Entries by James Kolanowski

The CTA 2243 arrived yesterday on the 10th. CTA 2244,the other half of the pair was trucked today from Skokie. Here we see 2244 be switched after being unloaded from the truck. There will be more to come in future posts.

Just a quick update on track 134 (yard 13, track 4)... The track department previously bolted about 95% of the panels on this track. This included cropping and drilling the ends of almost every panel and installing new ties where needed or missing. The B&G department this past week was able to bring in about 230 tons of rock and spread this ballast nearly the entire length of track 134, which is about 650 feet. The next step will be some tamping.

On Friday, November 23rd, Brian Swan and I made it out to the shop for part of the day. The main task was to further the vestibule end of the combine that the wednesday special projects group was unable to finish. This end is the last of the welding and fabricating to be done before the carbody can be painted.

We focused on needle chipping and cleaning up the frame and accessories under the vestibule platform, and under the door threshold. The diaphragm had been cut off this end long before it came to IRM, and the parts that were left in were rusting and heaving up the deck. The parts in the center were removed and stored, and the plan was to clean everything up, prime and paint it all on the inside and then replace the deck and other sheet metal that is rusted through.

Brian started to prep the corner by torching out the rusted sections and cleaning up the cuts for new steel. We started digging through all the sheets of steel we have in stock, trying to find the right sheet to use, which happened to be some leftovers that were originally used on CB&Q 504. Brian started cutting the stock to shape and prepped and primed what will be the insides. Meanwhile I continued priming everything in the frame and all the remaining springs and parts within the frame.

The next step will be to weld the deck back on and start working on the side sheets on both sides of the vestibule steps. We are still looking for some additional welders, and anyone that would like to help in the shop for that matter. If you are interested, please contact me. thanks, Jamie.

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Saturday was a short day due to the monthly board meeting. Afterwards, Dan, Rod and I switched track 104 to clear it so a few cars could be moved out of track 4 in Barn 10. This was done so the B&G department can store the Santa Fe sign in a safe place indoors. It will be stored there until such time as there is funding and a location to restore and display the sign properly.

For Sunday, the morning started with Jim and myself helping out Will and Jen to finish the tear down of the Terror cars on the west wye. The bridge that allows people to walk between the baggage car side door and the box car door had to be disassembled and the modules stacked in the box car. Between the walls and the deck, they are pretty large pieces that take a few people to move. Once that was completed, me, Jim and Kyle moved to the days planned activity of moving the ComEd 15 (EMD SW1) over the electric car department pit on track 41 to work on the #1 gear box.

Earlier in the year, CE 15 was taken out of service due to some derailment damage to the #1 gear box and a broken pin on the brake rigging. The brake rigging pin was replaced to allow the unit to make two passes for the Diesel Days Parade of Power back in July. The bottom of the gear box was bent and split open from a failed weld on a side sheet to the bottom. We were planning on removing it for repairs to be made, but found a way to do the job in place. We welded a large eye bolt to the center of the pan under where the gear was and used a bar and hydraulic jack to force and bend the bottom of the pan close to its original position and welded the seam that was cracked open. A few packs of gear lube was added and the loco was moved back to yard 2 to be prelubed and started.

We then switched a few more cars around, using CE 15. The last four Terror cars on the west wye were put away on the turntable leads and there were three flat cars in yard 13 that were in the way of ballasting track 134, so they were moved to the yard 13 lead. The loco was put away and we retired to dinner at a reasonable time for once.

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!

Celebrate the Museum collection and honor the members who make it work! Ride and see some of the less frequently run equipment at IRM. Bring your camera and enjoy the weekend!

Saturday, September 15th, 2012 (Daytime)

• North Shore Line 749 and 714
• Chicago Rapid Transit 1797 and 1268
• Chicago Transit Authority 3142
• Chicago Transit Authority 4391
• Veracruz 19 open streetcar
• CB&Q 9911A and Nebraska Zephyr
• BN 5383 and Heavyweight Coach Train
• CB&Q 504 and Caboose Train (late afternoon)
• Caboose Train Consist:
• CGW 601
• UP 3786
• CBQ 13572
• Heavyweight Coach Train Consist:
• CB&Q 1923 RPO
• B&LE 25
• IC 2804
• DMIR 84
• DLW 567
• DLW 561
• Inglehome Parlor Observation

There will be a demonstration of the plow wings on the CGW X38 snow plow at 1:30pm on Saturday the 15th. This will be located just East of the signal display at Barn 4.

Special Notes for the Coach Train and Zephyr on Saturday: Depending on operating crew availability, these two trains may operate for half the day each, the crew will move from one train to the other part way through the day to be able to operate both trains. The caboose train with with the diesel locomotive will only operate one or two trips in the late afternoon. All schedules and equipment subject to change without notice.

Saturday, September 15th, 2012 (Night Operations start at 8:00pm)

• North Shore Line 251, 749 and 714
• Chicago Transit Authority 4290 and 4410
• CB&Q 9911A and Nebraska Zephyr
• BN 5383 and Heavyweight Coach Train
• Coach Train Consist:
• CB&Q 1923 RPO
• B&LE 25
  
• IC 2804
• DMIR 84
• DLW 567
• DLW 561
  
• Inglehome Parlor Observation

Sunday, September 16th, 2012

• North Shore Line 749 and 714
• Chicago Transit Authority 22 and 41
• Chicago Transit Authority 3142
• Chicago Transit Authority 4391
• CB&Q 9911A and Nebraska Zephyr
• CNW 411 and Bilevel Train
• BN1 and Heavyweight Coach Train
• CB&Q 9255 and Caboose Train
• Caboose Train Consist:
• CGW 601
• UP 3786
• CBQ 13572
• Heavyweight Coach Train Consist:
• CB&Q 1923 RPO
• B&LE 25
  
• IC 2804
• DMIR 84
• DLW 567
• DLW 561
  
• Inglehome Parlor Observation

updated 9-13-2012, check back often for additions and changes.

All schedules and equipment subject to change without notice.

Updated July 16, 2012... We'll kick off each day at 10:00am with normal operations, the heavyweight coach train pulled by BN3 and BN9908; the Nebraska Zephyr pulled by CBQ 9911A; and a four car caboose train pulled by Milw 118C, and the CNW bilevels pulled by CNW 411. Later in the day we'll have a few freight train run-bys with different power each time. We may change the power on the heavyweight coach train and the caboose train after the parade.

The Parade of Power will begin around 1:00pm-1:30pm and will include the equipment listed below. Similar to last year, we will again have the BN 5383 under load from CNW 6847 heading East, and the CNW 6847 under load from BN 5383 heading West. The same drill for the CBQ 504 under load from SP 1518 heading East, and SP 1518 under load from CBQ 504 heading West. They will not stop in front of the depot as the other trains normally do.

The Saturday lineup will be as follows:

East

• United States Army 8537 (45Ton)
• Commonwealth Edison 19 (Brownhoist Crane)
• Commonwealth Edison 15 (SW1)
• Burlington Northern 1 (F9A), 2 (F9B)
• Burlington Northern 3 (E9Am), 9908 (E9Am) Coach Train
• Milwaukee Road 760 (H10-44)
• Milwaukee Road 118C (F7A) Caboose Train
• Nekoosa Paper 14 (S1)
• Minnesota Transfer 200 (RS3)
• Green Bay Western 2407 (RSD15) Freight Train
• Chicago Burlington & Quincy 9255 (SW7)
• Chicago Burlington & Quincy 9911A (E5A) Nebraska Zephyr
• Illinois Terminal 1605 (GP7)
• Chicago Burlington & Quincy 504 (SD24), Southern Pacific 1518 (SD7)
• Wisconsin Central 7525 (SD45)
• Chicago & North Western 6847 (SD40-2), Burlington Northern 5383 (U30C)
• Chicago & North Western 4160 (GP7R)
• Chicago & North Western 411 (F7A) Bilevels

West

• Burlington Northern 5383 (U30C), Chicago & North Western 6847 (SD40-2)
• Southern Pacific 1518 (SD7), Chicago Burlington & Quincy 504 (SD24)

The Sunday lineup will be as follows:

East

• United States Army 8537 (45Ton)
• Commonwealth Edison 19 (Brownhoist Crane)
• Commonwealth Edison 15 (SW1)
• Burlington Northern 3 (E9Am), 9908 (E9Am) Coach Train
• Burlington Northern 1 (F9A), 2 (F9B)
• Illinois Terminal 1605 (GP7), Chicago & North Western 4160 (GP7R), Milwaukee Road 118C (F7A) Freight Train
• Milwaukee Road 760 (H10-44)
• Chicago Burlington & Quincy 9255 (SW7) Caboose Train
• Nekoosa Paper 14 (S1)
• Chicago Burlington & Quincy 9911A (E5A) Nebraska Zephyr
• Minnesota Transfer 200 (RS3)
• Chicago Burlington & Quincy 504 (SD24), Southern Pacific 1518 (SD7)
• Wisconsin Central 7525 (SD45)
• Chicago & North Western 6847 (SD40-2), Burlington Northern 5383 (U30C)
• Green Bay Western 2407 (RSD15)
• Chicago & North Western 411 (F7A) Bilevels

West

• Burlington Northern 5383 (U30C), Chicago & North Western 6847 (SD40-2)
• Southern Pacific 1518 (SD7), Chicago Burlington & Quincy 504 (SD24)

We'll keep the usual disclaimer of All equipment and schedules subject to change without notice.

A night photo session is not scheduled this year.