Upcoming Work Sessions on Electroliner/Liberty Liner 803-804, NJT #10, and Recent Work Report

Dear Volunteers and Friends:

There will be several upcoming work sessions focused on Electroliner/Liberty Liner #803-804 and other projects.  Schedule of upcoming work sessions is as follows:

• Saturday, January 25:
• Electrical work on replacement resistor grids under outbound (804A1 end) of Liner
• Prepare NJT #10 for truck swap (to include jacking of car if necessary)
• Complete repairs to Backup Controller in NJT #10
• Continued interior work on Liner (loose paint removal is completed; general cleanup and removal of some items to storage)

• Monday, January 27
• Swap trucks under NJT #10

• Monday, February 3
• Finish electrical work on Liner.
• Pre-test maintenance work

• Saturday, February 8
• Finish pre-test maintenance work
• Test-run train(?)

Here are the tasks remaining on NJT #10:
- Truck swap
- Complete backup controller repairs
- Remove trolley pole and pole base loaned and installed by RTY for testing purposes
- Prepare car for shipment

Here are the tasks remaining on the Liner before it can return to service:
- Complete repairs to wiring for new resistor grids
- Make new battery terminals, install 3 new 12V batteries
- Inspect MG, clean commutator and brushholders as required
- Inspect outbound motors (under 804A1 and 804C sections); clean brushholders as required
- Check oil level in compressors under center of train and inbound end (803A section)
- Grease brake slides (next to brake pistons on each truck)
- Lubricate roller bearings on axles
- Remove loose stored items from interior (doors, etc).

Our recent membership survey and general membership meeting identified a need to help potential volunteers identify tasks that they can assist with (vice the "just show up and we'll find you something to do" approach).  To support our new approach, here are some specific areas where help is needed:

- electrical helper (cut and crimp wires, wrap insulation, carry tools, inspect commutators and brushes)
- maintenance helper (check oil levels, grease moving parts, etc.)
- general laborer (help carry car jacks and tools for NJT #10, assist with pole removal, help carry items out of Liner that don't belong there)
- car cleaner

Special skills aren't needed - we'll team you up with someone and help train you!

Finally, the upcoming work on the Liner would not be possible had it not been for a dedicated crew last weekend that braved the cold and snow to finish the mounting of the new resistor grids under the outbound (804A1end) - a major accomplishment.

Henry Long led the efforts last weekend.  He was assisted by Lance Myers, Nevin Byers, Tyler McGaw, Nicholas Brightbill, and Stephen Lane. 

To conclude, it is appropriate to post some photos from the RTY Collection of the Liner being worked on...50 years ago.

This scene was recreated by our volunteers 50 years later.

An Electroliner/Liberty Liner with a Bullet Car - could only be at 72nd Street Shops or the Rockhill Trolley Museum

Inside the motor shop area at 72nd street

A Liberty Liner with Plow #10.  Fifty years later both reside at the Rockhill Trolley Museum

 

 

My thanks and compliments to our donors, friends, and especially our volunteers whose tireless efforts make everything we do possible!

 







An Electroliner/Liberty Liner Comes Back To Life One Step at a Time

Dear Volunteers, Friends, and Visitors:

I am pleased to report that Rockhill Trolley Museum continues to make progress on getting the Electroliner/Liberty Liner 803-804 closer to operating status again.  A crew of volunteers displayed a high level of commitment and volunteer dedication by braving the winter cold last Saturday, January 4, to move this project (and others) forward. 

While the train is kept indoors, the building is not heated.  But work continued and considerable progress was made.

Sufficient help was available to enable work to continue both on the replacement of the resistor grids at the 804A1 end of the train (outbound on the museum's demonstration railway) as well as a general interior cleanup to make the train more pleasant to riders. 

Underneath, Nicholas Brightbill, Budd Blair, Stephen Lane, and Matt Nawn devised a method to raise the new grids into position under the train so that new mounting holes could be marked and drilled.  After a few layouts were proposed, it was found that the grids could be hung using the existing framework, which saves considerable hours that would have been needed if new framework was constructed.  The previous arrangement used 4 grid banks; the new arrangement uses three (with elements sized accordingly to provided the same levels of electrical resistance). 

Thus, by lunchtime (12:02PM to be exact), the first of the three new grid boxes was mounted in place.  By the end of the work session, the second set was laid out and all holes drilled making it ready for installation at the next session. 

The first of the new grid boxes are mounted.

 

The work underneath the train was by no means all that got accomplished, however.  Since last fall, Fred Wagner (who traveled from Rochester, NY to volunteer at this work session) has been patiently and methodically cleaning the train of all of all loose paint chips starting at the cab in the 803A (inbound) end of the train.  He continued his work this past Saturday, with Lisa Maloy assisting him as they completed the A section and worked through the B (tavern lounge) section as well.  This is dirty and tedious work but the results are impressive.  

 

Fred's dedication has a personal connection.  In his youth, he saw the trains on the day of their return to operation by the Red Arrow Lines.  Many other volunteers have a personal connection to these trains as well, myself included.  My father rode the train on the North Shore and my brother rode them in Upper Darby as we grew up a few blocks from the 72nd Street Shops where they were maintained.  There are many other volunteers with similar connections, and others who do not but simply have the dedication and desire to see it operate again.  Together, teamwork gets the mission accomplished.

 

Frank Shoop took a break from facilities projects to check on the work crew during the afternoon and offered some helpful suggestions with the difficult mounting of the second grid set. 

 

Much work remains but the train continues to get closer to operating status once again.  It will be 50 years since the Red Arrow Lines put the trains into operation on January 26.  The train will likely not be ready for operation by then, however, it might not be long after that when the world can once again ride an operating Electroliner/Liberty Liner at special events and on special occasions.  We're optimistic we can make this happen soon, barring any new unforeseen issues.

 

The work crew pauses for a photo.  From left to right: Stephen Lane, Fred Wagner, Nicholas Brightbill, Matt Nawn, Lisa Maloy, Budd Blair.  Frank Shoop took the photo.

 

More work sessions are planned for the next month; including at least a few weekday sessions.  Announcements will be posted here as well as via the RTY Maintenance Volunteer email list.

 

In the foreground is a "Strafford" car, #402, and a Liner; all types vehicles preserved and brought back to life by the volunteers of the Rockhill Trolley Museum.

 

Thank you to all volunteers, supporters, friends, and visitors who make things like this possible!

 

- Matt Nawn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



2013 Maintenance Department End of Year Wrap Up

Dear Volunteers, Friends and Visitors:

Thanks again to the dedicated help of our volunteers, Rockhill Trolley Museum Maintenance Department ended 2013 successfully.  Here is a summary of work accomplished from mid-October through December:

October 19, 2013 Work Session

Matt Nawn and Joel Salomon completed removal of the old resistor grids from under the 804A1 end of Liberty Liner Independence Hall.

 

November 16, 2013 Work Session

 

Volunteers Budd Blair, Fred Wagner, Nicholas Brightbill, Rick Hoffmeister, Joel Salomon, and Matt Nawn worked through the day (and into the evening) ensuring our cars were well prepared for the winter Operations events.  A summary of work completed is as follows:

 

• Serviced both controllers on JTC #355
• Serviced "deadman" foot pedals on JTC #355
• Serviced inbound brake value on JTC #355
• Inspected/topped off bearing oil levels on JTC #355
• Serviced governors cars 355, 163, 1875, 172, and 249
• Installed fuses and turned on heat in P&W #205
• Tested feel of brake valves car 1875; no lubrication needed at this time
• Inspected/topped off bearing oil levels on York #163
• Inspected shoes/carbon inserts cars 355, 163, 1875, 172, 249, 205

Thanks to everyone who helped get so much done this day!

 

It takes hard work to keep York #163 running in 2013, just like it did in the 1930s

 

December 7, 2013 Work Session

Afternoon patronage at the museum's annual Santa Trolley Event slowed down enough to enable several volunteers to be relieved of Operations duties and work on other projects.  Thus, Budd Blair, Joel Salomon, George Rich, and Matt Nawn went to work on the following projects:

 



• NJ Transit #10 was made ready for truck removal and eventual shipment to its new owner.  Crews hostled equipment in between revenue cars to get #10 over the pit, disconnect all motor leads, actuator wiring, and track brake wiring, along with the kingpin covers, so it can be lifted off its trucks in 2014. 
• All brake linkages on STCP #249 were lubricated and exercised after sluggish brake shoe release was reported and observed
• A frozen air system on STCP #172 was dealt with

 

Once again, thanks to the volunteers who make all this possible!

 

Work completed for the day, NJT #10 sits under the lights on December 7, 2013

 

 

 



 



Pre-Winter Car Maintenance Day - November 16, 2013

Dear Volunteers, Friends, and Interested Parties:

As a reminder, the annual Pre-Winter Car Maintenance Day is tomorrow, November 16.  The weather looks excellent for mid-November!

This is a very important annual work session as this is our final opportunity to ensure our cars are ready for heavy operation in cold weather during the Polar Bear Express and Santa's Trolley events.  Thankfully, we have kept up with maintenance throughout the year due to our dedicated volunteers, but this last "push" is very important.

All skill sets are welcome and useful; especially new volunteers (or volunteers new to electric trolley car maintenance).

Priorities for tomorrow are as follows:

1. Service both controllers on JTC #355
2. Service "deadman" foot pedals on JTC #355
3. Service inbound brake value on JTC #355
4. Inspect bearing oil levels and add 1 pack of gear tack to each gearbox on JTC #355
5. Service governors cars 355, 163, 1875, 172, and 249
6. Service heater knife switches in cars 355 and 163
7. Install fuses and turn on heat in P&W #205
8. Lubricate brake valve bodies car 163
9. Test feel of brake valves car 1875, lubricate as needed
10. Check oil levels cars 163, 172, 249
11. Inspect shoes all cars

While this is a long list, we typically are able to get this much work done during this event.

Your help is appreciated!

- Matt Nawn

Upcoming October-November Maintenance Department Work Sessions (All skills levels needed)

Rockhill Trolley Museum Maintenance Department is scheduling work sessions for the following dates for the following projects:

Saturday, October 19

 

With most of the regular service fleet in operation this date for the annual Pumpkin Patch Trolley, the following is planned for equipment that will not be in operation on this date:

 

- SEPTA PCC #2743:  Troubleshooting and repairs to the low voltage charging system.  

 

- Liberty Liner Independence Hall: Removal of existing resistor grids and start layout of new grids under A1 section

 

All skills levels are welcome and needed.  Along with the electrical work, further interior work is planned on #2743 and the Liner could really use a good vacuuming from end to end, especially the operator's cabs.  While not glamorous tasks, these are important and make conditions for our visitors and our work and operating crews a little more tolerable.

 

 

Saturday, October 26

Saturday, November 16

 

Tasks for these dates are as follows:

 

- Winterization of the operating fleet, to include governor servicing, and turn on of car heat

- Controller work and lubrication of inbound brake valve on JTC #355

- Further electrical work on Liberty Liner Independence Hall.

 

The Liner work will likely take place on October 26 and the winterization work on November 16.  Work on JTC #355 will take place depending upon the car's availability (October 26 is still a regular operating date).

 

I look forward to seeing you in Rockhill Furnace!

 

- Matt Nawn

 



 





The Liberty Liner and Summary of Work Session from weekend of October 11-13

 

This past weekend, October 11-13, was a very busy one at the Rockhill Trolley Museum.  Besides the variety of trolleys running for the annual Fall Spectacular, much project and maintenance work was completed as well.

Here is a quick summary of the work completed:

Johnstown Traction Company #311:
- Jim Cohen spent Friday and Saturday night with paint removal in some areas, as well as needle scaling the door step areas with Joel Salomon.  Carl Salomon assisted Friday night with the roof cleats.  David Brightbill continues to make steady progress on wood refinishing.  The new floor is about 80% installed thanks to the talents of contractor Keith Bray.

 

It's hard not to be impressed with the quality and comprehensiveness of work being performed on the museum's first trolley car.

 

Frank looks over the new floor as it is installed.

 

Miscellaneous Car Maintenance:



 

 - These are the often out of sight tasks that never end and for which volunteers just don't get enough credit for. Among other projects, Budd Blair and Fred Walter checked the pole tension on Car #163 after the inbound end pole was replaced the previous weekend.  Thanks to Charlie Wootton, Ron Rabena, Courtney Brown, and Nicholas Brightbill for getting the pole replaced the week before.

 

Liberty Liner Independence Hall:

 

- As mentioned in a previous post earlier this year, new resistor grids for the Liberty Liner have been obtained to replace those under the car which are in poor condition and have finally failed, rendering the train inoperable.  On Sunday, Henry Long and Matt Nawn started the process to replace the grids under the A1 (outbound) end of the train.

 

Before going much further, let's explain how the train is configured:

 

(outbound) A1 section - C section - B section - A section (inbound)

 

The C is the all coach center section, B is the bar section, and the end coach sections are A1 and A.  Interestingly, the outbound and inbound configuration at the museum is the same when the train was operated on the Red Arrow Lines.

 

The work was done underneath the train on the ground in Carbarn #2.  Each wire was traced, marked according to the schematic, and disconnected from the resistor banks.  By the end of the day, all wires had been disconnected from the A1 end resistors and marked, a concept for mounting the new resistors was developed, and some general assessment work on the train's electrical and air systems was done.  Next step is to remove the resistor banks themselves. 

 

Helping Henry and Matt with this work were Joel Salomon who helped get the Liner in position, Nevin Byers who helped get some lighting set up and Andrew Nawn, who yelled wire numbers from the schematic to his dad so his dad didn't have to constantly crawl out from under the train. 

 

No date has yet been announced for when the train will be operable again.  Watch this column and the museum news messages for further details!

 

The existing grids have been disconnected and are ready for removal.

Andrew Nawn makes a Halloween-like appearance with the uneven lighting in the back of Carbarn #2

 

My thanks and compliments to all volunteers who make these things possible.

 

- Matt Nawn

 

Wrap Up of August 24 Work Session; Next Session is September 7

Dear Volunteers and Friends:

Our last work session on August 24 was a productive one, with both planned and unplanned work making progress.

Of our two time critical projects, the repacking of all 16 axle and motor bearings on the trucks for JTC #311 was completed.  This enables the car to be retrucked at the next work session on Saturday, September 7. 

More progress was made on NJT #10, but work remains.  Additional work sessions will be scheduled soon as this project needs to reach completion. 

NJT #10 got off to a delayed start thanks to some unplanned work.  The Carbarn #1 sump pump operation was intermittent, and remained so after the pit was mostly pumped out.  Thus, after a "dive" into the pit (actually, it was more like a fishing expedition in filthy water), the pump was removed, partially disassembled, and the malfunctioning float switch cleaned and tested.  A thick plastic bag was also intermittently getting sucked into the discharge pipe.  This was removed as well.  A check valve was added to the discharge line, and after reassembly, the pit dried out and stayed dry in a manner unseen for some time.  Hopefully this will make the conditions in which our volunteers work in a little more inviting.

Retriever rope on the outbound end of car #172 was replaced as well.

Helping with the projects of this day were Budd Blair, Rick Hoffmeister, Jerry Evans, Courtney Brown, and the Nawns (Matt, Matty, Andrew, and Megan).  Nevin Byers and Nicholas Brightbill helped with hostling #10. 

Next Work Session is Saturday, September 7

Our next work session is Saturday, September 7.  Goal for the day is to place JTC #311 on its rebuilt trucks, and possibly remount the air compressor as well.  If interested in helping with this session, please contact Joel Salomon (jdstrolley@ptd.net) as he will be leading this session.

Seems hard to believe it has been more than 5 years since we detrucked the car.

 

When completed, #311 will be greatly improved mechanically, electrically, structurally, and cosmetically.

 

Thank you for your support of Rockhill Trolley Museum!

 

- Matt Nawn