I did not get pictures but thought this might merit as a news item.
Best guess, trying to reconstruct events, a squall line of thunderstorms came through the museum site about 10-11 last night. It appears that the trolley wire near Barn 8 got a hit and the current traveled inside the building to our newly installed safety switch and disconnect. It totally destroyed that, a pile of molten metal in the bottom of the charred case.
Then it blew a hole in the back of the case and blew a hole through the metal barn siding. From there the metal siding conducted the strike to the corner trim (all fasteners at the joints burned), then to the door trim (some burning at the lower hinge) and into ground.
When it blew through the building wall some of the wood timber and framing caught fire but self extinguished. Also puzzling is that both of the five bulb clusters indicating barn power is energized had exploded bulbs, or bulbs blown completely out of the sockets, and the fuses for those were burned. Either the current got there from ionized air inside the cabinet or a second branch of the lightning jumped the outdoor section insulators to get inside. Those are only designed to insulate against 600 volts, far below the potential of lightning, but we may never know.
So for now, no 600 volt service is possible to Barn 8 and cars inside are in effect stranded. They might be able to be pulled out with a locomotive, or moved with a heavy stinger, but there is no other place to store them, and this cumbersome process would have to be reversed at night.
Damage maybe in excess of $2K-3K and a significant lead time if we are to order and replace the cabinet, cables, fuses, etc.
Bob Kutella
Comments
Mon, 01-19-2015 20:52
Thanks Jamie; It's so good to hear some news from the diesel dept. I check here a couple times a week looking for updates. Any news on any of the [...]
Sun, 01-18-2015 19:37
I too would like to see the Electroliner fully restored - and in fact - I'd like to see every car/steam loco, diesel, etc on the back lot operable - [...]
Sun, 01-18-2015 19:13
When you donate funds, you may specify what they are used for. In this case the funds were donated specifically for this acquisition. If you think the [...]
Sun, 01-18-2015 11:14
Buying another relic when the money should be spent on what you have; like electroliner
Sat, 01-17-2015 21:36
how is that gonna work?
Mon, 01-12-2015 16:48
Hello Ted. I am embarrassed to tell you but the "bag" is still not here. We have about 2/3 of the $15K needed to move it. Now w/a new curator things [...]
Sun, 01-11-2015 19:12
Folks, speaking of new cars. What happened to that C,B & Q heavyweight baggage car that was waiting in Denver? Did it ever get to [...]
Sun, 01-11-2015 19:08
Hello Brian L You are correct in all points. We need steam to test the cars. The 1630 will be able to provide that function. Testing may even [...]
Sun, 01-11-2015 19:01
Hello Vince Thanks so much for the info. Its a beautiful scene, one that play every day on the Rock Island. Thanks Roger.
Sun, 01-11-2015 18:18
While I am not as well versed in the relevant parts of Title 49 of the CFR, I believe that steam heat boilers fall to state regulations, not the FRA. [...]
Sun, 01-11-2015 14:54
Hello Mr. K We have no info on when it was last used. We might find that out when unit arrives. No idead about the Fra regs. Work needed to be [...]
Sat, 01-10-2015 16:04
The photo with unit 642 rounding a curve in June 1978 is at Blue Island with the train coming off the Suburban line through Beverly heading south [...]