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 Post subject: Re: SSW #1 "Dixie"
PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2021 12:08 am 

Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 11:59 am
Posts: 52
Location: San Antonio, Texas
I must apologize for not keeping up with the post on here. It’s been a busy year and a half for us.

Anyhoo, the Dixie and the MKT 402 “Mallard” were indeed transported by the UP from East Yard to Alamo Junction Rail Park where we have already started working on the Dixie. All of the graffiti has been painted over with a new coat of primer. This is only a temporary fix till we can get into the rebuilding of the car. The platform end was heavily damaged by a run away cut of loaded scrap gons several years ago. The entire platform was shoved into a berm at the end of the track the cars were stored in. The steps were folded up under the car and against the trucks. After discussing this incident with the UP, they sent the car department out to pull the steps out and away from the trucks. This was more than we were expecting. In all honesty we figured they’d just cut the steps off and toss what’s left on the platform for us to deal with later. They did a remarkable job pulling the steps out! It isn’t perfect, but at least we can work on straightening them further in the future.
Another “customization” the gons did was shove the HEP connections back and a 65 degree angle and bust off the train line mounting bracket, bending the train. Much of this will have to be outright replaced. The mounting plates for the HEP might be able to be heated and straightened, but the sockets are all damaged beyond use. The train line air line can be reused, but the angle cock handle was ripped off and needs to be replaced. We will be welding the train line bracket back up to the frame in a couple weeks when we start the heavier work.
Now as for the MKT 402. It needs a huge amount of work! With how the remediation crew cut open the sides of the car to access the asbestos liner and horse hair insulation, they weren’t expecting the car to be saved, so they didn’t care how they went about doing it. Fortunately we have several welders in our group, myself included, and we have come up with a plan to reattach all the cut out pieces and weld them back into place. Only after we clean out and coat the interior area with Rust Bullet to prevent any further deterioration of the side sill and outer wall. Compared to the Alamo 127, the MKT 402 has much better sides. Looking inward to the interior, the MKT 402 is a mess. There’s a ton of trash from when the work crew removed all the wood that was over the windows. All that debris has been left inside. The biggest unfortunate thing is, we had vandals come through the car and strip out all the brass pieces they could. We missing all of the berth sconce lights, the brass decorative screen for the hutch, some of the brass door knobs, it’s just tragic.

So what’s our immediate plans? To start with, for both cars, cover the windows! We need to keep any further rain water intrusion out! On the Dixie, we have all the aluminum frame windows that were removed by the abatement crew. Since there wasn’t asbestos in the car, they didn’t cut into it. Now we will begin reinstalling the windows as we repair them, but we temporary install plywood in all the windows until then. As for the MKT 402, we will be tack welding steel plates over the openings on the outside and use silicone caulk to fill in along the inside to keep the water out.

Well, I could go on, but I think I’ve been long winded on here. If y’all have any more questions, please contact me and I will gladly answer them.

Gary R
SA, TX


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 Post subject: Re: SSW #1 "Dixie"
PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2021 12:12 am 

Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 11:59 am
Posts: 52
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Here are a couple pics of the Dixie as of today (01/28/21).


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C3E471E4-4AC9-43B0-99B2-7D29A323C651.jpeg
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645EEFBC-0649-4111-8FC5-406AA131CF93.jpeg
645EEFBC-0649-4111-8FC5-406AA131CF93.jpeg [ 341.85 KiB | Viewed 1221 times ]
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 Post subject: Re: SSW #1 "Dixie"
PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2021 6:49 pm 

Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2018 3:51 pm
Posts: 442
Location: Ipswich, Mass., Phoenix, AZ
"Vandals" is too polite, they're thieves, probably in search of drug money.
Good luck with the cars, I'm sure once you're finished they will be beautiful.
Ned


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