What's happening @ PTM: M551 out-shopped and Acquisition in March 1984

Port Authority Transit Differential Dump car M551 emerges from the PTM Shop

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January 22 was the date of the big switch-aroo that brought M551 to the Founders building track 11 far rear and moved the Rio open car 1758 to the shop for installation of the 2 GE 247D motors, rebuilt by Artie Ellis and the removal of the other 2 motors. Dave Moffett did the hosteling work using GE 25 tonner 89.

M551 is currently inoperable, hope that changes before we start the Founders’ Barn insulation project, which the board approved on the 22nd. The car has 2 motors that aren’t working and Fred is currently puzzling over it. I was there taking photos because Denny had come to town for the meeting and wanted to discuss the work by the electrician before he arrived to review things with us.

I will be there for the work to get equipment moved for the work and hope that there isn’t a dead car that requires towing. The contractor will be using our scissor lift, hopefully avoiding driving in the grease and oil.

The goal of the work is to mitigate or eliminate wide swings in building temperature that cause heavy condensation with the cars dripping several times a year. This has been amplified since the concrete slab floor was added in 2013 along with the changes to our weather over the past few years. These include temperature swings, lots more rain and humidity in the winter. I will be there for work on the project to represent the museum and to get equipment moved for the work. I hope that inoperable M551 there isn’t a dead car that requires towing. The contractor will be using our scissor lift, hopefully avoiding driving in the grease and oil. After the switching 4004 was moved to the shop. 4004 got a quick once over and was back out yesterday (1/25) and replaced by 4398.

Work in the shop is going in many directions. In between other things Bernie is making a new headlight to replace the badly rusted one from Loco B73. Art R. is training himself to rebuild a variety of air system devices. Art E. of course is rebuilding open car motors and also yesterday the motor support bearings incorrectly machined back in 2008. John H. has been busy helping insulate a controller cover built by Port Authority shop guys in 1989 for line car M210. They signed and dated it but I’m not sure anyone took a photo. Wish I had, John covered it up. On 8042 we are expecting a visit from Keith Bray in February.

I am working on the shop office to make space for vinyl cutting machine. I hope to seal the room up enough to have a clean space (which will be a challenge) to use the machine to make graphics for the cars and other museum uses. I made the SHAKER HEIGHTS lettering and numbers for 94. Below is what it looks like after being cut and then 'weeded'.

Although I already had computer files for the heralds they were the effort of Steve Heister from Northern Ohio Ry Museum. He provided them for a very reasonable price and I thank him profusely…I would have had to get them made by Warren Associates as we did for West Penn 832 and the Laura PTM logos that are on the GE diesel. Dave H. recently reminded us that Loco 89 still needs numbers. Once I get the vinyl cutter going that will be priority.

Finally, at the board meeting Chris G. let me know that help was needed on the play trolley. Tom and John have been working to refurbish the weather damage to the masonite sheathing. I felt strongly that window sills needed to be capped to cover and prevent deterioration there. The PT needs an overall paint job and probably lettering from the vinyl cutter. I think I’ll make stencils and paint them on prevent gizintas (my parents’ term of endearment for us and other kids when we were little … gets into). from picking at the vinyl.

It looks like I finally figured out how to get video to work.