Rock Island 2612

Here is a little progress report on our job to completely restore the 2612 to operation.  Our crew has expanded their efforts and I now see the possibility of getting all window frames and window sills painted before Thomas! Yes, the entire interior might be completely repainted by the time Thomas rolls up to our gate!   Its a great job everyone has been doing.  It's a lot of repetitive work. You would be surprised how long some tasks take. Eventually if you keep at it, the work does get completed.    These four people are the nucleus of our work team on the RI 2612.   Thanks again to Howard,  Loraine, Dan and Austin.   Without them the car would not be ready for this years Thomas Event!. 

       The weather has warmed and so has the interest on the RI 2612.   Last week, Brian Paterson and Brian La Kemper preformed a single car air test on the coach and found a pair of leaks that must be repaired  before the coach can be placed back in service.  This weekend found the both of them repairing those leaks.    This involved replacing a leaking angle cock and an air line "T" fitting.  In this case, like most of the older equipment, the replacement of the pipe became more involved.  Helping the two Brian's was young Phil from the steam shop.   Together they had to remove twenty feet of air line pipe in order to repair the damaged "T" fitting.  Nothing is easy!    Hopefully, with the help of Tom Schneider and other steam shop members a new pipe will be bent and installed next weekend.   My thanks for all those helping to make this repair!   

     And on the exterior...... Last Wednesday, Austin Harvey, began needle chipping the second vestibule.     Saturday, Howard and Mary Gierer continued the chipping and removed almost 2/3 of the old yellow paint from below the belt rail.   Thanks to all three of you for your continued efforts.      We hope to continue prepping this side for the eventual painting of the  Pullman green color this year.  Would you like to join us?  It seems as if Wednesdays are the perfect time for midweek activities at Irm.   If you can't make on a Wednesday I am also at the barn 3 most Tuesday's and Thursday's.      As always,  I enjoy helping you, the volunteer, get started on a project.    Please stop by Barn 3 for a visit and view our progress!                   Roger   

               I would like to publicly thank all the following volunteers who faithfully partook in the restoration of Rock Island 2612 and the repaint of Rock island 2602!    Without your interest and devotion  these projects would not have been completed.    So...   Thank you all again for your efforts.    We are continuing working on some projects  and starting others.    See you then.     

                      Gary Sherman, Loraine Bixler, Dan Bixler, Dave Cook, Brian Patterson, Andy Patterson, Mark Hoffman,  Ray Erickson, Austin Harvey, Kyle Vander Meer, Jane Blackburn,  Andy Townsend, Mary Geier, Howard Geier, Jan Hervert, Nancy Ring, Dan Boguse, Mike Steigerwald, John Mckelvey, Eric Olesen, Brian La Kemper, Shelly Vanderschaegen, Jim Opolony, Paul Cronin,  Matt Voss, Chase Renwick, Logan Gaerlan, Warren Newhauser, Roger Kramer  and from the steam dept; Christian Ellis, Jim Opolony, Eric Wahlmark  and Dave.  Here, again, are more pictures of some of the crew in various degrees of action. 

Gary

Jan and Loriane

Gary and Brian LaKemper

Dave

Dave Cook

    I am certainly proud of all of you for volunteering your time and labor in these two projects.        Roger Kramer     

Mary and Howard 

Austin

Brian, John our contract welder, and Roger 

 Howard, Gary, Roger, Loraine Dan and Dave 

Roger and Kyle  

Jane and Austin  

        Would you like to meet new people,  who also have similar train interests, and at the same time help restore and maintain museum artifacts?   Why not join our team and begin volunteering this coming week.   We meet in back of barn 3 where there is plenty of parking.    Remember to bring your lunch and your favorite drink.    All else is supplied including good conversation!       Thanks    

                                    Yes, indeed, the 2612 Team pulled off one of the more memorable restorations in the museum history.      Many Thanks  to all who help in this effort!         It wasn't that it was a special restoration  no, but it was rather the speed in which the restoration took place.   19 months from a Christmas car to a functional Rock Island coach. That is a very short time line. 19  months, is probably a new record for IRM.   Now don't get me wrong in your assumption that everything is complete, painted and functioning.   Far from it.    But it is now a usable piece of equipment that Irm can use on its the demonstration railroad.                                  Here, then, is a partial list of our teams accomplishments.  The interior is almost complete.    Most seat frames have repainted parts.  25 seat cushions and seven seat backs have been reupholstered. Two nickel seat frames are of brand new manufacture.   Two nickel seat cushions, bottoms and backs have been reupholstered        Many of the walkover seat handles are now a polished brass.      The ceiling has yet to be painted but all walls are now painted.  40 of the 42 seat frames are installed, 38 of the 50 window frames are installed, and the floor has been painted and repaired.   Steam lines are one step closer to being  pressurized.   Interior lighting was made operational.  42 advertising  car cards have been installed.     38 brass window frames have been repaired, painted, glazed w/ new safety glass, and installed.  Lastly,  12  window shades have been reinstalled.   Did I forget something?    Maybe, anyway that is a heck of a list.        

The exterior of the coach was not neglected.     One side was completely chipped and made free of the old paint.   A coat of primer was sprayed on to protect the surface before we can spray a first top coat.    Two new stair assemblies were made and installed.    Repairs were made by a Hampshire, Ill welder to the lower vestibule  frame to except the stairs.   Old deck plate was removed and new plate installed.   One entire vestibule has also been chipped and spray primed.  Two pin lifters have been reinstalled and painted along w/ two passenger gates.   The emergency conductors valve was made operational by repainting the airline pipe.    Both hand brakes were repair and made operational.   Four new buffer rods were manufactured so that two could be installed  using a spare used buffer plate.   AND we did all this work on time; and in time to be used on the DOWT train.     Quite an accomplishment for any group of people!!                        Now you can help us!!    We would like to store this coach inside the next barn that is being built.   BUT to do that we need your $help.  Please  send a donation marked " INSIDE STORAGE RI 2612"     This will insure that our hard work will be protected from nature's extreme weather changes.     Thanks for reading these blogs and more will be coming.    Roger Kramer                This last picture says a whole lot.    We literally installed the buffer and got it working 30 minutes before the switch crew tied onto the 2612 and moved it to the Thomas Train.    We sure cut the timing close.    The main thing is that we made the time frame!   

      I have said this a number of times but "Work continues on 2612." There has been some doubt from various members whether we would reach our deadline of completing the 2612 before Thomas. You can be reassured that we have! With a great out pouring from the core of volunteers the coach will be in a train. We just don't know which train but it will be used. Here are pictures of the various team volunteers and their projects.

                            More postings to come.      My postings have been slow in coming because I have been at Irm for eight days straight.   More  updates coming.        Thanks     Roger

                          Working five days a week for the past three weeks has improved the interior as well as the exterior of the coach.  I am now to the point of having only three projects yet to complete before we can operate 2612 for the Thomas Event/Train.        Most importantly, I have found a welding contractor from Hampshire, Ill  to repair and install the rebuilt stairs, decking, air line and begin the process of repairing the floor.                           I am hoping that we will have all the welding done by the first week of August.   It's amazing what can accomplished with an 8 hour work day.     Would you like to help pay for the steel?         To help defray the costs,  Please send a donation to the 2612 fund.   Thanks    Roger