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Page Contents: More information on the Saltillo Station
Left: Station in February 1999 before any work.
Right: Station in April after cable and initial bracing work.
The station at Saltillo has received stabilization work by Rex A. Smith General Contruction under and agreement between FEBT member Conrad Meyer and Joseph Kovalchick. March 23, 1999 Smith began work on the station which stood through the winter by the skin of its teeth.
Several 2x8s were applied to the top of the front and rear walls and cable was strung through the building between them. The cable is wrapped around some 1 1/2" pipe at the front and connected to some threaded eye bolts at the rear, used to pull the walls back together. House jacks were used to raise the roof peak while the walls were cranked back into position. The cables and internal supports remain in position. During the work the celing of the baggage room, which had mostly fallen, was hauled away.
Although the building has been returned to plumb and is no longer in immediate danger of collapse, it desparately needs some kind of roof covering to prevent further deterioration of the interior and structural members. As of this time no work has been done to that end.
The Coles Tankhouse has also received stabilization work, but reportedly by an unknown third party. Sometime in late March or early April a new corregated galvonized steel roof was applied to the back wing building. Also some used window sashes were tacked to the inside of the small windows in the main building.
Previous 'Guerrella Restroation' has repaired the rear wing wall, covered the wing windows, repaired the main roof and shorn up the front beam which has rotted and failed. Further reinforcement of the failed front beam as well as waterproofing of the angled upper level above it are still necessary.
It is unknown if the contractor work funded by the agreement cited at Saltillo will occur at Coles, as it is needed.
As of October no further work has taken either here or at Coles.
Left: Bracing after installation inside the station.
Additional stabilization work what been authorized as part of the previous agreement between Conrad Meyer and Joseph Kovalchick. Involved will be crossbracing and additional support members, both to reinforces the previously added support and to take the load off of addition parts of the station structure. The work will almost defenately occur the first warm day of this spring. Unlike last winter the bracing already installed makes a collapse in the meantime much less likely.
This work is not restoration but rather will keep the building from collapsing, either partially or in whole. Negitiations continue between the EBT and the FEBT on the possibility of the FEBT actively restoring the station and also Coles Tankhouse. As of this time, the FEBT has been and will continue to be provided access to document the interior of the building thoroughly.
