I am very tardy getting these few pics up and posted, but I just had little opportunity to wear my 'reporters' hat lately.
The BIG STORY was the continued progress on Chicago Rapid Transit 1797. Several volunteers have pitched in and are involved. The exterior of the body is nearly complete, with the recent addition of the lettering on the car, letterboard and gold numbers. It looks great. So, now work is starting on the electrical and control systems. First, the air compressor was examined and able to be freely spun by hand. Step 2 was to hook up a 600 v 'stinger', and the compressor ran and pumped air. Step 3 was to work on wiring so that the compressor could be run as intended, with the trolley pole up and the air compressor governor in the circuit. All that was accomplished in short order. Then on to the reverser, and finally that seemed to work and sequence properly. Next was the line switch which needed a missing overload trip relay. WOW - they were moving right along. By the end of Saturday, the pole was up, 90 lbs air in the pipes, and Tim Peters (above) was at the controls, sequencing the contactors in the group switch. All of the above are steps needed to get to that point.
The motors brushes have been removed so there is no chance of the car lurching along during this testing and troubleshooting phase. Amazing to me there is no provision for a motor cutout switch to isolate the motors!
Al Reinschmidt was working on a new core and repairs for a roof mounted inductance coil destined for Cleveland Transit System 4223.
Mike Stauber and Frank Sirinek are hard at work repainting the second truck for the Milwaukee (TM) 972 project.
Rich Block was on site and he continues the work on getting a new floor installed at one end of our long running CTA 4000 project. There is a fairly complicated process of underlayment and reinforcing mesh being installed to replace the totally rusted out Keystone Flooring panels which are no longer manufactured. Next will be to mix and pour a lightweight concrete product, MASTIPAVE.
Comments
Wed, 04-11-2018 11:28
You mention in the header that you would like to have the Electroliner operational by its birthday. Was it?
Sun, 04-08-2018 20:03
As a child, IRM was always my favorite place to visit. Well, other than grandma's house next to the Geneva Sub. It's been many years since I now [...]
Wed, 04-04-2018 16:01
Those temporary walls could be constructed in a way that allows their reuse after the phase is done to close off the new phases.
Tue, 03-27-2018 03:08
Why did the smoke box cover on the shay need to be replace Do?
Mon, 03-26-2018 16:29
It never ceases to amaze me of the diligence and passion of the current mix of volunteers associated with IRM in 2018. Back when I was a active [...]
Mon, 03-26-2018 11:10
Awesome paint job Jamie!!! I never would of thought with the Rock Island history this locomotive in this scheme would of been preserved. Thanks for [...]
Sun, 03-25-2018 23:56
The Hick's blog lists it as Fruit Grower's Express FGEX #55407. Arrived in Union June 2016.
Sun, 03-25-2018 20:51
Good job on the diesel update 2018. Sincere, Ethan A.
Sun, 03-25-2018 20:45
Good job on the steam update 2018. Sincere, Ethan A.
Sun, 03-25-2018 00:12
Bill, The 1990 Roster has the PFE #68428; this may be the reefer that we saw moved. It is a rare car and deserves a paint job. Ted Miles, [...]
Fri, 03-16-2018 11:10
It would be rather difficult to operate an 11,000 Volt AC locomotive on our 600 Volt DC wire.
Thu, 03-15-2018 05:57
Good job steam update. Sincerely, Ethan A.