Stuff and Stuff... Thanks for the kind words, guys. I'll definately keep you up to speed as things progress. I'm not sure if we can solicit funds here, but the address for the Preston Historical Society is... Preston Historical Society PO Box 138 Preston, MN 55965 Mention that you saw the posting here on trainboard.com and that you were referred by the current Vice President, Erik. If the moderatorship would like me to remove said information, please let me know and I will do so.
Boxcar stuff. Boxcab, Glad to know it passes muster. By the way, I'm also a fan of those MILW heavy electrics. Good to see there are a few "sparkies" out here. Triplex, I neglected to answer your question in my previous posting... I'm not sure when the car was removed from active service, but when we obtained the car from the Iowa, Chicago & Eastern, it was being used as a storage shed for the MOW Department to store welding equipment. I'm still researching the history of the car, so that's about all I can tell you for now, other than it was built in December of 1939 and was part of the first batch of ribbed-sided, steel boxcars that were home-built at the Milwaukee's shops in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I'll keep you guys up to date as things progress (mostly welding/patching right now) and will give you more history of our boxcar and caboose as my research continues.
ak-MILW By the way, Andy, I just did an online map search... Camp Douglas is about 42 miles away from Grand Marsh, which is where our caboose is located. I'll be sure to let you know when we're going to move the caboose, as you'll have a front row seat to witness it!
Grand Marsh. Andy, It's back in the pines, everything was trucked in, everything is trucked out. Don't ask me how to get there, I forget the way... it's kind of a Shangra-La of sorts.
Sounds like an interesting little project... Maybe you'll earn your Milw Sherlock Holmes merit badge? Boxcab E50
Andy, Like I said, it's back in the sticks. And I wouldn't do too much poking around. The guy who has the yard is a nice guy, pleasent do do business with... but, he doesn't appreciate people showing up unexpectedly. Anyway... Got an update on the work, which will be the next posting...
Tried doing this the other night, but my photo editing software wasn't cooperating. Here's a look at the welding work that has been performed on the boxcar this past week... More ribs have been repaired. One of the original patches removed and awaiting replacement. The rust hole by the door track has been patched.
A minor rust hole on the A-end of the car has been taken care of... As has the big rust spots on the B-end of the car. So, most of the big rust spots have been addressed and only a few minor spots on the roof and sides remain. Things are rolling fairly quickly now and we should have the car in paint and graphics fairly soon. We hope to have the car done and placed next to the elevator by late September. More updates to follow.
Wow! You guy's are good!! On most boxcars, they have the black square box that has the lube, rebuilt, etc. in it. Are you guy's gonna' do that, and have it say, RBLT 8-08?:teeth: Can't wait to see this baby done, on the trucks!!
Sorry for the silence, guys. I've been busy with a few projects and have had a few personal issues to work through. Welding was completed a couple weeks ago, I have a few pictures of that I'm going to post here shortly. The car has been re-sandblasted and painted. Today, the car was moved from the work site to its location at the elevator. Again, pictures will follow...
Welded Bliss... The Ladders replaced on the B-end of the car and a view of some of the patches along the roofline. A closer look at the newly fabricated and original portions of the ladder married to one another on the B-end of the car. Welding work completed and ready for paint!
On the Road Again... The Minnowa crane and boxcar at the work site. The trucks sit at the elevator site, awaiting the arrival of the boxcar. One of the trucks had to be rotated 180 degrees before the car could be placed upon them. Progress... IN REVERSE!!!! The boxcar is backed toward its spot at the elevator site.
To Everything, Turn, Turn, Turn... Here we go again... Goin' for another spin... Moving the trucks into postion... Like a glove!!!!
Minnowa Construction of Harmony, MN... our crane contractor. (These are the same guys who, along with Scheevel & Sons Construction, helped unload the boxcar here in town.) The boxcar sitting next to the elevator... a sight not seen in Preston in about 32 years! (The last Milwaukee Road train rolled out of town on October 29, 1976 when the Preston - Caledonia branch of the Iowa & Southern Minnesota Division was abandoned.)
