WELCOME!
YOU ARE AT THE OFFICIAL SITE TO FOLLOW THE RESTORATION OF LIMA CITY STREET RAILWAY MOTORMAN'S COMPARTMENT FOR CAR NUMBER 60
When completed, the restored motorman's compartment will be on display in the new exhibit hall of the Allen County Historical Society at Lima, Ohio
This single truck Birney Safety Car plied the streets of Lima, Ohio from 1923 to 1939. It was sold for scrap and ended its days in a barn yard near Findlay, Ohio. The Allen County Historical Society salvaged the motorman's compartment and placed it in long-term storage, where it has been since 1962. In 2010 it will go into a new exhibit hall under construction at the Allen County Historical Society.
The two photos below are artists renderings depicting the finished restoration.
This is the car as it sat in long-term storage prior to the start of restoration December 2009.
Below is the bulkhead with the car number visible.
This is the motorman's compartment as it was backed As paint scraping began the last paint scheme was revealed
into the shop on December 23. Note the extra bracing. The white stripe is actually silver leaf.
Here's the headlight as layers of paint were removed. The manufacturer's plate was uncovered.
The headlight was removed to undergo restoration and rewiring.
The headlight is off, as is the Trolley Catcher frame.
While things are coming off, they are undergoing a thorough dismantling, removal of all paint, and loose reassembly in
preparation for painting. On the left is the Trolley Catcher as removed from the car. On the right is the same item after
being dismantled and cleaned of all paint. It is in operational condition.
This is the headlight frame showing three stages of restoration. On the left is the frame as it was received. It has to be hand stripped to get it down to bare metal,
as seen in the middle images. On the right is the frame with three coats of gray primer. The glass is ready to go back in, the original was a heat glass called Pyrex.
The new glass is a similar product called Borofloat.
Here's the inside of the car with two panels removed to show the center and right panel and car framing.
The mice had nested here but did not damage the framework. The sheet metal is primered with a red-oxide.
The headlight was still in place in this photo.
Most everything is presently gone from the front of the car. The sign holder frame was taken off the first week of January. The lower skirt sheet metal
comes off this week. Next to be replaced will be the rotted left front corner post and then the floor will be replaced. The new floor will be red oak.
Window sashes are in the shop being readied for glass.
Here's the brake stand (LEFT) and the controller/reverser (RIGHT) that will go into
the restored motorman's compartment. They are restored and presently in storage at Lima.
Here's the underside of the car looking forward towards the coupler pocket. Some structural components were removed when the
car was sold for scrap. The car is sitting on a temporary plywood platform visible on the bottom of the photo.
Here's the front framing of the car less sheet metal. One of the horizontal nailers was broken. It was replaced with a piece of white oak.
Here's a larger view of the front of the car with the sheet metal removed. A post had rotted at the sill, a new splice was milled and set in.
Wire brushing of the frame has also begun with the end sill in primer brown.
A lot of progress was made in early February. The three fender skirt nailers were replaced on the front sill. Above then three new floor stiffeners
were cut and installed. The window sills were trial fit ad flooring was readied for installation.
The bumper skirt is trial fit as things start to go back together on the car.
VISIT THE COMPLIMENT SITE TO SEE PHOTOS OF MOVING OF SHAY 10 INTO THE DISPLAY HALL WHERE THE MOTORMAN'S COMPARTMENT WILL ALSO RESIDE CLICK HERE
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