Entries by Roger Kramer

This is small memory refresher for all of you!  This is the RI 2602 two years ago before we decided to actively restore the interior.  You must remember that the coach department was still restoring the 2612 at this time!  The coaches interior was in horrible condition.   We only had about three weeks, last year, to repainted the walls of the 2602 before the Thomas event.  Here are some 2014 pictures.    Like me, you will be amazed at the before and after pictures.    What a contrast.   The next blog will show you what the coach interior looks like now.   What a difference!    Please continue reading.     Thanks    Roger

I want to show everyone our latest project rushing to completion for Thomas.  We have a small crew that has been feverishly working on restoring the interior of our last operating Rock Island coach 2602.  Paul Cronin and I  are very proud of the quality of work that we all have accomplished this season.  We are just like Metra upgrading the interiors of our equipment.  Here is the latest report, then, on the Rock coach. Do you sometimes wonder how your donations benefit the museum?   Here is a prime example.   We just purchased two heavy duty 6 foot step ladders and an 10foot aluminum plank scaffold to be used on this project!  Your donations made it possible to purchased this equipment.  Sure makes it a lot easier working on the ceiling. This picture was taken, July 28, 2016.   This weeks agenda includes painting all seat frames, heater covers and nickel seat frames.   While that is proceeding we will also finish top coating both areas above the two entrance doors.    Once those jobs have been completed we will sweep and clean the floor and begin painting it.   Next week, once the floor is dry, we will begin cleaning by washing walls and cleaning windows.    Lastly, begin  moving in all seat cushions and backs.   We shall then have reliable clean interior permitting us to focus our future attention on other projects.   We need some help to clean the interior and move/ fit the seat cushions back into the coach.   Please consider volunteering.  The more volunteers we have the more fun there will be.    Remember, Day Out With Thomas is soon approaching, August 13 and 14, and we would like to have the help to make things easier on all of us.   Please consider helping!!     Thanks  Roger

 Here is another progress report of the 556.   Included are a few scenes from other important restoration projects.  We have accomplished so  much  in the first to weeks of July that I will be giving you a detailed report on the RI 2602 next week.   As I have  previously mentioned we are upgrading the 556 from top to bottom.Do you recognize this coach?   Very possibly not!   Its the interior of our CNW combine  7700.   We painted the floor June 29th and what a difference it makes. Yes, it now makes a big difference in the appearance of the interior.  We have expanded our work schedule to include this upgrading of the combine.  By all accounts it surely needed it!   First, Sandy sanded, primed and then applied two coat of gloss black to all the window sills while it was stored in barn 3.   During the same period  Sandy also sanded, primed and coated  gloss black  to all the wooden arm rests.   Lastly, we painted the floor and steam heat pipes all an indian red color!   It so  dresses up the combine that you  will be amazed at the difference!   Still much to do including a ceiling repair but that might happen when funds become available in the coming years.  In the meantime, it should be kept indoors, when not in operation, to prevent anymore more damage from rain leaking into the ceiling from the roof.  These two picture's proudly show the rebuilt motors for the 1024 "L" car that Tim Peters has been restoring for the past 4 years!  That's the round up for the first two weeks in July, 2016.  As you well know, the last two weeks of July were very, very hot but we kept  working as you shall see in the next blog.         Thanks  Roger

This past week a large group of volunteers continued working on the Erie Lackawanna coach, 556.  We are now focusing our attention on the exterior with work being preformed on the trucks and the roof.   We are putting the finishing touches on our Thomas and Percy train for this years Day Out With Thomas event,  Please consider coming out to help.  We still need to paint two coach floors and clean all 12 coaches.    Please stop on by, OR if you cant make it please consider sending a donation to the Passenger Coach fund to help defray the costs of paint and materials.  Thanks  Roger