Despite a lack of updates on this blog, BAR 62 hasn't spent almost two years in silence. 62 has been on the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad several times since the restoration was finished and has performed very well each time she's gone out. A few things have changed. The roof-mounted chrome horns that were on both 62 and my Dad's 18 car have been discarded. Although 'Marine grade' evidently they don't hold up to the vibration and thumping the occasional rough track joint can provide. Replaced with more generic automotive type horns mounted near the front of the engine much lower in each car - these horns have become the standard that we are now using. They work, are inexpensive and are locally available.
Speaking of vibrations - somewhere in these pictures, I'm sure there is a picture of a brand-new horn button that was installed on 62. Although the longer, stiffer, structure of BAR 18 (my Dad's M14) seems to dampen the vibrations, 62's horn button spring did not survive more than three months before every time the engine fired, the switch would close briefly and the horn would blow softly. It was replaced with one with a much stiffer spring.
All for now!
See you on the rail in 2016!
