Entries by Roger Kramer

                           Here are a couple of updates from the Coach dept rolled into one Blog.       First,   Mike, Ray, and Mark have been completeing the annual assessments and inspections of the operating  coach fleet.   This takes about a month to month and one half.  They have been  checking on  the functions of brakes, wheels, and the condition of the trucks.   This year upon inspection of the Inglehome's wheels and truck frame it has been determined that one truck has a serious defect and it has been taken out of service.   Until this is resolved the  observation car will not be operating anymore!   Taking into consideration that it is more then 100 years old it will need some Major work to be placed back in service.                                                                                                                                                    Another project almost finished  by the Sunday crew has been and cleaning and repair of the "Silver train."  Last week Mike, Ray, amd Shelly installed the portable A/C  units into the various car to keep them "Kool" for the Summer viewing public.    More guided tours are on the schedule for this year.     A note for you folks who enjoy these cars is the fact that Track Storage Charges have not been paid on the LOCH SLOY!    If you would like to help erase this debt Please send a donation to the LOCH  SLOY FUND.  It owes more than $6,000.    Thank You!!!                             This Spring, one more project  has again started up.    It's the restoration of the women's bathroom in the John Mcloughlin sleeper.    Irm is hosting a convention for the Great Northern  RR Historical Society in late July of this year and touring  John Mcloughlin is on part of the schedule.  This gives the small team of Mark, Brian, and Roger  an added incentive to make things happen.  Would you like to join us?  Just stop by any Saturday in back of Barn #3.  Look us up!      We'll be there!                              A major project gaining added interest is the Lake City.   Already, it has been switched to the front of Barn #3 for display.   Please come in and view this amazing car!    John Mckelvy has also been working on reupholsterying the seat cushions in the section area of the sleeper-obs.    The lights  are working; ready for your viewing.   Not many museums can boist of four obs cars lit and ready for  viewing like we have at iRM!!!               Lastly,  recent news has been bloged about the reinstallation of many exterior windows in the D M & IR 84.   Chuck has done a great job!   The car was already back in service for the WW11 reenactment days this last weekend.  Great Job.     Don't forget to consider a donation to the Loch Sloy fund and the Inside  Storage Fund.   We are still working towards this "new barn" goal.    Thanks   Roger Kramer     

                                      The Cafe/Coach 1094 has received a significant  improvement to restoration of the car. Specifically, eight replica brass sconces have been installed in the dinning room.    These were made at home, over this last winter, by Jack Biesterfeld and then installed in the BM 1094 these last couple of weeks.    Just as important is how this improvement will be viewed by the visitor.   It will improve the  vistors experience.    How?    Just look at the results thur the car's window.       It really, really dresses up the diner.    Its a beautiful example of the elegance of early 1900's upper class, railroad travel.                                                   Another interior improvement was  advanced while Jack was  home replicating the sconces.    Shown in the next set of three pictures are the before and after of the  work and effort proformed by Mike, Ray and Mark Gellman.   The oil tank and its various pipe attackments were finally removed.  You can see the results with the last picture.    Sure looks different.    What was once there you ask?     This was the area for the Baker heater and the mens bathroom.     Eventually, the mens bathroom and it's appointments will be installed.                                              Would you like to help "Smilin Jack" achieve more improvements on this beautiful cafe diner?  Jack tells me there are a couple of "HOT" projects on this years list.    On the list  is the installation of two curved windows being manufactured by the museum's wood shop.     Please see Bob Kutella's woodshop Blog for construction pictures of the windows.  Ted Anderson is going to construct  two stain glass windows for these frames.   Together, Jack and Ted will install them.   The other project is centered on the vestibule reconstruction.   Needed in this job are some big dollars for the manufacture of two steel stairs.   Jack also plans to strip off all the old paint in this vestibule.                                                                                                                                                                 Please consider helping this project with donation to the BM 1094 Restricted Fund.    A N D    don't forget to send a donation to the  Barn 14 building fund.   We, at Irm, are still working towards building this barn!!!  Please don't forget.                            Thanks         Roger Kramer                   

                                                      This last Saturday found the Track dept hard at work on our main line replacing some old ties with new.     THIS is hard work.   Hats off to the track dept for the planning and installation of this program.   Earlier in the year a number of trucks delivered 750 new ties to Irm for the main line upgrade.   Do any of you know the cost of one tie?                         It is $33.00 delivered.   You can do the math.   Its very expensive.  When you donate to the Track Fund some of your donations go to the purchase and maintence of the equipment and supplies.  This tie replacement program happens every year and it keeps our railroad in tip top shape.  Safety is the word.                                               A few weeks ago the crew marked which ties to remove.    The next week the crew removed the spike and tie plate on each of those marked ties.    Todays pictures are the result of the that previous planning.                                                                                                 A big thank you to the following museum members who volunteered to make this project happen.   Mike Alterio, Terry Elliot, Frank Devries, Bob Olsen, Mark Reimer and Pat Shea.       This "tie gang" will be out again next weekend.    Would you like to join them?     Just met in front of Barn 2 and be sure and wear steel-toed shoes!    Bob might even tell you a story or two how we used to do things without machines.   THAT was fun...                                                                                                                                                                                         Thanks fellows for repairing the machines and making this possible.     Without their efforts the railroad would have a speed restriction of 10 mph!!    Track maintenance is vital to the museums growth and safety.   Please consider a donation to the Track Dept Fund!     While your at it..... again.....please consider sending a little extra to the Barn 14 Building Fund.       Thanks     Roger Kramer

                                 Here, are a few more "shots" of the unloading of The Lake City!    Nick and the truckers began moving the car into postion about 3:30 pm and didn't stop until the job was done.... at 9:45pm at night.    O,  I almost forgot to tell the reader that the night work lights were provided from members cars shinning their high beams on the work area.    This sounds real fimiliar to many of us e old-timers. That's the way we did much our work at night.   Remember guys!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              The problem that was encounted was due to the position of the load on a piece of curve rail east of barn 10.  The first wheel set lined up fine but when Nick began to lower the obs car on the second wheel set it was fouled by part of the underbody.  We needed a straighter piece of track.  Thus, the trucker with his 100 foot plus rig, had to repositon the load on the unloading rail.   This moving back and forth happened about 3 or 4 times.                     Half the car was already on its wheel set while the other half  was still swinging in the air suspended by the crane.  It was jockeyed back and forth before the right postion was obtained.     Finally, about 8pm and after a quick pizza  delivery break, thanks Nick for the dinner, the car was finally lowered onto the second wheel set.   Also, a BIG  Thank You goes out to Rod, curator of the Electric Car Dept, for sitting in the cab  of the 45 tonner for 3hrs while this effort was  taking place.  He then moved the Lake City to yard 3.    Gerry and I went home about 9pm and had a great story to tell the next weekend.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Today, the Lake City is now housed in Barn 3 for your viewing.   When visiting Irm this year don't forget to stop by and view this splended example of 1910's railroad transportation.  Wouldn't it be grand to sit in this car while traveling down our right-of-way?   This can be a reality but the coach dept needs a "Few" funds to accomplish this.   Many items still need to be purchased before this can happen .   We need to purchase and install period carpeting, reupholster 10 sitting chairs, purchase light fixtures and globes and then complete the two washrooms.   Please consider a donation to the Lake City restricted fund.  Your generosity will help us meet this goal.     Also, please remember the museum's ongoing  Barn 14 building fund raiser program.       Thanks      Roger Kramer    

                                               The  Chicago, Milwaukee and Puget Sound  RR,  LAKE CITY, arrived on the property in August 19, 2012.  Here are some pictures of its movement around the museum roads.  The unloading  portion will be shown at a later date.    To move this rare observation car from central Wisconsin to Irm's campus cost over $33,000!!   Nick Kallas arranged for the movement as he has done for all the museum's off-property acquisations.    It was a nice late Summer day and only about 10-12 people were present to help and record the history making event.  Only two coach dept members were there to help: Gerry Boguse and myself.  Also assisting were the Buck brothers who were in operations earlier in the day.    We sure needed their prayers for the unloading did not entirely go according to "plan."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   If you are a member of Irm you have come to realize that when an acquisation first arrives it needs to pay for the museum to construct additional track for that piece to be "stored."  This is also the case w/ the LAKE CITY.  The storage price is $75.00 per foot to construct the track.   That price includes the cost of the rail, jointbars, spikes, ties and ballast.             You get the picture.      For an 81 foot passenger car this really gets expensive.   It is an additional $6075.00    We are putting out the appeal for donations to pay for the "space."    I realize it is almost income tax time but with a donation this year to the Restricted Fund, LAKE CITY you will be working on your 2013 tax deduction!!                         In addition............ Please! Please!  do not forget to send in a few donational dollars to help in the barn building fund,  Barn 14.                                       

                                                   Restoration  has continued on the women's lavatory in the John Mcloughlin Pullman sleeper.     Mark Hoffman and I have been working on the bathroom as time permits.  In the last two years I  have installed two missing sinks and  the fittings that are attached to them. I have also  installed the brass water pipe below the sinks.  Just as important, I have purchased the five correct brass shelves and the 2 lite fixtures.   Monies for purchasing  these items have come from donations to the John McLoughlin restricted fund.                                             Last Summer, we decided to paint and restore a test section in the women bathroom.  The results were quite stunning!  I hope you agree with me.  Here are pictures of the before and after!!    The test section sure turned out quite well!!  Mark and I were very pleased.  There will be more improvements in the future!                                  This is the view from the exterior if you would be on the walkway in Barn 3.   No longer is this window frame clear glass as it was for many years.  Now, with correct pressglass installed one gets the correct "look" when the sleeper was in operation .     Mark and I have decided to tackle the repaint of the entire  bathroom.     We started in early summer of 2012.   The next blog will update you on our progress....    BUT... In-the-meantime,we need some assistence with one problem.   Part of the wall in missing, removed out by the previous owner.                     Donations would be very welcome to assist in the rebuilding of the wall.  Since this is a volunteer project not supported by the general fund please consider a donation  to the Resticted Fund.... John Mcloughlin.    While you're at it.... Please also consider sending  a donation to the BARN 14 building Fund.    Thank You       Roger     

                   Saturday was a wet and dreary day BUT, the small Saturday coach group kept plugging away.                                The projects continued.                 One, my favorite, as of late, was the R I 2612 and the other was the Ely.                          Noteworthy on the Ely, was the installation by Buzz and Victor in the afternoon, of the second ceiling panel.      Before I could arrive and take a picture Victor had gone home.  Instead, here is Buzz along w/ Mark smiling for the camera.                                                                                                                         Last week, Mike and Ray pulled new wires for the future installation of the two ceiling lite fixture.      Look closely at the picture and you will see the new wires protruding from the panels, ready for the "hookup."                                                                                                                                     Not pictured, but equally important, is what the Sunday coach dept crew is working on.  Mark, Mike, Shelly and Ray are continueing the painting and upgrading of the second Display Car-Railroad Experience for future Grand opening.   On your Spring trip to Irm this year do not forget to visit the display car in yard five.  Its quite impressive and beautiful!!                                                                                                                                                                                           My excitement for the day,was the continuation of stripping the 2612 for use in the "Thomas" train this August!   I begin by throwing a few boxes left from last week.    After lunch,our new member, Brian Patterson, walked in and began the  ongoing task of scraping  the old paint off the walls.  I, in the meantime, unscrewed all of the misc screws on one wall.   They were used for xmas displays by the Crandic.       I also removed plywood from the nickelseats and placed in positon the nickelseat cushions.  By then Mark showed up and assisted Brian in scraping more paint off the walls.                                                                                   The last chore of the day was the transferring of a few of the cushions to my truck  in preparation for the removal of the old green upholstery.        At that point it was 5 pm and the door were closed for the day!     What we need now is help to strip the old green upholstery off of these cushions!!          Any assistence would be welcomed!!                       The coach dept is also appealing for donations to help pay for track storage for the 2612.              Please send a donation to the  Ristricted  Fund, 2612, and when doing so Please consider another to the..................BARN  14  Building Fund.    Thank You    Roger   Kramer