When we last left the carousel project, it had just been taken apart and the gears and bearings had been taken out and were driven to Ohio where they would be rebuilt. Here in Woodhaven, a long, slow, snowy winter passed.

In March, the guys from Carousels & Carvings in Marion, Ohio returned with the new parts and work got underway. The weather back in November, when they took the carousel apart, was practically a heatwave compared to the bitter cold days they had to work in during March. 

In November, the work was done from the outside in -- starting with the horses on the outer row, finishing up with the mean bearing in the center. In March, the work was done starting with the main bearing, working outward. 

There was a lot of work ahead of the team, but getting that main bearing in place was a big first step. With everything removed, with all of the snow outside to muffle the external noise, it was so quiet inside the carousel - almost like an empty cathedral.

If you look closely in this picture, you will see the hooks that were used to hoist the center of the ride up so the bearing could be put back.

The new gears were unwrapped and laid out, waiting to take their place of our historic carousel.

The sweep arms are put back.

The sweep covers were sanded and repainted over the winter. You can see here that the carousel base is still raised up on blocks.

It is starting to look like its old self just a bit, though there is a long way to go. It should be noted that these pictures were taken over roughly a 14 day span.

The horses and the lion look anxious to get back to business!

They've been waiting patiently all winter - and they know that spring and summer are right around the corner - and that soon this room will be filled with the laughter of kids from all over. 

Here is a panorama we tried, to give you a better idea of how it looked with all of the animals lined up in a row.

The new sweeps are being replaced -- and looking sharp!

A new electrical coil was installed (look at the center of the ride - looks like copper coils) -- and then all the light bulbs had to be replaced.

Here, the lights are turned on for the first time since the ride was dismantled.

The extra lighting came in handy to those who were working - and it was one step closer to a finished product. 

And now, one by one, the animals could be placed back on the ride.

Each one had to be carefully removed and placed back on the ride in its' original spot.

The jumper horses needed to be lifted and held in place while they were connected to the crank arm. 

Each animal took approximately 15-20 minutes to carry, get in place, and reconnect. It was slow, methodical,  heavy work which required a lot of concentration.

As soon as one animal was in place, they went back to the dock and grabbed another.

Over the course of a few days, bit by bit, the ride began to look more like the ride we've come to know and love.

The team took extreme care with every piece of the carousel - tagging it, making sure it was secure, taking precautions when moving each piece - they did a fantastic job.

The jumpers would be lifted into place and then they needed to be secured while they were attached to the crank arm. 

It always took at least two pair of strong arms to hold the animal in place.

And once again, another horse is released from the dock to run wild on the carousel.

The artwork by artist Jonathan Lev is put back in place. Now it's really starting to look sharp and ready for 2015!

Just a few last minute touch ups are needed.

Now it's time to put the tools away - our historic NYC Landmarked Forest Park Carousel is back together again!

If you have any comments, or would like to suggest other projects, drop us a line at info@projectwoodhaven.com or projectwoodhaven@aol.com.  

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Photos by Joey Wendell