Illinois Railway Museum Blog

Lazy me - or just short of time this week.  But I am going to report on several different projects in this single BLOG ENTRY.

Finally, A Brake

I would be embarrassed to chronicle the time spent on this project but suffice it is longer than 3 years.  And no, that time was not consumed by delays and wasted time at IRM.  But here is the first sample new brake shoe created for Chicago Surface Lines 3142.  This is a special design produced to a pattern made in our IRM wood shop by Buzz Morisette.

On the Car

A sample shoe was immediately tested for fit on the car, sitting over the inspection pit in Barn 4.  It fit almost perfectly, so good that we were pressed to find something to correct in the geometry.

Steamy Windows

Victor Humphreys is smiling at the two new windows made for Norfolk & Western 2050.  Smiling with satisfaction at completing them, but also at the prospect of not having to tackle those again!

972 Truck

Progress continues to made on the rebuilding of the TM 972 for our ongoing TMS project.  New pins and bushings are completed every week and assembly has progressed to where cleaning and painting of the truck was started.  Here, Dan Fenlaciki, Frank Sirinek, and Mike Stauber are on their hands and knees applying primer.

Done

And by the end of the day all the parts were substantially completed, looking good in fresh primer.

Illinois Terminal

Buzz Morisette continued on his work to restore two doors for one of our Illinois Terminal cars.  Once you do a 'pretty good' job there is always the urge to take the next step to get closer to perfection.  So a 'quick patch' has turned into a more significant effort.

ME 28

Three fellows from the Michigan Electric 28 work team made a rare Saturday appearance.  Here, Ray Schmid works on another of the fancy upper sash windows, cleaning and showing off the prismatic cathedral glass.  Some more of the salvaged sash are at the bench beside him.

Spooge Tank

What is that???  It is a nickname for an electrolytic process that is fairly effective at removing paint and reversing the oxidation process that results in rust.  Some simple washing soda and a 12 volt battery booster are the major items for trouble free rust removal on convoluted and elaborate pieces, not easily stripped by any other process at IRM.  Tim Peters is putting the finishing touches on such a rubber lined wood tank at the east end of Barn 4.  The SPOOGE?  Soon you may see the frothy curd like foam that consists of the removed coatings and rust of the piece that serves as the 'victim', ceiling grills from the interior of CRT 1797.

More Windows

Also on the 1797, Tim had to pull these two glued up window frames from the press as another project was waiting for the machine.  Do not worry - plenty of time overnight for them to set up and have sound joints.