This seems like something of fairly general interest. A couple of the cars I'm involved with restoring will need replacement of linoleum flooring. One of them originally had the linoleum painted - so the color isn't a big deal - but another car had linoleum with a wood-grain pattern. There don't seem to be any sources of linoleum that make it in any quanitity, and if anyone has an idea of what the best (and most inexpensive) course of action would be I'd like to hear it.

Hmm. This is the second time I thought I'd posted a response only to find that I didn't. This Old House, the television program profiled an engish factory a few years ago that made genuine linoleum for one of their projects. It's one of the few to still make this product. I would suggest contacting WGBH television in Boston to track down that supplier.

wrj494@aol.com

I remember that episode. I believe that the type they used was known as battleship linoleum. Please follow up with your search results.

Tom

I don't know if you will find true Linoleum flooring but...
Congoleum Flooring Products makes a wood grain sheet flooring in their top of the line product....big bucks per square foot I'm sure
Bruce

Congoleum
trainhead@mymail.emcyber.com

As I recall, *Real Linoleum* is available from a manufacturer in Belgium, in either the jute or burlab backed variety. Sorry I don't have a name, but I'll work on it.

> Seems to me I might at one time have seen some linoleum at this really obscure hardware store in St.Louis, Missouri. The place is called Hoods and I believe it's on Natural Bridge road, I think. Anyway, it's not too far from the airport. They have all sorts of flooring and other strange stuff that I've never seen anywhere else and the prices are rock bottom. Don't know if they have a phone, last I looked, they didn't but they do exist.

Ladypardus@cs.com

> I would suggest
> contacting WGBH television in Boston to
> track down that supplier.

"This Old House" puts all its product and service sources online at pbs.org. You should be able to search on "linoleum" and find it.

Also, check out Old House Journal - they publish an annual issue that deals with flooring, and Linoleum usually comes up. Troll through their site (oldhousejournal.com), or leave a query on their message board.

JAC, confirmed old-house lover

When doing a 1937 Canadian National coach about 12 years ago, I found I could still get burlap-backed "battleship" linoleum, in a limited range of colors, from flooring dealers, at a high price. (I believe it was so called because it really was used in battleships, but why navies used something slippery and burnable I don't know.)

But a more likely solution would be to use modern rubber "transit floor." This is the sheet rubber floor used on buses. It is available in many pure or marbelized color combinations that look a lot like the linoleums of the 1930's. It is easier to work with, cheaper, and at least as durable and does not require polishing. Suppliers can be found in the transit trade publications such as Bus Ride or Mass Transit. They also make treaded materials for use on steps, some of which are vaguely similar to the materials used on heavyweight Pullmans. The brighter colors will fade in sunlight.

Aarne Frobom
The Steam Railroading Institute
Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation, Inc.
P. O. Box 665
Owosso, MI 48867-0665

froboma@mdot.state.mi.us

Aarne is right about the transit flooring materials. One supplier is RCA RUBBER in Cleveland, possibly Akron, Ohio? I will track down their information if anyone has trouble finding them.

David Farlow
Whitewater Valley RR

rfarlow@bcaconsultants.com

Heck, John, that show hasn't been worth watching since that yuppie replaced Bob Villa. Surprised you recommend it.

Dave

lathro19@idt.net

Just found an old catalog from Consolidated Floor Matting 1-800-362-1000 who have a line of rubberized mat material with the look of old Pullman lino in a few colors. It can be bought by the running foot in various widths, and cut and fit as necessary. I am not sure if its thickness matches existing flooring material, but it would make a fine new floor.

Dave

lathro19@idt.net

> Heck, John, that show hasn't been worth
> watching since that yuppie replaced Bob
> Villa. Surprised you recommend it.

I didn't mean to recommend the show, Dave - it should be renamed "Tear all the character out of this old house and put in new trendy crap" - but only the detailed list of suppliers.

And as a yuppie (no point in denying it, I guess ;-) RESTORING instead of RENOVATING a century-old Craftsman, they come up with some good suppliers at times. But Old House Journal is still the king.

You gonna be at Gymbeaux's shindig next month?

JAC

I wouldn't want to miss it but we have a largish event close by so I may not be able to attend. I will try to bring the gang from GA for some education and exposure to a mature and sucessful roundhouse / shops museum.

Restoring a real craftsman (bungalow?) and an old Dodge? You can't be a yuppie. Must be some old hippie blood in you somewhere.

Come on by Charlotte sometime and I will point out some very fine Craftsman style homes in some very interesting and diverse neighborhoods, all of which have had some bearing on my past activities round here. I ust can't afford to live in those places anymore, now moving into 1950's suburbia.

Dave



lathro19@idt.net