Entries by Pauline Trabert

From Buzz Morisette

A tale of two sides.

Sorry but I have been very busy this summer and have not had time to report on the projects underway in the IRM freight department.

Victor and company have finished both ends and platforms of the PRR Bobber caboose. One side remains and just after the old car siding was off the bad side, it was moved outside Wednesday to have a good look. More bad frame work on this side than on the finished side will need to be addressed. But the finished side looks great. (Less the cupola of course).

PRR Bobber caboose before

PRR Bobber caboose side painted

Also outside in a barn shuffle the same day was the URTX insulated box painted Milwaukee Road. We have finished painting the new car siding but need to wait to next year to strip the bad side and install it. Until then we have been working on touch up and clear coat on the good side. Really looks great. But I missed the outdoor shot as usual.

URTX insulated box painted Milwaukee Road before

URTX insulated box painted Milwaukee Road refurbished

This project funded by the Milwaukee Road Historical society. Thanks for the support. Should be completed by next summer.

From Buzz Morisette, acting "Electric-Freight" Person:

As promised, this is a follow-up post on the North Shore 1003 caboose display. It is now open for inspection. And although there is still more work to do it makes a nice addition to the central campus for visitors to walk through.

Work remaining includes repainting the West interior, replacing the north car siding, and many detail improvements. As always your generous donations are greatly appreciated. Thanks to all involved in the project volunteering their time to enhance visiting the IRM.

Visitors on June 19, 2018.

Looking up at the cupola.

View inside the caboose.

Another look inside the caboose.

Photos courtesy of Buzz Morisette

From Buzz Morisette, acting "Electric-Freight" Person:

We are getting close to opening the North Shore 1003 caboose to the public.

For the last few months Henry V, John F, and I have been scraping, sanding and cleaning the caboose out getting it ready to paint this spring. The windows were repaired over winter and now we are in the final stages of painting.

Another big improvement was lighting tied to the barn lights. Dave D. instrumental in getting that hooked up. So stayed tuned we should have it open soon.

Pictured here are the volunteers of the “Electric-Freight” department spending Saturday 6/2 completing the ceiling and walls of the cab section.

L to R Victor, Bill, Greg and Buzz. Love that 1950 pastel green.

Greg with our reserve call up Bob B. of DeKalb.

Three new exhibit cases were under construction on Saturday, January 6, 2018 by Michael McCraren, Kevin Krebs, and Mashell Gellman. They are similar to the Pullman china case already on display but will hold memorabilia from CNW, LaSalle Station and Union Station.

Display case under construction in Display Car, photo courtesy of Mashell Gellman

One display case has been glued and clamped, photo courtesy of Mashell Gellman

Here's a Wood Shop update from Buzz Morisette:

In early October the Illinois Railway Museum was host to the annual convention of The Vintage Machinery group, Arnfest. Besides this being a chance for us to clean out a years worth of shop project leftovers, the Arnfest group generously repairs some of our old shop equipment.

This year besides replacing the bearings on our small band saw, they took on our big Fay and Eagan Jointer. The babbit bearings on this 100 plus year old machine were worn almost to the point of failure. Thanks to Tim, Victor, John and other shop regulars we were able to move it to a point to be worked on during the convention. The photos tell the rest of the story. (All photos from Buzz Morisette). 

Interesting to anyone that walked past, the old tool Whatsit table was a place for interesting conversation.

Job one was to remove the jointer’s old babbit metal.

Torches were used to heat the bearing pockets for the lower pour.

Another shot showing how torches were used to heat the bearing pockets for the lower pour.

A melt pot was set up near the south door close to the work.

Lower bearings being poured.

After that the top half of the bearings were poured.

End result, new bearings that should last another 100 years.

The band saw team replacing and tuning up the saw.

Yours truly running replacement Depot Door panels through the jointer after blade replacement.

Thanks again to the shop helpers I had as well as the great people at Arnfest for making this happen.