I am looking for reference material to learn how to repair wooden car bodies, any recomendations?

> I am looking for reference material to learn
> how to repair wooden car bodies, any
> recomendations?

Initially, there was a series of articles that appeared in Locomotive & Railway Preservation (RIP) on wood car basics and repair. Check the March-April 1994 issue (No. 46) for a primer on wood car construction. The issues of January-February 1996 (No. 57), March-April 1996 (No. 58), May-June 1996 (No. 59), and July-August 1996 (No. 60) carried a four-part series on wooking in wood by Glenn Guerra, a much sought-after consutant/contractor in the field of wood car restoration. Copies of L&RP can be obtained through a number of sources such as eBay or www.railpub.com (no affiliation).

On a thread that I posted in mid-December looking for consultants on wood car restoration, a number of individuals recommended a reference originally published in the 1890s and available as a reprint through the bookstore at the Orange Empire Railroad Museum in Perris California.

good luck on whatever your project.

sc 'doc' lewis

railpub
utweyesguy@aol.com

Restoring a wooden coach may be one of the biggest can of worms that you may ever open. I do not say that to scare or discourage you but to add a dose of reality. Nearing completion of a coach project that can be best described as "jacking the roof up and rolling a new car underneith" I would reccomend a few things. Talk to somebody that's done it.
If your going to write a grant make sure that you have a good appraisal and description of work to be preformed.
Be prepared to spend money and lots of it. If you are doing frame work just about every timber will be custome order and you will some some tough decisions such as "do I order extras or work with what the mill sends me and how it decides to warp.

Here's the link to the pictures of the coach were restoring at Stuhr Museum.

If you have questions, backchannel me.

Paul

pdalleska@stuhrmuseum.org

> I am looking for reference material to learn
> how to repair wooden car bodies, any
> recomendations?

John White's two-part book "The American Railroad Passenger Car" is mainly a history of the technology of car construction, but it is detailed and well-illustrated, and should give you an idea of what typical carbuilding practice was like, i.e., roughly what to expect it to look like after you get the car siding off.

Not having seen it, I would guess that the L&RP article that was mentioned in the previous response would probably give more technical detail on restoration practice, and L&RP generally did good work, but if you'd like some background first, the John White book is very useful.

You might also try some books on architectural restoration; although there will be some important structural issues in passenger cars that bulding people do not usually address (particularly relating to tension members), there are some things you can learn about, like practices for restoring fine woodwork (interior and exterior), painting, wood joinery, that sort of thing. Some of the more detailed books include information on preserving and resurrecting basket-case victims of things like dry rot, if that's your bag. If I can come up with some good titles, I'll post again.

Hope this helps. Good luck.
David A. Vago

davago61@hotmail.com

I guess I should mention...
A good rule of thumb is to put it back the way you found it, especially with wood cars. That's the easiest way to (1) get it right historically when you have no better documentation, and (2) make it fit and/or work the way it's supposed to. For example, if you do not remember which sashes belong in which windows after you;ve gotten them cleaned and restored, there is a fair chance that they will not all go back the way you want them to. There will be things that you will find that don't belong anyway, but this is where having your historical reference materials (books on carbuilding practice, and drawings and photographs of the car) handy is useful. Using documentary evidence, expert advice, and physical evidence on the car itself of what used to be there (strips of nail holes, paint ghosts, etc.) are all useful for identifying that which is authentic to the car in railroad service, that which was removed before it was retired, and that which was added when the car became a hunting cabin/chicken coop/ice cream stand.

Again, hope this helps, and best wishes. I defer to people at Strasburg, Mid-Continent, and other operations whose expertise is proved by their product for the EXPERT advice.
David A. Vago

davago61@hotmail.com

a number of individuals
> recommended a reference originally published
> in the 1890s and available as a reprint
> through the bookstore at the Orange Empire
> Railroad Museum in Perris California.

The bookstore is not online, but you can contact the store at: 909-943-3020 or write to: PO Box 548, Perris, CA 92572 for more information & ordering. We also offer volume discounts to other museum bookstores.

wyld@sbcglobal.net