Can anyone point to a source for woven canvas? Our chapter/museum is getting ready to restore ET&WNC Motorcar #2 and we need to replace the torn & rotten original on the roof.

Thanks in advance,

Matt Bumgarner

Matt, I don't know if it's "woven," but you can get canvas drop cloths at a paint or hardware store.

If that doesn't meet your specs, check with Bill Kepner of the Friends of the C&TS. He put a canvas roof on a D&RGW caboose in 2001:

http://drgw0579.home.comcast.net/2001work.html

Hi Matt:

Another good source of info on restorations, where to find esoteric "stuff" like roofing canvas, etc., is the Association of Railway Museum's "parts committee." The parts committee is comprised of the key restoration and maintenance individuals in many of the ARM member museums and associations. The people in the parts group's e-mail adddress list generally are the ones in their respective museum who are very experienced in restoration and maintenance of all types of railway vehicles, from streetcars to railroad coaches.

If you are not familiar with ARM and the parts committee, then I would recommend that you visit the ARM website: www.railwaymuseums.org I would further recommend that you send your enquiry to Rod Fishburn, the moderator of the ARM parts group. He'll be happy to forward it to the approximately 50 people who are on the group e-mail list. Rod's e-mail address is: rodfishburn@earthlink.net

Good luck with your project.

The pity is canvas was almost universally available as cheap seconds in NC before the textile industry was driven offshore. Oh, well.......

I have been getting cotton duck or heavy canvas suitable for roofing cars at Coastal Sail in Savannah, GA. They have been a convenient source for me, but there is probably a marine supply or upholstery supply outlet somewhere closer to you. I used to get decent fabrics in small quantities at Mary Jo's in Gastonia, but that was a couple decades ago in my previous career, don't even know if it is in business any more.

Any reason you aren't using seamless rubber roofing?

dave

We have had success with purchasing #8 cotton duck from a sailing supply company in Annapolis MD. I recall that #10 was traditionally used for trolleys, but that grade is no longer available. It was necesary to buy a large bolt of the fabric to get the width we needed.

Wesley

Matt,

Did some poking around and found this site for #10 cotton duck, they have widiths up to 12 feet.

http://www.textilesforyou.com/number10.html

I know #10 cotton duck was used on at least two cars at Branford Trolley Msuem(now Shoreline). My father purchased a large amount back in the 70's when he was Supt. of Equipment there. Hope this helps.

Steve Loitsch
Seashore Trolley Museum

Good link, Steve. As explained in the link the lower the number, the heavier the canvas. At IRM we have been using number 8 duck for many of the roofs, with good success. I suppose the lighter number 10 might be needed for a roof contour that involved a lot of curvature and stretching.

ARM is also a good resource as there is a certain learning curve in using canvas for roofing, soaking it, washing out sizing, stretching, tacking, and the canvas paint itself. On particularly difficult contours it can help to dampen the canvas when you have stretched it as far as you dare, and then shrink it down by drying with a hot home fabric iron. I am sure they have given seminars on it at previous meets and some of this may have been written up and documented.

Bob Kutella