Passenger Car Department

We have been very busy this early fall.  All the volunteers that work in barn 10 have been recruited into the fall the painting crew.  As you now know various painting projects have taken priority this year.  We are trying to get all these projects completed before winter starts.  By now you have seen my blog progress on the IC 3345.   That is not the only department car being reworked. We have also been slowly restoring and repainting the roof of the, John Mcloughlin, our 8-1-2 Pullman sleeper.  The painting of  black is the culmination of our hard efforts.   Please take a look!  It might not look like much but some of our volunteers have spent over 8 months working for this moment.  In addition,  Howard Gierer and crew have repainted five roofs on our Rock Island fleet.    .   Please consider sending in a donation the help support more  restoration improvements on this heavy weight sleeper.   The John Mcloughlin  project needs your support.          Thanks            Roger

This last Tues and Wed saw the final step in the painting process on the IC 3345.   Howard, with my assist, applied the yellow yellow stripe to this side of the 3345. We had a very small but productive crew, Tuesday.  It seems like a few of  the steam department volunteers have also been enjoying helping the coach department.    This was the case Tuesday when Matt Gustafson decided to help us.   He is a very energetic young man who jumped right in and began sanding the other side of the coach in preparation for the final coat of brown.     Thanks for all your help, Matt.  Hope to see this coming Tuesday.      I can not overemphasis the amount of time/work that goes into just masking off this entire 85 foot coach.    Painting is the easy part compared to the time spent setting the lines for the yellow stripe.   For a clean straight edge we used 3M  blue tape purchased from our local Sherwin Williams paint dealer in Huntley.  If you would like to see more passenger cars painted in the future we would like to suggest a donation to the coach dept  fund or to the individual pieces listed here.     Up for consideration for future painting projects are the following pieces.    Although not in any order of importance are the following projects.     Milwaukee Road X5000, Pennsylvania  Cascade Knoll,   CB&Q 481, CB&Q 1923,  John Mcloughlin and Mount Harvard.                      Thanks              Roger Kramer

Here are more action shots of the painting of the IC 3345. All these pictures were taken last week!  As I have said its taken a long time but the results are well worth the wait.   Be sure and stop by barn 10 in the next couple of weeks to view our progress on freight  and passenger cars.  Yes, we have applied three coats to the coach and it really looks great!   The results are truly amazing.   Its quite a beautiful coach!! 

We had to moved the 3345 out of barn 10 and reposition it so that's it better light for painting.   Now its in eastern half front of the barn and you can get a better view of her.    Since the coach is first out in barn 10 the visitor can now appreciate the colorful paint scheme the Illinois Central produced!      Thanks   Roger

Here are a couple of prepping pictures followed by the main painting event.   Yes, after all this sanding and masking we finally got down to the main event!  Now, you readers will have to remember that this is an 85 foot passenger car.  Its the longest type made for American railroad.  It takes a lot of  volunteer hours, therefore, to get the job done correctly.  Incidently, Howard and I decided he should spray three coats for each color. Be sure to join us in the Coach Shop to lend us your helping hands.   The next work session will be this coming Wednesday, September, 13.     Thanks    Roger

Here is a sample of the results that the newly designated coach and freight restoration shop ,barn 10, is now producing.  Between the two departments we hope to turn out some quality restoration projects.   The future  bodes well for us in this new shop.  We think between the two departments we can produce one or two new pieces of equipment every year  that will appear ready for display and or operation. Yes, your help is very important to us here in Barn 10 Restoration Shop.   First, we would like to have more volunteers working with us on the various projects.  Tuesdays, as well as, Wednesdays, are the main volunteer days.   So if you can join us on one of both days,   Please Do!    Second,  as with most projects at Irm the concern with funding is always a consideration!   If we can show that your donations are being used and spent well we believe we can earn your trust and, therefore, receive more donations.    Make sense, Yes?    So.... Please consider supporting the Freight and Passenger car departments with either a donation or with your volunteering.  Together, We will make this an exciting area to watch and visit!    Thanks     Roger