Needleton Tank Update

We are back at work putting shingles on the Needleton tank this weekend. We have a crew of three working over 3 days and they camp out to get essentially a 12 hour day in. I rode the morning patrol car down from Silverton this morning with Johnnie Martinez to take in additional food and to review the work with my partner, Loren Lew. It was a beautiful ride in the early morning.
We anticipate that the work will be complete Sunday. We are putting down a premium grade cedar sawn shingle that has a fire retardant compound applied at the shingle mill. The shingles go on top of a material called "cedar breather" that allows for air to circulate under the shingles and that prolongs life and helps prevent rot. After our work is complete, the D&S will send a crew up to paint the tank and rebuild the door and frame around the cold box. It should be in excellent condition by Railfest.
The decorative knob that goes on top of the tank is back in possession of the railroad and it is being worked on in Durango for reinstallation. Denny Begerow, owner of Tall Timbers resort, had kept this safe from vandals/collectors for a number of years awaiting the tank's restoration. It is surprisingly made from wood and weighs in at around 50 pounds.
This has been a great project and it has been a pleasure to work with the D&S, from owner Al Harper, VP Paul Schranck, and all the operating crews and MOW people. A special thanks from me goes to the Silverton station agents who have made our work go smoothly with their able assistance. All of them have been keenly interested in this work.
And, the grant money from the State Historical Fund and matching funds from the D&S made this all possible. Al Harper wanted this work to take place even when the railroad was facing severe financial problems, and I think it is a tribute to the D&S that they carried through with the preservation work.