Monon DS-50 Restoration Work Update 2-17-2024

Update by Les Beckman
February 2, 2024

After above average temperatures each day this month, Old Man Winter made an unwelcome reappearance.
Temps were in the teens in the morning and never got above 22 degrees in the afternoon.
It was sunny all day but the brisk wind was not welcome and the Wood stove in the West Annex of the
Shop kept things comfortable.

Kevin Kennedy started early on cleaning the old paint off of the replacement cab for Monon diesel # DS-50. More later.

Despite the temp and cold wind, I went down to where Monon caboose 81532 was sitting for an initial look to
see what will eventually have to be done to the caboose so that it can be used in train service later this year.

One obvious thing is leaking windows.

On the interior, there is some peeling paint, an example is seen here, and rust in a number of places.
But the floor looks great though.

The two shots show what appears to be an oil furnace and its corner fuel tank.

A number of things to be addressed for sure.

Back in the Shop, Kevin "fried" the Grinder, wire wheeling the old paint off of the forementioned
replacement cab. So he and I went up to the hardware store in town and got a new Grinder. Here is Kevin .

Here is Kevin using the new tool on the cab.

I grabbed a replacement grinder and did a bit to help him and I think the guys were
so surprised that I was actually working, that they took a photo of me doing so!

Have a great week everyone. Our quick cold snap is not supposed to last and we are
expected to see temps rise up into the mid-50's later in the week. Hope they are right.

Monon Restoration Work Update 3-9-2024

Update by Les Beckman
March 9, 2024

A few shots from work at HVRM today. There was training for the operational train crews today, so the number of "grunts" were few.

First photo shows Kevin Kennedy applying primer paint to the one side of the replacement cab for Monon SW1 diesel number DS-50. Kevin gave this side a second coat in the afternoon. He and Jason Jordan also took the old paint off another section of the replacement cab and Kevin got an initial coat of primer on that section too.

Hoosier Valley member Kevin Norman has been working on the interior of Monon caboose # 81532. He got the floor washed and the second photo shows the results of his work. Kevin talked about getting the interior lights working in the 81532 and has a plan for accomplishing that. We also discussed the interior paint which currently is a rather dark gray. We don't believe that this is the original interior color of the caboose, and need to find out how the interior was originally painted.

Some of the steel ladder rungs to the caboose roof were apparently cut off in the past, probably during one of the MRHTS restoration projects. I wanted to get those rungs put back on. The rivets on some of the rungs were still in place, and the 3rd shot shows HVRM member Steve Newland using the museums drill press to remove one those rivets. After Steve had finished, I then cut the remainder of the rivet heads off along with some additional unneeded metal and then bolted the missing rungs (two on each roof ladder) back in place.

One of the ladders with the rungs restored, can be seen in the 4th photo.

Monon Restoration Work Update 3-23-2024

Update by Les Beckman
March 23, 2024

Cold day with temps in the mid-30's at best.

Monon caboose 81532. We have gotten two quotes from companies to blast the old paint off of the caboose and then spray paint the car. Another quote may be forthcoming. After this is finished, then the old plexiglass windows will be removed and new glass windows made and installed. A representative from a glass company looked over the 81532 on Saturday 3/23/24.

The first photo shows window measurements be taken.

The second shot shows the numbers marked on the windows denoting the various sizes and numbers (there are 24 total windows on the 81532). Note how the plexiglass had become "clouded" making viewing to the outside, extremely poor.

After the rep from the glass company departed, I went into Hoosier Valley's shop building and found a shop vac and hauled it over to the caboose and lifted it up into the cupola area (3rd photo). I then vacuumed out some of the loose rust and flaked paint chips. I also confirmed that 3 of the 4 cupola windows are still operable but that the other window could not be budged.

I also found a large, rusted area behind one of the cupola seats (4th photo), which will have to be addressed.

Monon Restoration Work Update 3-30-2024

Update by Les Beckman
March 30, 2024

Greetings!

The tables and chairs that were in the lounge area of Monon business car number 2 ("Lynne") when it was in French Lick have been replaced by new lounge chairs.

The first photo shows these new chairs looking toward the car's rear platform.

The second photo shows these new chairs looking toward the forward (mirrored) end of the lounge section. Kyle Flanigan of HVRM has spearheaded this replacement program.

On caboose #81532, the close up photo (shot number 3), shows the poor condition of the side of the car. This will necessitate eventual sand blasting and then new primer and paint.

One section of the roof walk of the 81532 was not bolted in place as can be seen in the 4th photo. I climbed up the shaky ladder of the 81532 three different times during the day and eventually bolted that section down to form an "even" roof walk. Getting too long in the tooth to be doing these "acrobatics"!

Les

The Monon projects continue ongoing at Hoosier Valley!

Much more still to do, but we're getting there!

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