From The Headlight September – October 2014
Central Pacific 29
More Truck Assembly Work
By Mike Manson
With the exceptions of the pedestals, wheel sets and associated hardware, the truck frames are assembled. A spring plank has been fitted to each truck frame. Each plank end is supported by a pair of hangers and a thick rod. Sitting on top of the plank will be two sets of triplet elliptic springs, one set at each end. These in turn support a solid oak beam 8 inches high, 11 1/2 inches wide and 67 inches in length, known as a truck bolster. In the center of the upper face of the bolster will be the truck center plate. It will support the body center plate when the truck is positioned beneath CP 29.
As the Restoration Team members were drilling the King Pin mounting hole through one of the bolsters, they discovered a two-inch-thick layer of rotten wood. The vendor, Channel Lumber Company, of Richmond, CA, quickly provided a replacement bolster at no charge. In April the Society submitted a matching-funds grant application to the National Railway Historical Society for $5,000, to help fund the creation of a set of patterns for the Master Car Builder 1873 Standard Pedestal, and cast eight pedestals for CP 29. We were informed in June our application was denied due to funding limitations. Although the lack of funding this year is disappointing, the NRHS did donate funds to help move CP 29 to Petaluma and help pay for the oak beams we used to make the new truck frames. A two-stage grant application was sent in early August to the Union Pacific Foundation (UPF), requesting $5,000 for the pedestal pattern and eight castings. We will be notified in February of next year if our application is successful.
We may receive a grant for part of the costs, but we cannot count on that good fortune. As mentioned before, we are financing the creation of a pattern and the casting of the eight pedestals with our “Buy a Pound of Pedestal” campaign. Over $1600 has been raised so far – Thank you, donors! But more donations are needed to see our project through to completion. Your generous donation of $10 will cover the prorated cost of the patterns, steel, sales tax, energy and labor needed to cast one pound of a pedestal for CP 29 and bring it to the De Carli Trolley Museum. Please send a donation today so the Society can continue the restoration of this historic car.
