Illinois Railway Museum Blog

Entries from April 2009

Wednesday, April 29. 2009

Passenger Dept Update 2009-04-29 Posted by Phil Stepek in Passenger Car Department at 19:23

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Passenger Dept Update 2009-04-29

Its Show Time!!!!

Final preparations for the official first event of the season are well along, and we hope to be completely ready for Saturday.

Mike and Ray got two cars (CNW 7700 and DLW coach) ready for mainline service, and Jamie got them switched out sunday placed on station 2

i know Mike would really prefer to get the vestibule of the other DLW car done, but since he and Ray are the only ones doing air testing it kind of narrows his focus a bit for now.

In addition. Mark Hoffman is making progress on the side panels for the third DLW step frame, smooshed from last year. When that is done, we can add it to the train.

Inside the barn, we have all the lights in the display cars lit, lamps changed and ready. I managed to get out today and replaced a couple of burnt out barn lights and a couple of display lights, so we are at 100%. Eleven cars are lit, and we will begin with three open for visits as a set. If progress is made, we would like to open the 31 track for walk through as well, but that will take a bit more prep work first.

If we get some docent help, we can have a great season, since we are ready to open both Ely and Susan Marie to visitors when we can staff them. Shelly is waiting for anyone with a day (or a couple of days, or one day per month, or.....) to get in touch and join the party! Ray Bellock and Sam Polonetzky have both expressed interest and we hope thay can make time from their other tasks. A day spent "hanging out" with our visitors is not a bad way to relax and enjoy the museum while making our guests happy too.

On the Barn 3 restoration front, ASTF 2544 will have its "new" seats installed as soon as its warm enough to paint the walls behind them. We hope soon.

IC3345 is waiting for some more metal work on the second window, so visitors will notice that its "white" again since we turned it around. We saw Andy last weekend at the rules test and he has been busy at work, but plans to get out as soon as he can to finish.

Dover Strait keeps pluggin' along too, Bob making some interior progress, and planning for the painting of the corridor. We hope that gets done this year. Then he can begin on the lounge area. I have a task to get the wiring for the car straightened out, as someone managed to alter the low voltage feeder last autumn, and so i want to make time to sit and fix it completely. Perhaps after season is rolling and i can look at summer projects.

Jack Biesterfield keeps making magic on the B&M car as well. He enjoys the woodwork and it shows. He has replaced many of the windows on the public side, so it might actually be possible to see in this year. The arched glass above the windows alone is worth the view.

Roger says the work on the McGlothan is going slow right now, so he has been doing some work on the windows for the Glen Springs.

Out in Yard 5, we have spent the past couple of weeks getting the display ready. as I reported last time. We have managed to get done all the way through, and we are now down to finishing some of the display materials. Since the Pullman display in the RDC is new this season, I am experimenting as I go. I will probably be doing it some more this weekend after we open.

The nice thing is all the ventilation items are in place and all the video services are connected. I used last Sunday as a "dress rehearsal" and everything worked well. I hope everyone that comes out this summer has a much fun as I do.

May is busy. Scrapbook/Mothers Day/ Scout Day/ Memorial day all in a row.

June will not only be Fathers Day/ Chicago Day but also we are once again doing a RPO weekend.

As the usual moment of request/disclaimer, if anyone is interested in playing with us, get in touch with Mike Baksic or myself.

In addition we really could use any donations possible, as we depleted much of our dept money to pay for the Barn 11 space, and there are still several projects in need, both in heavyweights and streamliners. Please remember that if you choose to donate to a specific piece of equipment, that money MUST be spent on that equipment. Everyone have a great spring!

Friday, April 17. 2009

L7 Controller Cover Restored Posted by Stan Wdowikowski in TMER&L L7 Locomotive at 20:27

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L7 Controller Cover Restored

primed controller cover

One of the two controller covers has been restored and ready to install. The first picture is the Controller Cover freshly sanded and primed for paint.

painted controller cover

Painted and finsished Controller cover ready to istall in the L7.

Tuesday, April 14. 2009

Passenger Dept update 2009-04-14 Posted by Phil Stepek in Passenger Car Department at 12:08

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Passenger Dept update 2009-04-14

hi again, sorry for the delay. We have been in "season prep" mode for a while and while its been busy, there really has not been any significant changes. Cleanup and stage setting is one of those background but important roles we face as we approach the start of a new public season. When it comes time to set up, I am always amazed at just how much mess we made over the winter!

Not a lot of new photos but heres whats up...

On the Barn 3 front, Mike has made a lot of progress on the Lackawanna coach vestibule. New buffer springs were fabricated and after a bunch of tussles they were installed. Now the part comes to rebuild the platform itself.

http://www.irm.org/gallery/album133

Out in Yard 5, we have been working from one end getting things put away and setting the stage. This is where I realized what a mess I made all winter. It took me three full days to get the RDC set up alone, and another full day to prepare Silver Ridge. Three to go . Anyone interested in simple housework is welcome.

RDC 9934 is more and more along the path to respectability. Thanks to Bill Wulfert, we located the missing cab window frame, and got it rebuilt and reglazed. We have repaired the number board lights and traced down the classification light circuit. No photos yet but hopefully I will have a chance to get a couple of night shots with the car lit, especially after i have the chance to get the numbers "corrected".

In addition, we have set the car up to help tell the story. The front half of the car will be pretty much intact as it was inservice, baggage racks in place and all seating areas cleared out to provide the complete visual image. The rear half will be set up with multiple displays, not only about the RDC experience, but i hope to use the space to develop a comparison between Budd and Pullman. I have been fascinated by the similarities and the differences between the two major players in the railroad industry, and I hope to give folks a sense of the competition between them.

i have managed to locate several video presentations that will be appropriate for the display as well. right now, I plan 6 videos along the way, each in an appropriate location. I would like to find something about ACL and NP passenger service if anyone has any ideas.

Our goal remains being completed by May 2 weekend to support the museums first event of the year.

As always, if the steps are open to the RDC and the lights are on, that means folks are welcome, and the coffee pot is on.

Come on by and say hi. Docents are still needed to open two parlor cars in Barn 3 as well as folks to be on hand in Yard 5 display. If you are interested in working on the cars, or just want to come out and visit with visitors as they go by, feel free to let us know.

Monday, April 13. 2009

DC Line Department update Posted by Max Tyms in AC/DC Line Department at 19:10

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DC Line Department update

We had a great turnout Saturday! Charlie Strong, Stan Wdowikowski, Warren Lloyd, Joel Ahrendt, Roger Smessaert, Rod Turner and "the new guy" Mike Sorenson. All under my supervision Dug out and straightened the seven remaining poles. That completed the worst section that had to be fixed.

We began at eight AM at the car shop. After a job briefing we headed out on the railroad. Once at our work location we held a short safety/work plan meeting, then split up into three groups. Two groups dug by hand the third would help me do the rigging, aligning and back filling.

I did not get a chance to rest. As soon as we get one pole done. I would bring the rigging to the next expecting a bit of a break. But as soon as I got there the diggers were done and We began rigging. When the backfillers completed the last pole, they would come and help me, the diggers would then move to the next pole. This continued until we completed 7 poles.

We did break for lunch when most took the ComEd 4 to town and we met at Clausen's for burgers.

After the poles were done we headed West and completed some minor repairs at Schmidt siding, then to across from the Depot where we cleared up some fouled telephone wires. That was the day.

These guys worked their butts off to keep IRM running smooth. They sure earned "the right" to first dibs on pan equipment! These are usually car dept. & diesel dept. people but today working on DC line jobs demonstrating how we work together when we need to.

I haven't had this much fun in years. All you "old guys" that were bugging me about pan operation owe these guys a big THANK YOU! THEY just made a big leap towards "pantographobility".

Max Tyms
Supt. D/C Line Dept.

Sunday, April 12. 2009

CB&Q 504 weekend update Posted by James Kolanowski in Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 504 at 17:43

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CB&Q 504 weekend update

front nose has been needlechipped

This weekend and the few weeknights before, Mike P, Roger B, Kyle M, and Jamie K needlechipped all the remaining black paint along with all the nose stripes. Kevin H and Jamie K wire wheeled the roof where the winterization hatch will eventually be reinstalled. Kyle M finished cleaning all the handgrabs on the front and rear of the loco. More photos can be found in the CB&Q 504 restoration gallery.

Sunday, April 12. 2009

CTA S-105 update 4/12 Posted by James Kolanowski in Chicago Transit Authority S-105 at 16:49

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CTA S-105 update 4/12

The S-105 had one couple installed today. A good amount of work was required to make the new pocket castings fit onto the existing hole spacing on the pilot. The pictures below describe a bit of the work that was done along the way. A number of recent photos can be seen in the S-105 restoration gallery.

1 of 4 holes filled

The new pockets are slightly larger than the original. It was decided to weld the holes in and redrill with the hole spacing that matches the spacing on the pilot. Here we see the first hole welded up with a large block to fill a larger section of the oval hole, much less welding overall. The blocks were placed diagonally in the oval to make it easier to have a complete weld through the entire thickness of the hole. The existing oval holes are about 3-1/2" x 1-5/8", the backplate of the casting is almost 1-1/2" thick.

pilot cleanedand painted

The old pocket was cut off of one end, and the other end just had the bolts remaining. All the bolts were removed and the entire area needlechipped, primed and painted. New 1-1/2" bolts were bought, along with enough washers for both ends on each bolt, and enough nuts to double nut outside the pockets. Gerry also did a lot of work on the cut levers, getting them all straightened out, getting the supports repaired, and making it all function nicely.

all holes welded and ground

After several hours of work, a lot of welding, all four holes were filled in. Two on one side were completely finished first, and then ground down, and finished off with a high speed sander with 6 grit paper. Then the last two holes on the other side were welded in, and also ground and sanded.

new holes measured and marked

The next step was to figure out and mark the new hole spacing on the casting. FRA requirements are 34-1/2" max from top of railhead to center of coupler, and 31-1/2" min to the same points. Our goal was 33-1/2" on the (current) west end of the loco. The east half needs some shims on the center bearings as it sits about 2 inches lower than the west half. After that correction is made, and with the added weight when some accessories and motors are put back in, we should settle down to about 33" to 33-1/4".

the casting with new hols

A 5/16" pilot hole was drilled first, since thats the newest bit we had and most likely the sharpest. We used the electric car departments mag-drill. Its like a drill press, with an electromagnet the holds the press to the work piece, and it has a variable speed motor with a 3/4" chuck. Next was to drill the 1-1/2" holes.

pocket bolted to the pilot

After cleaning up the casting from all the drill shavings and oil, Warren, Kyle and I made the heavy lift by hand. Once we lifted it high enough for the 4 holes to line up, it slid right into place.

one down, one to go

Here we see the finished product, well, almost. We wanted to see how it would all fit, but it'll all have to be taken back off so the casting can be primed and painted.

Saturday, April 11. 2009

L7 update, 4/11 Posted by James Kolanowski in TMER&L L7 Locomotive at 17:37

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L7 update, 4/11

Last logo added

Just a quick update on the L7, Buzz applied the logo on the right side on Saturday, and the loco number was added late evening. A few photos have been added to the L7 photo gallery.

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Comments

Mark Becker about Dynamometer Notes from Warren Newhauser - Diesel Days Event
Sun, 07-27-2014 23:15
In looking at the general exterior condition of the Dynamometer Car you would think that it was a total wreck. It is wonderful that it is operational [...]

Tim Fron about Dynamometer Notes from Warren Newhauser - Diesel Days Event
Fri, 07-25-2014 20:14
I had a blast riding in X-5000 on Sunday during Diesel Days. Brian was great to talk to. It was cool seeing the comntrol board work. I can't wait for [...]

Nigel Bennett about Steam Department Update 07-17-2014
Fri, 07-25-2014 16:47
Shane, Clean rain water is certainly possible. The snag is that you would need a BIG collection and storage system. We are using around 8000 [...]

Nigel Bennett about Steam Department Update 07-17-2014
Fri, 07-25-2014 16:42
John, Yes. Sadly the tender is in poor shape. She should go under cover as part of the new barn project. There will be much discussion around [...]

Roger Kramer about A great week, July, 8 thur July, 12
Thu, 07-24-2014 21:38
Hello Richard In reply to your question concerning RI 2702. The museum is studying the acquisition but no decision has been yet made.

Roger Kramer about A great week, July, 8 thur July, 12
Thu, 07-24-2014 21:29
Hello Chris The 2702 is under study by those interested at Irm. Unfortunately, the possible acquisition boils down to $. First ,who will support [...]

Thomas about Diesel Days line up, Sunday, July 20th, 2014
Thu, 07-24-2014 13:01
Hello, is there anyone that I can contact in the Diesel Department about volunteering? I am studying mechanical engineering and I would love to get [...]

Chris about A great week, July, 8 thur July, 12
Thu, 07-24-2014 00:01
I will commit something to 2702 if I see a specific fund for it. Supposedly the owners made an effort to keep it original, other than removing seats. [...]

Nathan about Steam Department Update 07-17-2014
Wed, 07-23-2014 19:54
Hi Nigel, I have some suggestions to enhance the experience of steam railroading for museum visitors: 1) In September 2002, I visited on the [...]

Raffi about Diesel Days line up, Sunday, July 20th, 2014
Wed, 07-23-2014 00:17
while watching the Diesel Days parade, i noticed a detail on UP 1848 that stood out to me. it was its cab number, i could tell it had a previous [...]

Brian L. about Diesel Days line up, Saturday, July 19th, 2014
Mon, 07-21-2014 17:48
The hydraulic drawbar on X-5000 works. Its operation was determined Saturday evening and successfully used all day Sunday. The car measured up to a [...]

Nick Gawriluk about A great week, July, 8 thur July, 12
Sun, 07-20-2014 13:56
2702 would definitely be a project of a massive effort. It has some sort of giant roadside casino sign installed on it. The interior is completely [...]