Line Department

From Rail & Wire Issue 68, June 1971

Work on the overhead saw steady progress. The wire itself went up quickly but several finishing touches remained. A frog has to be installed where the leg joins the station track and tensioning and pulloff must also be completed. Pulloffs are being readied, reports Randy Anderson, but several new poles must be installed to permit span wires where the legs of the wye meet. The wire also will be extended later farther south on the lead to the steam yard to permit lengthy equipment turnings on the new installation.

Help was scarce on the line car as replacement of one side got underway so Randy did much of the work himself. Not only was the exterior tongue and groove wood completely replaced but about 80 per cent of the sub siding was also replaced. All new wood was used in the repair work.

The motorman's windowsill was replaced, and new wood sashed for the 57-year-old car are being prepared. The new windowsill and the sashes are products of the museum members' woodshop work program which takes place each Tuesday evening in Mount Prospect. Randy is readying plans to rebuild the east end of the car next when time, materials, and museum needs allow.

Progress on the trolley bus line construction is steady but deceptive, according to Glen Andersen, who is handling most of the work with help from Glenn Johnson and a few others. Progress on the trackless line seemed to advance suddenly during July as new span wires and curve segments went up, a pole was relocated, and a couple bracket arms were set in place. Anderson reports that work towards America's first museum trolley bus line continues all the time; pieces are being made up on the ground and saved until enough are ready to justify taking out the line trucks to install them. More time is spent readying span wires and hangers on the ground than it takes to hang them, Glenn says, but the impact on what is being accomplished doesn't register until they're in the air.

Support spans for the bus wye on the access road (Central Ave.) near the parking lot are now in place, as are major curve segments at the turn of the route near the southwest corner of the museum's property between Yard #1 and the new steam yard. One of the new curves there is a piece of ex-Cincinnati hardware rebuilt to a 24" width from the unique, nonstandard 20" width which Cincinnati used. When completed, the trolley bus line will probably operate with exCleveland Transit Pullman coach #874, which is also ex-Providence, R. I.; exWorcester, Mass., and ex- Johnstown, Pa. In addition, this much-traveled trackless also saw fantrip service on CTA wires which means that the completed loop at Union will be the sixth set of wires on which the coach will have operated. The 874 is thought to be in the best mechanical shape to be easily readied for service when the time comes.