Railways days. A couple of weeks ago Dave Crow and Art Schwartz worked 
their way down that track replacing the cross spans some of which were 
as old as the pole to which they were attached.

In the shop Tony Desensi worked away on 4398 while the rest of us sorted 
its parts. Everything that comes off the car needs some level of 
sandblasting and that's what Tony was doing. While work continues to 
focus on the small parts we did get my contractor Rick Engel to pick up 
the new rolled end sill that had been produced by Russell Rolls Co. on 
the North Side in Pittsburgh. With that part on hand a large pile of 
large pieces can be sent off to the mega sandblaster at Millcraft 
Industries. This includes the new side sills and when they are returned 
and primed will be ready for installation, at which time the car will 
begin to take shape from its current skeletal condition.

On the pit Red Arrow 66 is getting a once over from Bernie while RG2 has 
been brought in for a check up by Dave Hamley following its splendid 
performance during the Big Move. Down at the east site we took delivery 
on a scissors lift that Dave found at a used equipment dealer in West 
Mifflin. The lift will be a great help in the sanding, painting and 
cleaning of the cars as we get the building's displays presentable as 
well as the replacement of light bulbs. The lift was picked up by 
Charlie Fife who was assisted by Jeff King and got some valuable CDL 
practice/stick-time. After delivery Jeff provided several test rides to 
give us all a chance to see what it'll do. Look for a photo of the car 
rooftops from Scott Becker in an upcoming issue of Trolley Fare.

That is about IT. It's been a couple of hours since I first arrived here 
at the muffler shop. The problem is that needing work on a vehicle at 
the end of the month with all the people who put off their state 
inspection to or past the last minute is yet another strike against the 
luck department. OH Well! Hope youns day is more productive than mine. 
Keep smilin', stay safe, and as always...questions are welcome.

Photos to be uploaded by tomorrow. http://cuzinbrucie@mac.com

CuZinBruce