CARS
C&C Business Car #2
This was Mr. Yerrington's private car. It has a long history, but basically it was a narrow gauge vehicle until 1905 when Tonopah RR first standard gauged it
and then in 1907 turned it into an office, then a shed, and finally a garbage can.
The Babcock family acquired it with the intention of restoring it to its original glory. They began in 1998. Although the car was in excellent structural shape some frame work was required which included reinforcing the end sills with steel. It was then placed on its newly renovated trucks.
Then came the roof. The cupola was removed and some arched roof supports were replaced, and both sides of the clerestory were reinforced to correct sagging (the original roof had been cut when the clerestory was added in 1884, leaving the original interior paint and striping hidden under the false roof). New tongue and groove and tin were then applied. With the roof more or less complete, new redwood tongue and groove siding was milled to duplicate the original. New poplar fascia boards were installed after the siding was on.
While removing the old clerestory fascia, 8 original Virginia and Truckee wood shop time cards were found under the trim where they had been used as shims. All were dated between July and August 1884.
Focus was now shifted to rebuilding new end platforms and reinstalling link and pin couplers that were acquired from a junk pile in Keeler. At the same time new windows and baggage doors were also made. Currently end hand railings and 4 new clerestory ventilators are being fabricated.
Although much has been done a great deal of exterior finsh work remains. As much of the original wood as possible has been reused, which necessitates many more hours of sanding and filling than would otherwise be necessary. The cupola is still off the car awaiting rebuilding. The window openings are still in need of framing and the doors are not yet installed. Then they'll deal with the interior.
This is a first class restoration for which the Babcocks deserve a great deal of credit.
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