      
 THE RESTORATION
May 30, 2007 After a long delay, renovation on the Coffee Creek will continue this summer under new ownership. The original livery of the Milwaukee Road will be adopted. The internal bedroom configuration remains under consideration. One option is two luxury bedrooms with a 10x10 galley on the B end leveraging the port hole windows. The other option is to retain as much of the original configuration as possible with the galley adjacent to the lounge. The new owner who wishes to remain anonymous, is committed to the absolute highest standard of restoration without regard to schedule or financial constraint. This author will remain involved as an advisor. Future updates will be posted as works resumes. March 15, 2005 We have decided to repaint the Coffee Creek during the summer to the original plan of maroon and silver gray. During this time we will paint the vestibule and remaining unpainted portions of the car. The vestibule assembly has progressed nicely. The upper and lower Dutch doors and the retractable steps are installed, aligned and operational. The stainless diamond plate is on site and will soon be plasma cut and installed on the floor.
The custom fabrication of the new replacement rear shroud is complete and has been installed on the car. This process was extremely labor intensive and the result is a work of art. [additional photos]
Focus is now the interior bedroom hardware for the beds, doors and partitions. Most of the upper berths are finally fully operational. We are also completing any remaining bedroom wiring to the terminal boxes in preparation of the new main electrical panel. We will use the Allen Bradley industrial controller on site but the panel design has yet to be finalized. December 13, 2004 For those who regularly monitor the Coffee Creek progress and have asked about the current status, I apologize for the delay with this update. After returning from the fabulous 2 1/2 week AAPRCO National Parks rail sojourn in Montana, my wife and I relocated after 22 years from NH to FL. It was every bit as arduous as anticipated.
We are now focusing once again on the vestibule. The second set of retractable steps are being assembled. We are ordering 1/4'' stainless diamond plate for the finish surface. In the past year pricing for stainless diamond plate has increased 300% due to strong global demand. A template has been fabricated which will allow a single sheet to be plasma cut into five sections and ensure a proper fit and diamond pattern alignment. We are in active discussions with Power Systems Plus, Forest Grove, OR for providing a new 55KW Generator, Control panel & installation. We are also considering the viability of them completing many of the remaining electrical requirements. Power Systems has become the preferred supplier to the American Orient ExpressTM and provides 24/7 emergency service support anywhere in North America. We concluded that a second generator was not necessary and decided to sell the barely used 30KW Onan to a short line. This decision affords the new generator the same basic under car mounting footprint location which eases wiring and minimizes noise potential to the bedrooms. It also results in additional under car storage.
June 29, 2004 During the last several months the Coffee Creek has been preparing for its new livery of maroon, silver gray and a dash of orange. Arduous preparation is essential to ensure a like new end result. The exterior has under gone extensive, welding, grinding, sanding & buffing. We targeted early July for painting to optimize the temperature and humidity in Fargo ND. PP&G's newest commercial epoxy "Delfeet Evolution" paint & primer used at Disney and in harsh transportation environments was chosen. We are also considering a finish coat of Polyurethane Enamel which adds durability but is difficult to touch up seamlessly. Under current ownership the car now has around 10,000 renovation labor hours accumulated. Patience is a virtue with this undertaking. Perhaps the finish line is finally on the long horizon but the electrical locker, HEP, windows, kitchen and more custom fabrication lies ahead first.
March 18, 2004 Last week the new 10 ton Moran Air Conditioner arrived on site. It is designed to be easily mounted on the original Frigidaire mounting brackets. Unfortunately a previous owner torched off half the brackets so a new mounting scheme had to be devised & welded under the car. The design and packaging of the unit is very impressive. The compressor is a Carlisle and the fan shroud is designed to increase CFM by 22% over the copper coil condenser. It is isolated from the frame by 4 liquid mounting grommets. New thermal expansion valves are expected this week to facilitate the conversion from R12 to R22 refrigerant.
January 8, 2004
July 9, 2003 On June 26th we lifted the CC into the air from four embedded jack pads. Once clear, we gently rolled the shop trucks out from under the car. We then lubricated the center plate bowls of the truck bolsters with Ronex (Shell water extracting grease) and gently rolled the completely rebuilt Nystrom trucks under the car. We knew we would have to roll them back out later for shimming once the car is weighed, but this was an important milestone. Now freed, the shop trucks became available for future spare parts. Then for the first time in years, sunlight, blue sky and clouds lit up the Skytop as we rode the car out of the shop twice. A small yet symbolic ride as it was the first time we have been on the car moving and the first time the car has been outside without a tarp in over five years. One could almost feel the car come to life as if she could finally be taken off life support.
April 15, 2003
The waste holding tank has arrived. The tank is baffled to minimize motion & noise. Next step is to secure the tank under the car and then to start plumbing the bathrooms to the tank. Under car preparation for this task is complete. The long awaited truck rebuild is nearing completion except for the brake cylinder modifications. Neither CN or any previous owner converted the brakes from cast iron to composition shoes. This requires brake cylinder bushing and piston modifications for the softer shoes. Cars can legally run only up to 90 mph with cast iron shoes and they are getting more difficult to find. By contrast, there is an abundance of available composition shoes throughout North America and the CC can be rated up to 110 mph with them. We have decided to implement this change in Fargo after weighing the completed car.
February 10, 2003 The interior of the Coffee Creek is now entirely painted except minor touch up and where wood paneling and trim will be used. This was an enormous task preceded by stripping & priming.
All 12 beds which were removed and refurbished, have been reinstalled into the car. Tweaking of the bed mechanisms is still required to ensure proper alignments. Pullman's mechanical engineering was a marvel particularly for the upper berths. However, without three people, a forklift, removed windows and special fixturing it is extremely difficult to install any berths. This fact probably attests to the number of paint coats on most original railroad car bed frames.
The holding tank delivery is expected this week so emphasis has moved to under the car. Surface scaling has been removed in preparation of priming. Once the holding tank is installed the bathroom plumbing to the tank can begin. Original vitreous china toilet bowls will be used despite a slight water premium. The current 8 ton AC unit has been removed and will be replaced with a new 10 ton Moran expected this month. The AC specification has been increased from original generations in consideration of the skytop. Moran, Hollywood MD, was selected based on very favorable reliability responses from Southern based private car inquiries. The "Friends of the 261" reported good progress with the trucks & wheel sets this week and anticipate shipment to Fargo in early March. The interior wiring will also resume soon. October 5, 2002 The Coffee Creek is beginning to breathe new life as its facelift reveals the grandeur of its former personality. This is an exciting time bringing to life history and memories of the great
The bedrooms have been completely painted and the new bedroom wiring nearly completed. The beds have also been stripped and painted. Some of the upper beds required welding the frame corners to replicate as new condition. The lounge window frames have been completely stripped & primed. A few window mounting brackets still need to be fabricated, drilled and tapped. Window research has begun to understand the merits of Marquard & glass combinations as well as solid laminates. A 70% gray tint is probable to minimize UV effects and ensure true outside color spectrum viewing .
The final parts (220 pins) for the truck rebuild are on order and reassembly has begun. The "Friends of the 261" & CON-TEK Machine have done an outstanding job documenting, quoting, ordering & fabricating numerous custom parts. This is perhaps the most important element from a safety perspective of the Coffee Creek rebuild and by definition, time consuming. The trucks required magna fluxing for cracks and tight tolerance tramming and only the most exacting parts were reconditioned. New bolster anchor rods have been fabricated larger than original after inspecting many that were bent and distorted.
The vestibule trap rebuild has started to replace the temporary steps with permanent retractable stainless steps. LED marker lights for the "B" end have been procured as well as the last remaining inside hardware, the door latch assemblies for the bi-fold bedroom suite doors. A 325 gallon stainless waste holding tank has also been fabricated and will be delivered shortly. HEP cabling is on site awaiting installation. Carpet discussions and sampling has also started. [Sample]
May 22, 2002 The paint priming has started throughout the car. PPG visited the car & analyzed the application and recommended epoxy primer & paint. The interior window frames have been sandblasted and individually primed. This is an area notorious for rust. Once the interior priming is complete the interior wiring will be finished.
The kitchen ceiling formerly bedrooms G&H have been razed. The original bedroom ceilings were of different heights so new ceiling panels will be fabricated. The appliance locations have been reviewed and the sink and range positions reversed to ensure optimum flow and ergonomics. The kitchen crew will have outside views in three directions which should ensure a scenic working environment. The Nystrom truck rebuild at the "Friends of the 261" has been inspected and approved by Amtrak. Manganese pedestal liners were used after much debate about the virtures of plastic vs. manganese. The wheel sets will now be shipped from NRE Wheel Works in Milwaukee to Mpls for assembly. This is a change from the original plan of assembly in Fargo. Once assembled the complete trucks will be shipped to Fargo for installation under the car. Next steps include minor welding to the "B" end crash posts and installation of the original design stainless retractable vestibule steps.
March 29, 2002 The interior of the Coffee Creek is nearly completely stripped and partially epoxy primed. An off white color has been selected for the paint finish. Cherry wood paneling will be used below the windows in the lounge & selectively throughout the bedrooms and hallway. Wood was considered but rejected for the window sills due to moisture concerns. Corian window sills will be used throughout the car. The electrical locker is being designed to accommodate 12, 110, 220 & 480 volts. The system will be computer controlled with manual override. When 480V Head End Power (HEP) is lost the system will automatically convert the power source to the generator. A Stadco 52kw generator has been specified. A second 30kw Onan serves for catastrophic back up. The car is being totally rewired for 110v & additional receptacles installed in all rooms. Removing the old wire has proven to be arduous. Bedrooms A & B have been started. The stainless steel kitchen fabrication will soon start. The pass thru window has been cut through the bulkhead to the lounge. A floor pan with drains will be fabricated next. Installing appliances on a railroad car is always a challenge with only 25" clearance in the halls and windows. The refrigerator & freezer will be assembled with modular industrial grade components.
The lounge windows have been re-fabricated with new steel. Window mounting rails are now being fabricated drilled, tapped & primed. A service door has been located for installation across from the kitchen. The Nystrom truck rebuild is waiting final Amtrak inspection at the "Friends of the 261" in Minneapolis. Once approved the trucks will be painted black and shipped to Fargo. 13 of 16 Timken bearings have been re-certified and are being shipped to Milwaukee to be pressed on the axles with the new wheels. The wheel sets will then be shipped to Fargo to be assembled to the trucks and installed under the car. Two new spare wheel sets & one spare bearing will be available for emergency back up. Four original Milwaukee Parlor chairs have been located and refurbished for the lounge. The round couch will be replicated to the original design but has not started. Two original Milwaukee dining chairs have also been procured.
January 12, 2002 - Interior design layout is complete. 12 beds will be preserved in six double-bedrooms. Bifold walls enable an option of three quad suites. Two showers will be added. Bedrooms G&H will become the gourmet kitchen and pass thru bar. All the beds and the remaining light fixtures have been removed for painting.
Coffee Creek Rail Tours  PO Box 1808
Eustis, FL 32726 Email: coffeecreek@comcast.net | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
