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Sunday, March 27. 2011Snowflake Special 03/27/2011
Another successful IRM Snowflake Special today! Thinking back two short years ago, we couldn’t fill a four car train, this year we sold out a SIX car train a week before the trip! Thanks to everyone who bought a ticket and helped support the museum. It is GREATLY appreciated!!!!
Today’s trip started at the Forest Park station at the west end of the Congress line. We started westbound – yes westbound (into the yards). Then back east, transferring over to the Douglass line, going to and through 54th St (again into the yards). Back eastbound, then over to the Midway line. After going through those yards it was downtown to drop everyone off for lunch. After lunch we went out to 63rd and Ashland and of course into the tail track. Back downtown and out to Kimball. You guessed it, into those yards too. Back downtown, but not before our second annual Brown Line/Red Line race from Belmont to Fullerton. Again this year it was too close to call. Finally back west down the Congress line, making our last photo stop at the abandoned California station (the last of many nice photo opportunities), we headed back to our origin station at Forest Park to wrap up another fantastic trip. A huge thanks to David Harrison, without whom none of this would be possible. Dave did his usual great job narrating the trip including many interesting tidbits about the system and the city. Also thanks to Bob Heinlein and Richard Schauer who again coordinated the logistics of the trip. Our CTA crew was top notch as usual. Thanks to all the car captains who kept order in the cars, trading their cameras for orange vests. And most importantly, thanks to everyone who showed their support for the museum by accompanying us on the 2011 edition of the Snowflake Special. Sunday, March 27. 2011Track Report
First off - not a single photo was taken this weekend, we were all just too busy.
Saturday was a productive day, Adam was a surprise visitor as he had some things to take care of up north for a day, so he joined Frank and we always can use the added help. Frank and Adam worked together taking care of joint repairs, marking ties, fixing one of two pull apart, cleaning the ROW and starting the process of switch lube - all from the Santa Fe hyrail truck. I spent the entire day setting out ties from the big tree to the east end of Johnson, picking up where Jeron left off - the CN gon never arrived of course - we worked until well after dark to get it all done. Sunday was just Mitch and I doing some machine repairs - we pulled the bottom bearing from the mower side bar, and cleaned it up in the car shop. We found out why the bolts broke - the bearing is worn out and caused the housing to wobble breaking the bolts. As it is in a trapped hanger, Mitch and I put it all back together without the bolts (that have been broken for years) and fired it up after sitting by Yard 3 all winter - the mower is now back in machine row at Yard 11. I plan to run it on the ROW some next weekend. We spent some time in the Industrial Brownhoist crane with the steam shop folks who are making it ready for service for the Barn 23 track project. We got a plan together for changing out some grease fittings and will get that one ready in the next few weekends as well. Over the next week Jeron will get the 4 inch long sweep exhaust 90 deg bend for the 50 and we can get that installed - as the CN gon was a no show on Sunday too... soon enough we need to be ready to unload it. A productive weekend for sure - Be Safe out there Tom Sunday, March 27. 2011Wood Shop Update - March 26, 2011 The Stack Lorne Tweed adds one more glued up window frame to the growing stack on the workbench behind him. He and Rich Witt continued work on this project, gluing up two more frames, dry fitting another frame and machining parts to complete the job.  Oh Well Victor Humphreys works to complete metal repairs on another of the step well end plates for caboose ATSF 1400. He also helped to load an old planer being removed from the wood shop and sort and pack away an assortment of wood shop machine parts located and delivered by the Signal Department. Thanks, Mike.  Patterns Buzz Morisette continued making the new patterns for the steam shop, to be used to cast shoes and wedges for the UP 428. If you look closely you will see vertical surfaces tapered a few degrees from square. This is the DRAFT ANGLE needed to make the sand molds and cast the metal. Tim Peters was toiling on restoration tasks for the CRT 1797 and there was a lot of other activity. Come on out and look around - Watchers Welcome. Maybe we can coax you into helping if you like the smell of sawdust in the morning! |
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Comments
Thu, 05-16-2013 21:52
Looking good Bob! I hope to come out soon once I'm done with school.
Wed, 05-15-2013 21:28
I was not around at the time. General discussion suggests that it was "pretty marginal" in a number of areas. Nigel
Mon, 05-13-2013 11:08
"THUMBS UP!"
Fri, 05-10-2013 02:15
No, it will not be necessary to hold any of the work waiting for the plow to be turned, end for end. Weather will be the major factor, but there will [...]
Thu, 05-09-2013 19:54
The CGW X-38 plow is really coming to life. Bob Kutella and Vic and crew need to be very proud of your collective efforts. I am very appreciative of [...]
Thu, 05-09-2013 15:20
The snowplow looks great! Are you going to apply the door and upper windows befor it is turned to continue work?
Thu, 05-09-2013 09:09
Max, Is there any progress to report yet, in regards to the installation of the poles and overhead wires? Have a good day, sir.
Wed, 05-08-2013 18:40
Thanks for the update! I still don't understand why Commonwealth #5 was removed from service. Do you know why?
Tue, 05-07-2013 09:28
Mr. Kolanowski.....I was just wondering if the Spaulding webcam will be up and running soon for us stay-at-homes. Thanks!2FP
Mon, 05-06-2013 23:04
Max, Has work begun yet on the construction phase of erecting the poles and putting up the wire? Wish I could be there to watch it happen.
Mon, 05-06-2013 23:02
Keep up the good work, Bob. Wish I could be there to help!!!!!!!
Sun, 05-05-2013 18:53
Ah yes, I have made such Jibs myself. If it were me, I would add in each corner an angled piece from the base to the Jib to act as sway bracing. [...]