East Troy Railroad Museum is Restoring NS Car 761 and SS Car 6

[saguaro]

The East Troy Railroad Museum has made it official: they are working to restore North Shore Car 761 and South Shore Car 6 to operating status. A Charity.GoFundMe site has been set up to help raise funds for the restorations: charity.gofundme.com/ss-car-6-and-ns-car-761-restoration

The museum acquired Car #761 in 2001 and started initial work in 2007 to restore the car. Efforts stopped when volunteers discovered structural deterioration on the north end of the car. When a qualified welder joined the volunteer team in East Troy, the Board agreed that it was time to restart the restoration work.

 

In addition to the structural work, Car #761 needs body work, needs to be repainted inside and out, needs new flooring, needs the seats reupholstered, needs the electrical system cleaned, repaired and tested, needs the brake lines reinstalled to both control stands, needs new doors and new glass installed on the south end of the car, and needs the stairways reinstalled on both ends. The car was built in 1930 and ran on the North Shore Line between Milwaukee and the Loop in Chicago until 1963.

 

Car #6 needs to have its wheels and trucks refurbished, needs two traction motors rebuilt, needs its seats reupholstered, needs new flooring, some rewiring, and much cosmetic work to restore its appearance. The pantographs above the car must be removed and replaced by trolley poles, so the car can run on the East Troy Railway. A new canvas roof will also be installed. The car was built in 1926 and ran from Chicago to South Bend Indiana on the South Shore Line.

 

Work is already underway and significant progress is being made.