Car Shop Extension

The Project

The Museum wished to be able to put most of its rolling stock under cover. In 2008, the Museum won the Mass Bay RRE's H. Albert Webb Grant, which gives $10,000 each year to a New England-related railroad project. This, with some additional support from the Museum's members, enabled the Museum to begin building a 30-foot extension to the first 3 bays car shop, thus restoring the original profile of the shop building.

After acquiring the necessary building permits from the Town, work began on the extension around June, 2008. The big doors for Bay 1 and 3 were removed, and the opening boarded up. The wall at the end of Bay 2 was removed and the opening boarded up. Rails were put down at the proper level, conduit was run, and gravel and stone was put down to allow for the proper level of concrete.

In late September, the concrete floor was poured. Wall framing began in October, steel I-beams for the second floor support were placed at the end of the month, and second floor work began in November. The roof was completed and shingled before the first snow fell in mid-December.

Project leader is Zack Wyllie.

Current News

Roofing is complete. Boarding of the walls is now ongoing.

Photos taken during the project.

The east wall was boarded and work is proceding on the south wall. January 3, 2009
Boarded wall
The east slope of the roof has been shingled. The west slope was boarded over. November 29, 2008
Shingled roof
A view of the south wall of the extension. November 29, 2008
South wall
Roof rafters and knee-walls are visible, along with the south wall's staging. November 22, 2008
Rafters
The second floor stringers are in the process of going up. October 25, 2008
Stringers
The project from another angle. October 25, 2008
Stringers
A close-up of the steel I-beams, which will make the extended shop area a very open place. October 25, 2008
Beams
East wall of the extension has been framed. October 13, 2008
Shop extension underway
West wall of the extension has been framed. Lumber for the wall framing and roof is stacked and ready to be used. October 13, 2008
Shop extension underway
Concrete has been poured for the foundation, with rails embedded in the concrete. October 5, 2008
Concrete poured
The sub-foundation, rails, and rebar is ready for concrete to be poured. September 13, 2008
Ready for concrete
The shop extension preparation is underway. Rails and the grounds are being prepared for pouring of concrete for the floor. July 15, 2008
Shop extension underway

This page modified . These pages copyright 2008-2009 by W. W. & F. Railway Museum/James C. Patten