We are in discussions with the folks at RadioShack concerning the donation of one of the Tandy Center Subway Cars. These are PCC based cars and if we received one, it would not be able to operate for about 3-5 years until the track and overhead are completed. Does anyone have any suggestions how to mothball a PCC to keep it as close as possible to running condition. The obvious things I can think of would be to remove the batteries, maybe apply a heavy lube to the contactors (do they still make cosmoline?) and maybe throw some large packets of dessicant into the motors? The car will be indoors, but not in a climate controlled building. Ideally, the car would have a ramp so that visitors could walk through the car, so I'm not talking about coccooning it in tarps.

Thanks in advance.

Andy Nold
North Texas Hist. Transportation Inc.

tnold@bigfoot.com

There are some light greases and metal preservers which come in spray cans which may do some good. If I were you I would take the opportunity to do some periodic application of automotive products to the rubber and vinyl components - by the time it goes out on the road again, they will have regained a lot of their resilience.

Keep some lube in the lube and if you can arrange to roll it a couple feet now and again it will be a lot less stiff.

Just having it inside will do a lot of good.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

See if Dave agrees ? If there is an air system, add some air brake/anti-corrosion liquid to the system. I have been using this on unused and seldomly used equipment for the last 10 years ... you might not be worried about freezeup but the anti-corrosion part works also.



lamontdc@adelphia.net

Dessicant in the motor and closed up, But check if it is O.K. aft a given time.

Vaseline(R) on everything electric expect the insulation and the commutator.

When you go to remove the Vaseline(R) you don't have remove form the tip of the contact post and you don't have remove fuse and clean them.



owenpaulsen@att.net