|
Overall, X201 has
faired well since the restoration was “finished”. At some point I had to
draw the line and say the restoration was complete. Now, something harder
than the restoration has begun: maintenance. X201 sees weekly service on
the Calera & Shelby Railroad (C&S) at the Heart of Dixie RR Museum in
Calera, AL. Regular use has led to the typical wear and tear, mainly just
paint damage around the platform, grab irons, coupler area, etc. That is
expected and actually gives the caboose some character as a working
railcar, not just a museum piece. I have also had to replace brake shoes,
air hoses, and air hose restraint cables.
I have been fortunate
to find every single piece of original equipment to furnish the car’s
interior. X201 has an Igloo water bottle stamped “SOU RY”, the original
Westinghouse air gage, and the original Aladdin kerosene lamp. The final
and most recent addition to the caboose interior was the Motorolla Handie-Talkie
portable radio that fits into the special wall bracket. The wall bracket
has been there all along, but has been empty. I have searched the web and
ebay for years trying to locate one until the head of the museum car
department, Jeff Murphree, located one. This radio, also stamped “SOU RY
CO.” was found in a boxcar at the Heart of Dixie museum along with other
long-forgotten-about memorabilia. Thanks to Jeff for locating this piece
and offering it to me for use in the caboose – where it belongs!
Toward the end of the
2008 C&S operating season, I noticed some “cancer” popping up along the
roofline of X201 where the roof panels wrap over and are riveted to the
top of the car body. Further investigation revealed a poor job of
cleaning and priming in that area. Over the winter I began grinding and
sanding the rust down to sound metal and priming. As soon as the weather
cooperates, I will repaint the affected area with top coat and clear
coat.
|
