Monon Caboose 81532 Update

Update by Les Beckman
July 6, 2024

Photos from Monon caboose 81532 at Hoosier Valley 7/6/24.

Photo 1 shows Monon 81532 after being shot blasted and primed. Note that the plexiglass windows are still in place.

The second photo shows Kevin Norman cutting out a rusted-through section of the car body just above one of the platforms.

Photo 3 shows the rusted out section after Kevin cut it out. Kevin later expanded this to remove more of the rusted steel.

Kaiden Roberts spent the day removing the badly frosted plexiglass windows from their frames. The 4th photo shows Kaiden removing the rubber molding from one of the windows. The vacant frames now need to have the rusted steel removed and then all have to be primed before the new glass windows can be installed.

The 5th shot shows the car with most of the plexiglass windows removed and also, the "slot" above one of the end platforms that Kevin enlarged to remove more of the rusted steel (as mentioned earlier).

There are a number of "problem areas" that still have to be addressed, before the new coat of red paint can be applied.

Monon Caboose 81532 Update

Update by Les Beckman
July 13, 2024

Work on 81532 at Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum 7/13/24.

Photo 1 - Rust around frame of platform window.

Photo 2 - Kaiden Roberts removing rust from side body window.

Photo 3 - Les Beckman removing inside rust from platform window (Todd Flanigan photo).

Photo 4 - Kevin Norman, Monon 81532 project foreman.

Photo 5 - Kevin cuts out additional rust section from body at end platform.

Photo 6 - Kaiden works on inside rust on window frames in cupola.

Monon Caboose 81532 Update

Update by Les Beckman
July 27, 2024

Work on 81532 at Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum 7/27/24

Photos from July 27th at Hoosier Valley:.

Photo 1. Roof damage one end Monon 81532.

Photo 2. Roof damage on end Monon 81532 (opposite side). Other end of 81532 also has some damage. Both ends must be repaired.

Photo 3. Holes must be cut for end ladder to roof (both ends).

Photo 4. Rust around cupola window, later sanded out.

Monon Caboose 81532 Update

Update by Les Beckman
August 3, 2024

Work on 81532 at Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum 8/3/24

Photo 1 - Jeff Vandergrift with cut piece to be welded into missing section on caboose steps.

Photo 2 - Jeff welding on steps.

Photo 3 - Don Phillips is carefully sanding rough spots on the side of 81532 with
project manager Kevin Norman inspecting in the background.

Photo 4. Rust around cupola window, later sanded out. It was decided to remove the rusted sliding
frames and rusted window slides up in the cupola and build new ones in aluminum.

Photo 5 - Frame after removal.

Monon Caboose 81532 Update

Update by Les Beckman
August 12, 2024

Work on 81532 at Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum 8/10/24

Photo 1 - shows Caden Adams working up in the cupola area of the 81532.

Photo 2 - shows the rust up in the cupola area with the center (non-moveable) frame closest to the camera while one of the sliding window frame areas (in the upper left-hand portion of the photo) can be seen. The track for the sliding windows has already been removed.

Photo 3 - shows the rusted through area over one of the platform doors. This area will have to be cut out and a new piece welded in.

Les

The Monon projects continue ongoing at Hoosier Valley!

Much more still to do, but we're getting there!

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