Illinois Railway Museum Blog

Entries from April 2008

Thursday, April 24. 2008

CCW 300 Update April 23, 2008 Posted by Robert Kutella in Charles City Western 300 at 21:26

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CCW 300 Update April 23, 2008

Shop Work

Here, Pete Galayda works in the Woodshop, painting the metal bands which will be used to secure the two air tanks to the West Deck of the engine.

Monday, April 21. 2008

Wood Shop Update April 20, 2008 Posted by Robert Kutella in Wood Shop at 23:43

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Wood Shop Update April 20, 2008

Rolling on a Dolly

The SECOND all new baggage door for CNW 7700 was completed today. Here we see Ray Mormann, Mike Baksic, and Mark Hoffman wheeling the door from the shop.

Halfway Home

Outside at last - the door is on a dolly moving north between Barn 4 and Barn 3. Left to right, the crew includes Phil Stepek, Mike Baksic, Wayne Baksic, Ray Mormann, and Mark Hoffman.

Estimated Weight - 150 lbs plus

ALTOGETHER - LIFT. Shelley Vandershaegen is inside the car guiding the lift while Phil Stepek, Mike Baksic, Mark Hoffman, and Ray Mormann provide the muscle to lift the door into the baggage compartment.

Monday, April 21. 2008

Weekend Update Posted by Joel Ahrendt in Electric Car Department at 21:58

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Weekend Update

Hello all, and here's a few things that have happened over the weekend in the Electric Car Department.

CNS&M 749 got some wire replaced in the Battery Charging Circuit Box. Because this car has been modernized, with electric conductor bells, the batteries have to be kept charged, so work has been done to make sure they do charge. The grids were replaced for that circuit last year, but this year, the wires that are missing the insulation have been replaced. There will be some pictures of this showing up in the Member Photo Gallery on Joe Stupar. (But their not there yet).

CTA 3142 has had it's brake beam put back in and set correctly, as well as some more work on the line switch.

The Michigan car has had more work done on the roof and tack molding. This is part of the long process it takes to get a roof ready for the canvas. Of course, once the canvas is on, it's a long process to get it all weighted down, tacked on, and painted.

Work on the doors continues on the PCC car that's in the Barn 4 work area. These cars, being all metal and running on salted streets, seem to have a lot of metal work to be done. It's moving along which is always a good thing.

We have taken the air tanks from the TMER L10 over to the steam shop, and when they run the hydro machine next for their own tanks, they'll run these two for us. Much thanks in advance to the Steam Shop for this.

Rusted air pipes are being replaced on the Baldy 4000 series CTA car that is also in barn 4. These pipes have to be cut, then bent to the correct angles (and let me tell you, if you don't do this often, you always need a practice pipe to work on to get the bends right); then they get threaded on the end.

The Lake Shore Electric 810 box car had some more work done to it. The air system is slowly being returned to it's appropriate spots.

There was also a board meeting, the last one with this configuration, on Saturday. As always, if there was other work being done, please comment it below. And if you see there are some comments; please read them :)

Respectfully Submitted,
Joel Ahrendt

Sunday, April 20. 2008

Charles City Western 300 Electric ... Posted by Robert Kutella in Charles City Western 300 at 20:50

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Charles City Western 300 Electric Locomotive

Charles City Western 300

Shown here is a rare color photo of the locomotive circa 1955. This is the scheme being used for restoration work. For you die hard fans here is the ROSTER info for this piece of equipment.

Yes, this is rightfully in the Electric Car Department project list, but the Project Manager, Pete Galayda, generally works every Wednesday only, and all that in the Woodshop - Barn 4 complex.

Pete Galayda has created a nice Gallery Record of photos as the work has progressed the last several years. To see more of this click HERE.

Pete has been faithfully and regulary working on this as his "project" since 2001. I will try to add some VERY condensed notes and history so you can appreciate the scope of the project and its ACCOMPLISHMENTS! Continue reading "Charles City Western 300 Electric Locomotive"

Sunday, April 20. 2008

CSL 84 Update April 19, 2008 Posted by Robert Kutella in Chicago Surface Lines 84 Trolley Coach at 17:22

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CSL 84 Update April 19, 2008

Drilling LARGE Holes

Even Board Member Bob Sundelin pitches in on wood shop work! In this case, the project for new seats for Chicago Surface Lines 84.

Thursday, April 17. 2008

CRIP 19135 Update April 16, 2008 Posted by Robert Kutella in Rock Island 19135 Transfer Caboose at 18:29

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CRIP 19135 Update April 16, 2008

Nice Interior Work

Victor Humphreys takes advantage of the warm afternoon to do more work on the interior finish and touchup - although it looks fine to me!

Thursday, April 17. 2008

CSL 84 Update April 16, 2008 Posted by Robert Kutella in Chicago Surface Lines 84 Trolley Coach at 17:20

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CSL 84 Update April 16, 2008

Trimming to a Square Edge

Henry Vincent is hard at work on the table saw making a new base section for six new transverse semi bucket seats for the coach.

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Comments

Philip Cwikowski about Steam Department Update 5-19-2012
Sun, 05-20-2012 17:31
I would like to make a note of a couple of things. The sandblasting process involves taking the sand like material, called blackblast, and smashing it [...]

lucien o. about B&O Boxcar Update - May 9, 2012
Fri, 05-18-2012 22:48
This is one interesting freight car. I've been browsing images on-line of these B&O wagon-top cars lately, and noticed a variety of lettering and [...]

James Kolanowski about Diesel Days, July 16th and 17th, 2011
Fri, 05-18-2012 12:03
Mark, Its hard to say if 760 will be running in early July. It will be for Diesel Days, but I can't answer yet if we'll have it ready sooner than [...]

Mark Johnson about Diesel Days, July 16th and 17th, 2011
Thu, 05-17-2012 13:13
Im going to drive from California to the Chicago area in early July and staying for about 3 weeks. Im a big fan of FM units. Any chance the MILW 760 [...]

Norman about Model Railroad Public Display - April 28 , 2012
Sun, 05-13-2012 11:44
Line sidewalks and steets with rail ties and fill with small pea gravel. Similar to construction near Lincoln Home in Springfield, IL.

Roger Kramer about CNW or CGW 285 Which is it? Work continues
Fri, 05-11-2012 10:45
Thank you. If you are send pics to Irm in mail,Please make it attention Roger Kramer. Thanks..

Don Vaughn about CNW or CGW 285 Which is it? Work continues
Thu, 05-10-2012 17:08
I will be sending some color photos of the CGW 285 shortly after rebuilding by the CGW. And yes, they had chrome grabs and the end gate. I had been [...]

anon about CNW or CGW 285 Which is it? Work continues
Thu, 05-10-2012 12:58
Yes there are some chrome plated partsespecially on the sissors gate. Unfortunately, they were recently taken off, and left in the gravel. I have [...]

Lucien O. about CNW or CGW 285 Which is it? Work continues
Thu, 05-10-2012 00:46
The book "Chicago Great Western Color Guide" (Morning Sun) has some interesting notes about these CGW combines: [BEGIN QUOTE] "In 1954 the CGW bought [...]

Wally Unglaub about Steam Department Update 5-5-2012
Sun, 05-06-2012 21:42
Nigel, What you just told me is great news. YOU clarified things for me.

Nigel Bennett about Steam Department Update 5-5-2012
Sun, 05-06-2012 20:34
Wally, I must say that I am puzzled by this comment. The whole driver for the current work is the major FRA mandated inspection (15 year 1472 [...]

Wally Unglaub about Steam Department Update 5-5-2012
Sun, 05-06-2012 16:39
I am just afraid that by the time 1630 is up and ready to run, it will have to be dismantled again to do the Federally mandated inspection. I am [...]