DAY FOUR - WORK SESSION 'F'

[Ted Smith]

Two big events occurred on this, the fourth day of our last work session for a while: the Gramps frameless tank cars, being restored in Antonito, are BACK on their trucks, and once the restoration work is complete, will be once again rolling on home rails. And - the Cumbres Pavilion, overlooking some pretty spectacular scenery behind the snow shed, is now essentially complete. The Friends' team assisting Richard Tower were able to assemble the picnic tables and they are now ready for visitors from the Fiesta Train on Saturday!

We have Parts I and II again to give you some good coverage of all of the activities! Hard to believe that tomorrow is not only "wrap up" but "pack up" for the next few months until May work sessions!

Ted and Linda

Team Leader Chris Trunk clears the area of debris so the crane can move forward to begin lifting the second frameless tank onto its trucks

First frameless tank car has been set on its trucks! Yea!

Crane operator moves cables into position to initiate lifting of tank car

Frameless tank car lifted off the ground - no problem!

The crane operator starts the swing over the trucks

Frameless tank is lowered to check for proper clearance

Frameless tank is lifted - clearance is not correct. Chris Trunk identifies the four spacers needed to be removed for proper clearance

Hardy Cruse cuts the spacer bolts with a torch

Crane company employee gives directions to crane operator as Chris Trunk places bolster pin into position

Both frameless tank cars are back on the rails where they belong; however, there's plenty of work left on both cars!

[Jason Rose]

Amazing!

[Roger Hogan]

Gooood job on the photos Ted.

[John Cole]

All those work sessions in Alder Gulch to work for their surplus trucks are really paying off now. Each of these trucks would have cost the Friends over $25,000 to re-create new, so doing the math you see almost $100 grand in trucks going under these tank cars. Kudos to Dave Grant for telling us about them, and to Ed Lowrance for putting the deal together and being the project leader all three summers there, and all the Friends members who traveled to Alder Gulch for weeks each summer for three years to help them fix up their railroad to work off the trade. Certainly a win-win deal for all parties!

[Ted Smith]

Thanks, John, for giving this some context. You are so right! The Alder Gulch work paid off in so many ways - and it was definitely of mutual benefit!!!
Linda

[Tim Tennant]

John, I have to second Linda's comment on your assessment of what we received for our labor on the Alder Gulch. You can now see the value of our three-year investment in performing work for the Montana Heritage Commission. This is what the end result was intended to be. Thanks.

[John Cole]

When Chris Trunk wrote that article in the Dispatch about the frameless cars years ago, I loved reading it but doubted that we would ever get all the pieces together, and be able to raise the tens of thousands it would take to make them run again. When the Alder Gulch truck deal happened, then it appeared that yes those cars are going to come back to life.

Chris not only did the research for the article, but he agreed to lead the teams every year to put them back together. Chris spent his own time and money to have missing parts fabricated, and even learned how to do hot riveting to install them. On top of that he even went to Alder Gulch to help work off their trade and personally loaded the first five trucks to return to Chama. Now not only do we have the correct trucks for the frameless (Gramps) cars, but we have GENUINE UTLX arch bar trucks that we are putting back under the narrow frame cars so they now have their correct trucks for the first time in a half century. Amazing!

If ever you needed proof of what a dedicated Friends member who stays focused can accomplish for the CATS here it is.