Skip to main content

 Having completed two projects for the society, (CNJ switchman shanty and CNJ mast signal), I was asked to take on restoration of one of two Franklin mine cars. One is languishing at a local vocational school for the past three years, and the other was stored at a local HVAC yard whose owner is a mining history buff, and has done much for the society in the past. The car is in fairly poor condition, with nearly all the wood sides and ends rotted, along with the wood beam under structure. The steel floor is heavily rusted and rotted, and will have to be replaced as well. 

 The work space is a storage garage belonging to St Leo's Church in Ashley. At my suggestion, our society CEO approached the pastor, and after conferring with our insurer, we had the car moved to the garage, courtesy of a local mechanic with a roll back truck.

 The first work day was devoted to removing the wood sides and ends, which for the most part was fairly simple. I wanted to save as much of the original hardware as possible, so with the assistance of an oxy-acetylene torch, all the existing bolts except for one that snapped were saved. All the bumpers, and the coupling hooks have been removed, as were the carriers for the wheels, which amazingly, still roll as freely a when built. I had a young assistant yesterday who helped with the removal, and our final task for the day was to raise the hopper from the wheels. It is now positioned on 4 metal horses until I can fabricate a suitable stand that will allow a trailer to back under when the hopper is ready for its new home next to the shanty. The two sections when complete, will be married on site.DSCN3576DSCN3591DSCN3577DSCN3583DSCN3603DSCN3582DSCN3809DSCN3810DSCN3811DSCN3816DSCN3817DSCN3831DSCN3832DSCN383627939185_10210960035786798_2059614513_n27848674_10210960035346787_328708984_n27848794_10210960036906826_1983031316_n27848778_10210960035706796_1877123588_n28001048_10210960036746822_2046629113_n27849690_10210960034466765_60111386_n28000971_10210960035186783_1530097203_n27848662_10210960034586768_597024733_n

 

 

Attachments

Images (22)
  • DSCN3576
  • DSCN3591
  • DSCN3577
  • DSCN3583
  • DSCN3603
  • DSCN3582
  • DSCN3809
  • DSCN3810
  • DSCN3811
  • DSCN3816
  • DSCN3817
  • DSCN3831
  • DSCN3832
  • DSCN3836
  • 27939185_10210960035786798_2059614513_n
  • 27848674_10210960035346787_328708984_n
  • 27848794_10210960036906826_1983031316_n
  • 27848778_10210960035706796_1877123588_n
  • 28001048_10210960036746822_2046629113_n
  • 27849690_10210960034466765_60111386_n
  • 28000971_10210960035186783_1530097203_n
  • 27848662_10210960034586768_597024733_n
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Hey, Donny!  Seems like you'll take on any RR restoration project.  Sounds like this one is a worthy cause;  Part of your local history out there.  Wow;  First the restoration of the concrete gateman's or switchman's building.  Now this!  Where do you get the energy?  Good luck on this project and keep us posted as to how it's going.

Paul Fischer

Firewood posted:

Ah, a good old knuckle-skinner job - great project! Are these mine cars and/or shuttle cars from the breaker building itself?

This is a fun project. The cars are from the Franklin Mine, another operation owned by the same company. These were on the Blue Coal site during demo, but I don't think that they were used there.

laz1957 posted:

Hi DON,

  Wow it is a lot o work ahead, indeed.  But with what you accomplished with the Watchman Shandy, I know this will turn out great.  Remember pace yourself.  Maybe ask ANDRE to do a model?  Just a thought.

It's not that difficult of a job,  and the hard work is mostly done. At my age, I am slowing down, definitely some muscle pains after turning all those rusted nuts!

I am thinking of building a model myself. By the time I finish, I'll know it inside and out. 

prrhorseshoecurve posted:

WOW! Looks like a Lot of work Ahead of you! And it Looks like you did a lot of work too! Great Job and good luck with this resto!

Thank you. I am enjoying this project, and it's finally one that is fully mining related. The switchman shanty and mast signal are more RR related, but directly tied to the mining in Ashley, as the CNJ yard shared space with the coal company. 

fisch330 posted:

Hey, Donny!  Seems like you'll take on any RR restoration project.  Sounds like this one is a worthy cause;  Part of your local history out there.  Wow;  First the restoration of the concrete gateman's or switchman's building.  Now this!  Where do you get the energy?  Good luck on this project and keep us posted as to how it's going.

Paul Fischer

The mast signal, which was sandwiched in between the shanty and the mine car, was supposed to be my last project according to Theresa, but she said this is definitely my last for sure! The energy is beginning to wane. Even though I can still do just about everything I did 20 years ago, it takes more time, and causes more aches and pains. 

Here are some photos of the completed car with the first of two pickups of coal. There is a 3/4" plastic sheathing false bottom eight inches from the top.  I covered the sheathing with felt paper to hide the white of the sheathing. There are holes in each end of the false bottom to drain water, and the same in the steel bottom. The car was completed in September, and we are now making arrangements to purchase a steam lokie that hauled these cars from the mine to the breaker. The lokie will go to Youngstown for a rebuild.

 

 

Mine Car with Coal 008Mine Car with Coal 007Mine Car with Coal 006Mine Car with Coal 005Mine Car with Coal 004Mine Car with Coal 003Mine Car with Coal 002Mine Car with Coal 001

Attachments

Images (8)
  • Mine Car with Coal 008
  • Mine Car with Coal 007
  • Mine Car with Coal 006
  • Mine Car with Coal 005
  • Mine Car with Coal 004
  • Mine Car with Coal 003
  • Mine Car with Coal 002
  • Mine Car with Coal 001
geysergazer posted:

A locomotive, even a Porter-size is a much bigger project. Who is doing the boiler work?

Lew

Lew, the lokie is going to the Youngstown Steel museum. They will be doing the lions share of the restoration, and at no cost for labor. We will be responsible for supplying parts and materials. Some of the less involved work will be done locally.

laz1957 posted:

Great job DON!!!  Where did YUZ GUYZ get the Lokie at?  I ran the one at Ashland in the summers of 09-12.  They had two there at the Pioneer Tunnel, one worked the other was sitting in the barn.  Good luck with the Lokie, fun engine.

Thanks George. The lokie is privately owned by Neil Vierson of Vierson Boiler in Grand Rapids MI. Us Guyz are excited to return the #9 home. It served at Wanamie, below Nanticoke, and at the Loomis in Dundee, Hanover TWP. It last ran in 1969.

laz1957 posted:

Great job DON!!!  Where did YUZ GUYZ get the Lokie at?  I ran the one at Ashland in the summers of 09-12.  They had two there at the Pioneer Tunnel, one worked the other was sitting in the barn.  Good luck with the Lokie, fun engine.

        IMG_2619

          IMG_2602

When we visited with our Granddaughter in 2014 it was a great experience with experienced knowledgeable people describing Anthracite mining.

Lew

Attachments

Images (2)
  • IMG_2619
  • IMG_2602
geysergazer posted:
laz1957 posted:

Great job DON!!!  Where did YUZ GUYZ get the Lokie at?  I ran the one at Ashland in the summers of 09-12.  They had two there at the Pioneer Tunnel, one worked the other was sitting in the barn.  Good luck with the Lokie, fun engine.

        IMG_2619

          IMG_2602

When we visited with our Granddaughter in 2014 it was a great experience with experienced knowledgeable people describing Anthracite mining.

Lew

Glad you had a great time there LEW.  Good people there.  I wish I lived closer fore I'd still be there in the summers.  But the drive along with a 12 hour day getting the Lokie up and running and then putting her to bed is tough on the body.  It was fun.

 

DON,

  Good Luck with the Lokie.  I learned a lot with that little engine.  Not that tough to fire up and run.  Had some problems one year with the tubes and they were all replaced.  That was an experience for sure. 

  As a side note on the Lokies from the Pioneer Tunnel.  They were purchased in 1962 from a mining operation in Hazleton, my hometown.  The two Lokies that they purchased were run by my next door neighbors who were brothers.  I didn't know this till I got the job at the Tunnel.  My MOM asked me about the engines and their numbers and she was right that the two engines were ran by the neighbor brothers.  Small world. 

 

 The mine car is now filled. Nate Novak called me this afternoon to make arrangements to deliver the second and final load. Nate is a miner, and has a history of miners in the family. Thank you Nate, the mine car project is now complete! Nate is the young fellow in the photos. My wife Theresa is also featured.Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 001Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 002Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 003Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 004Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 005Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 006Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 007Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 008Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 009Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 010

Attachments

Images (10)
  • Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 001
  • Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 002
  • Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 003
  • Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 004
  • Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 005
  • Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 006
  • Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 007
  • Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 008
  • Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 009
  • Mine Car Coal Load 4 25 2019 010
laz1957 posted:

Great job DON!!!  Where did YUZ GUYZ get the Lokie at?  I ran the one at Ashland in the summers of 09-12.  They had two there at the Pioneer Tunnel, one worked the other was sitting in the barn.  Good luck with the Lokie, fun engine.

Nice work on the mine car restoration.

It's been a long time since I went to the Ashland Pioneer Tunnel. We plan on going there this summer, I should've went more often, I live only 15 mile north of Ashland.  

 

Last edited by Trussman

Add Reply

Post

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×