Progress on CLS&SB 73

Many thanks to Bob Harris, who has sent along several photos showing recent restoration work on Chicago Lake Shore & South Bend 73, the last surviving wood car from the South Shore. The car is currently undergoing a major restoration from "chicken coop" status at a facility in Murphysboro, Illinois.

A lot of recent work has concentrated on the interior, particularly bulkhead seat frames. Note the finished bulkhead and wall woodwork.

Here's a newly-built seat frame adjoining the restored toilet compartment.

The amount of work that goes into accurately replicating woodwork like this is incredible.

Doors have also been a recent focus. Here's the train door at one end of the car.

Gary, one of the project workers, looking out one of the side doors. Primer has been applied to portions of the car's exterior.

Here Glenn, the project foreman, uses a hand planer to shape another door, just like the way it was done in the old days.