News! News!!
Today we unloaded two new (to us) vintage freight cars! Both had been stored at a PATCO Maintenance Facility in Lindenwold, New Jersey. The track there was being rebuilt, and the cars were slated for scrap prior to our being made aware of them. Venezia Enterprises coordinated the move from Lindenwold to Strasburg, in cooperation with Daily Express Inc. (trucking) and R&T Mechanical Inc. (cranes).
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The first is URTX #26671 refrigerator car from 1931.
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The second is PRR #474265 cast steel flat built in 1934 by (I assume) General Steel Castings. Pretty rare in that it is all one piece, including the stake pockets. Looks like they pulled it out of the mold, added trucks, couplers, brakes, grab irons, a deck, and paint and sent it on its way.
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I’m told that the trucks are original to the car, with their odd coil spring combined with leaf spring suspension.
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We completed our work on Silver Dollar City #14’s running gear. It is now in Branson being mated to its new boiler. Here are new light weight pistons for #14. Adding 3/8” plates to each side, held in place with staybolts will complete the pistons.
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In this shot, #14’s main driver is ready for having its tires shrunk on. A new axle and crankpins have already been pressed in.
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Here are new crown brasses for #14, an odd European design.
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Here is #14 flying through the shop of its way to being loaded on the truck.
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New springs came in for FEC #148’s lead truck. Here, they are installed and the truck is complete.
That's the limit for photos on this post. More to follow.