Rutland
Beyond the
Rails
This 1988 Carstens Classic documents the first 25 years of railroading after the demise of Vermont’s famed Rutland Railway!
In January 2013 the caboose had loose paint and rust cleaned off the body and exterior parts like window screens removed. The windows have been plugged with plywood so the car can be heated during the winter to keep volunteers comfortable while they work. The museum plans to have the body sandblasted and primed by the end of the summer.
armed with paint stripper and scrapers helped remove layers of paint from the wood- en surfaces inside. All the paint would have to be removed so that the wood could be checked for signs of rot and other damage. This was slow, tedious work, but a necessary step. Thanks to a generous donation from the nearby Central New York Chapter NRHS, the museum was the recipient of parts from a similar Lehigh Valley caboose they were not able to save. Pioneer Millworks, a local company specializing in salvaged and re- claimed hardwoods, arranged to donate sur- plus heart pine that can be used for interior woodwork repairs. As many projects are on- going at the museum at any given time, ex- tra care is taken to document and catalog parts and materials so they can be easily found as work progresses. With volunteers being drawn away to help operate trains during the regular season, plus several special events (including a rare- mileage trip over neighbor Livonia, Avon & Lakeville), work slowed a bit during the summer and fall. Now with fewer distrac- tions, the volunteers are looking forward to completing major tasks this winter. But how to keep this restoration from also turning in- to a years-long project with no end in sight? “One of the ways we keep from getting overwhelmed is to set some clear bench- marks,” said Nugent. “The good news is we’re nearly done with the ‘taking it apart’ phase.” With the interior fixtures removed and the wooden panels inspected, work can begin on the exterior metal repairs. “A lot of moisture built up between the walls over the years, and the insulation held it in there like a sponge.” Most of the metal damage can be found around the sill, where the sides are bulging out slightly. “You can see where the Lehigh Valley performed the same kind of repair,” Joe says, gesturing to a long welded seam along a patch on the sill. “We’re going to replace a bit more than that, to make sure we won’t have the same problem again a few years down the road.” With the volunteer crew steadily working on the interior, they plan to sandblast and prime the exterior this summer. There are
some stumbling blocks: “We have the tools, though we could really use someone skilled in welding to help us with the metal re- pairs.” Another important detail that will need to be addressed before the caboose is put back in service is the steps. They’re missing. “The previous owner removed the steps from the caboose while the body was stored on his property.” Joe explained how new steps will be designed and fabricated so visitors can easily enter and exit the car. Once the caboose is sandblasted and
primed, she’ll be ready for paint. “We can put on the final finish coat while we’re still working on the interior,” Joe says, “But we don’t want to wait too long between primer and finish or else we’ll have to do that prep work all over again.” Joe feels that goal is in sight for this summer, but it also hinges on donations for work to continue. “We’re going to need to raise a few thousand dollars to put a quality finish on that caboose, and we can’t start the work until we have the cash in hand.” The museum hopes to make up the deficit through a series of fundraisers and grant applications. “We’ve had great support for the project so far, as we’d like to keep that momentum going.” Given the increasing popularity of the train rides operated in con- junction with partner New York Museum of Transportation, the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum would like to have the extra capacity of another caboose. “We’re really excited to pair it up with our Lehigh Valley 211,” a rare high-hood Alco RS-3 re- built by Conrail in 1979 with an EMD prime mover. The historic locomotive was acquired by museum members in 1986 and restored to LV colors in 1990. As museums around the country tighten their belts, the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum looks forward to steady progress on many projects for years to come, thanks to careful project management. Though it is partially disassembled and many surfaces are still covered in rust, if you stand on the end platform of LV 95100, you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. For more information,
www.rgvrrm.org.
please visit
Now operated under the Vermont Rail System banner, you’ll see the early operations of the Vermont Railway, Clarendon & Pittford, and the Green Mountain Railroad! From the marble quarry pits to piggyback trailers, from steam excursions to heavy freight!
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Carstens PUBLICATIONS, INC. 15
JOE NUGENT
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