Entries by Roger Kramer

        

         Is this coach out of service for Thomas?               It might be!!      Just look at the interior.      How would you like to  enjoy DOWT while sitting in this coach?          

Therefore......

          We need more volunteers!!     Please consider helping on this emergency project.    Having the coach stored out on the main in this harsh winter proved fatal for the old paint surface.    

We have seen this type of picture before but what can be done?  

It's up to you, the volunteers, to put in the time and prepare this car for this year's THOMAS.                                                                                  

 

  

 The old paint needs  to be scraped off, then the surface sanded, then primed,  and finally repainted. 

   

 

The museum needs YOU to help get this money maker back into service.   

                                       If you haven't been out for a while, or have been bored at home,  why not consider helping!    It doesn't matter where your interest's lie come around in back of barn 3 and Myself or Mike or Mark or Gary can get you going.   Someone from the coach dept is here Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.     The more the volunteers the quicker the job gets done and you might even make some new friends along the way.     I'll keep you updated!     

  Thanks for reading          Roger Kramer

                             Just a short but important update this time.   Gary and I have now installed 8 seat frames including two that were removed by the previous owner. Remember the "bar"? That is where the two have been installed; making it look more and more like a Rock Island commuter coach!

                              With the above picture you can see the progress with all eight being installed. Yesterday, we fastened 3 more to the wall and floor. It took us a while to find the old holes in the floor where the bar was but having a general idea helped locate them. It wasn't too long before the seat frame stands were secure to the concrete floor and frames secured to the wall.

Earlier in the day, Gary, using the wirewheel, cleaned the rust off of more wall frames.    He was getting the surface ready for priming, painting and later installation of yet two more new wall panels.

                             Please come out and visit our project along w/ the rest of the coach dept projects on the Saturday April 12th.

                              To keep our projects advancing Please consider a donation to the Coach Dept Restrict Fund!              Thanks                      Roger Kramer

                                               The snow is almost gone and Spring is here but you wouldn't believe it with the cold temperatures we've been having.    The temperatures do not keep Gary and I from making more headway.   We are beginning  to install a few parts that had been removed late last year.   This is happening because we finally installed and now have painted the three panels that we removed in December, 2013.

 

    Gary and I have reinstalled the first of two seat frames using brass flat head screws onto the newly painted panels.

 

 

                                 Here's Logan scraping old paint off of the standee grab handles.  Saturday, March 22th was his first day working on the 2612.   You did a fine job.  Thank you, Logan.  Hope to see you in upcoming weekends!   

 

                                Gary started removing our last panel Wednesday afternoon.     We first removed the last two remaining seat frames attacked to the panel.  As the pic shows he begin the messy job of grinding off the old screw heads.    Sparks took the place of the old "heads."   Our next visit will focus on removing this last panel and prepping for the installation of the new one.    I can't wait till we are done with this part of the restoration.  

 

                           This last picture, taken Wednesday, shows Christian  enclosing our newly painted panels with plastic.  We want to keep them clean from all the grinding that is still continuing on the interior.   The reader will see more of these sections covered as  the project proceeds.   

                              Please come and visit the Coach Dept.    Much progress has occurred since last fall.     Visit the Ely,  Birmingham, RI 2612, Lock Sloy, John Mcloughlin, and the Art Train display cars for a inperson  inspection of the work accomplished.   

                                           You might even consider helping these projects further along with a donation!       Thanks                Roger

                                                             Gary and I had an exceptional work day Tuesday. First, I delivered to the woodshop a twelve foot long by 3 inch wide board of Popular wood to be sawn into two more wood sills. Gary, in the meantime, removed the second  nickel seat frame.

                           This one was even more rusted out than the first!

Then as we were about to install the three painted, panels the new steel arrived. With the helped a small crew from the car department we off loaded it onto my Dodge pick up. Thanks to Mike and Rod for ordering it. I then drove to the 2612 were Gary and I unloaded it into the coach.

                                                                                     Now for a little fun and laughter!!             

 

    We began our final sequence  by caulking all steel ribs then gently installing each frame.    We inserted a few 1/4-20 screws to make sure the holes were properly aleigned then quickly installed the rest.   This was repeated three times until all holes were lined up and all screws installed.  The count; 96 steel screws.    We then used my drill to torque them down.   We were done about 5pm and were ready to go home!    What a day!!     

Yes, we have the three installed. Now, looking forward to paint and install three more.   This time it should take less time.   Gary and I have it down to a "science"    Ya, right!!! 

                          It is getting warmer!    The snow and ice are almost gone.    I hope you can visit IRM this year! 

                           Come on over to view and visit with the volunteers.      It is amazing to see all the winter progress!                                  Roger   

                                       Gary and I reached a milestone Monday. I  primed and painted the back side of the three steel replacement panels.   We have been patiently fitting them for the last two months.

                                                                                                            We save money where we can!                     

                                      While I was watching the paint dry, Gary was removing this steel nickel seat panel via the grinding wheel.                                                             

  

                                     Now that  the weather is  getting "warmer", Gary and I  coming out to the museum more.    This upcoming  week we hope to work on the car Tuesday as well as Thursday.   The reader will see greater progress in the up coming blogs.      

                                                   Comments to this blog are always accepted           Please, let me hear from you!

                                                                               WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP!

                                     If you can't make it out to Irm Please consider a donation to either the RI 2612 fund or the Passenger Car- Inside Storage Fund.                        Thanks             Roger

                         Gary and I were out on a Thursday,3-6, instead of the usual Wednesday.    It snowed Wednesday.     Gee... what else is new!    Gary and I spent most of the day drilling and tapping new holes for which the seat frames will again be fastened. V

    What a job!   In order to save a little time we used my three drill motors with three different bite sizes to drill the holes.    If any of you have spare titanium  drill bites we could sure use them.    We then tapped each hole with a 1/4-20 tap.   Each seat frame will be fastened to the wall with at least  6  1/4-20 flat head brass fasteners.    My arms were tired from drilling and Gary's was tired from tapping.   We have 11 frames to reinstall with 6 screws each  being used to fasten to the newly installed steel wall.   That's at least 66 fasteners just on this one leg of the job.    I'll tell you the revised count when we have completed the work.

                         Here is something new.   We began removing more rusty steel walls on Saturday, March 8 .   This time in back of the 3 nickel seats [long bench seats closest to the doors].  We have decided to cut and remove three nickel seat frames,  get them repaired and then reinstall them after the walls has been repaired. 

  Part of the reason this decision was made was on account of this years board candidate, Nick Kallas.     He astutely observed the frail condition of one of the nickel seat frames and suggested that we repair it.    Upon further investigation  we decided to indeed "fix the problem."    That problem turned into three problems. 

                       That's where we stand today. 

    Gary and I also decided to remove one more steel section behind three more seat frames.     We might as well replace those sections while we have the opportunity.  Once the interior repairs are made this coach will reliable in service way beyond my years.   That's the way it should be looked at.   We are preserving it for the future.    

                                       If you would like to help with this steel purchase send your donations to the Rock Island 2612 Project!  

                     And remember too that Irm might be building two storage barns!!.      Donations to the Barn 13 and 14 storage barns are being accepted.        Thanks   Roger  Kramer 

                                                    Here's one of those rather revealing reports on our  RI 2612 project. 

 

  This is a sample of the work Paul Cronin and the woodshop crew has been producing for our project.   Just  painted sections of  poplar  wood made into window sills.  

   It was another snowy Feb, Wednesday the 26,  but there is always a Wednesday crew to enjoy  a little lunch.       Walking back to the 2612 I found Gary all ready to start fitting the new steel panels onto the wall.  

                                                                                        

                                     

 

           The last photo of March 1, shows the three sheets are fit into place and have  screws already drilled and taped.    The drilling and taping of the rest of screws will complete this part of the job on our next visit March 6th.     I hope  warmer weather is also going to visit us...  and too you the reader wherever you live.    

            Too help this project along Gary and I are asking for a few volunteers to come out and assist us with sandblasting duties.   We are in search of people, male or female, to clean metal  parts that have been removed from the seat frames.   Since they have been removed we should clean and paint them before the reinstallation.    If you are interested please meet us in back of barn 3 on any  Wednesday or Saturday for further "How to" instructions.   If you have another day that you are available please let us know.   We will make the appropriate accommodations.   It's not hard work  but it does take some time.   Bring you lunch and something to drink and we can lunch inside or out, weather permitting.  

                           Remember,  to donate to the  BARNS 13 and14 building fund.    Yes, we might build 2,  Yes 2!!!!!!!!!!      Thanks  for  reading this blog                        Please share if with your friends.                Roger  Kramer