Members and regular visitors may ask “Where did the red caboose go?”. The next group of photos will help answer the question as Illinois Central 9648 undergoes rehabilitation and repainting.
After CTA rapid transit car 4451 was completed there became room in the car barn for our next project so here on May 9th, locomotive L-202 pulled 9648 down the car barn lead. Joseph Hazinski photo
AE&FR #5 then came up behind to couple onto the caboose. Joseph Hazinski photo
Then L-202 uncoupled and headed out of the way onto Track 3 south so #5 could push the caboose into the barn. Joseph Hazinski photo
The caboose is on Track 4, the center track in the barn so work can start on its rehabilitation and total exterior repainting. Joseph Hazinski photo
The Monday crew started needle scaling the exterior, a slow and noisy process. Joseph Hazinski photo
One of the damaged corner panels has been replaced with new sheet metal. Joseph Hazinski photo
May 30th finds Thee on the CA&E rolling scaffold needle scaling the roof edge. Most of the east side has been needle scaled, the first step in paint removal. Joseph Hazinski photo
John is needle scaling on the west side while Joe Caliendo is up on the roof working to remove the metal grate walkways to allow prep work on the roof to proceed. Nuts and bolts, rivets and welds all had to be removed to free up the walkways which will be reinstalled after the final painting is completed. Joseph Hazinski photo
On the east side Thee is heating up the old lettering with a hand torch to make it pliable. Joseph Hazinski photo
Then using a razor scrapper he is able to remove the vinyl letters along with the paint underneath. We have the official lettering diagram so new lettering can be correctly located once painting is completed. Joseph Hazinski photo
Its Sunday June 13th and with AE&FR 304 out to work the Rails To Victory charter a more complete picture of the west side could be taken. Joseph Hazinski photo
While the RTV battles rage on volunteer Joe Caliendo is needle scaling the roof of the cupola a process that took many hours. The noise during this work is intense so hearing protection is required just to be in car barn. Joseph Hazinski photo
In this view the east side is mostly down to bare metal after the use of wire wheels showing the progress as of Sunday June 13th. Joseph Hazinski photo
