I've been off the forum for quite some time but due to the interest shown in Goose # 4 I decided to add my two cents worth.
On Nov 29/30,2008 CRRM will run all three Geese, 2,6,& 7. In May of 2009 the CRRM will host a Goose Fest (Goose up, Gaggle gathering) In addition to the Museum's three Geese, No.5 from Dolores, No.1 from The Ridgway Railroad Museum, and possibly No.3 from Knotts Berry Farm will round out the gaggle. No.3 is a long shot, but could happen. In April 2008 Phil Johnson,ex CMO/manager of the Loop and Royal Gorge operation,was appointed CMO at the CRRM.Jack Campbell, ex C&TS CMO also came on board. Along with the help of many volunteers restoration of Geese 6 & 7 shifted into high gear. A small piece of the original Pierce Arrow upholstery was discovered under a seat. (#7 never got a Wayne bus body) Reproduction material was found and Al Blount stitched up new seat,door panels, and recovered the widened rear portion of the car body. A new birch headliner was installed along with ash tongue and groove flooring. Orginal Opera lights were found on E-Bay and installed. All three trucks were rebuilt. The power truck and trailing truck were upgraded to AA Ford full floating rear ends, shortened and new axles machined. Now if an axle breaks a wheel won't fall off. Many, many more components were rebuilt or restored. The braking system was rebuilt utilizing the original air brake cylinder. #7 never had the brake "pots" on the rear trucks.#7 has a 1956 Chevy 261 CI truck motor along with a Chevy 4 speed trnsmission that has been completely rebuilt. Jack Brinkerhoff, who scrapped the RGs, installed a reverser behind the 361 GMC motor. Recalling a conversation I had with him in the late 70's. he said, I was tired of backing up #7 at 2 mph to unload rails at a road crossing, so I installed a reverser. That gave me 5 speeds in reverse. In answer to a previous post, 7 never had a diesel engine. It was the GMC when Brinkerhoff had it, GMC engine when Bob Shank Jr. had it, and when the CRRM got it in 1985. THe CRRM installed the Chevy it now has. Note to tractor: Those 3 pictures you have of 7&6 were taken in Jack Brinkerhoff's back yard off Florida street in Durango. The spotlight, radiator and grille shell were removed by Mac Poor, the author, when #7 was sitting at Poncha Junction after scrapping the Marshall Pass line. The CRRM recovered the grille and radiator. Then in 2000, Neil Reich, former dispatcher for the D&SNG gave the spotlight back to the CRRM. He had bought it from Mac Poor's widow.
Last Saturday #7 had a shakedown run around the Museum loop. It ran great and it never looked as good on the RGS as it does now. We have kept the historical integrity of #7 intact, at least visually. Bob Richardson commented, almost with a tear in his eye, that even with the Chevy motor it sounded just like he remembered it on the RGS, This was in 1987.
No.6 Has had the interior redone, new upholstery, two doors rebuilt, and the motor tuned up. A 1956 Chevy 235 CI was installed in the late eighties. (It had a 216 CI Chevy in it when the CRRM got it from Bob Shank Jr. in 1985) It ran fine last month after sitting for 8 years. #6
has a "bedliner" from the side of an old tender, probably for weight.
No.2 Has had the power truck rebuilt using the same AA full floating rear ends. Brake pots from a semi trailer were installed on the truck, replacing the brake cylinder installed by the D&S when it ran in 2000. #2 never had air brakes on the RGS. The 1930 Buick six cylinder is running well and has been used frequently to haul passengers.
This is probably more info than you will ever need, but I thought it might interest some folks. Please try to attend the Goose Up this month or next May.
Bill Gould
High Commander
