Roger---
What type of Journals does Mt. Harvard have? The first photos looked like friction but the later ones seem like a closed box roller bearing. The reason I ask is if I'm Conductor and if I have to check 12 more journal boxes on a passenger train, one of us is not leaving the station. Otherwise, good job and thanks Roger.
---Sam
Hello Sam The Mt Harvard has historic friction bearings on 242 Pullman trucks. Yes they should be checked once a day when in operation. I appreciate your interest and devotion to your volunteer job. All donations are welcome now that we have depleted the fund because of the expensive shipping costs. Roger
That's every day or 100 miles (~10 mainline round trips) which ever is first for journal checks. I am sure once we roll her out (restoration projects at IRM are never "finished" they just pass mileposts.) there will be long lines of crowds wanting to ride her. Keep up the good work, Roger. I'll give you (and Mt. Harvard) a "City Hall Handshake" when next we meet.
Roger, If you get the Mt Harvard on the mainline this year, I'll check your journals for you. That was part of my job when I worked for C&NW @ Proviso. And now you know I'm and old fart!
No worries Sam!
Hi Roger, I am the guy from Mid Continent that wanted to see the C&NW caboose with Richard. I lost your email and wanted to know your scheduled so we could come see you. Thanks Andy
aspinelli@ewebpaper.com
Hello Andy If u have the opportunity come out on either a Wed or Sat and stop by barn 4, the streetcar shop. Ask for Vic Humphreys who works in the freight car dept. He can show you the CNW waycar. Please stop by barn 3 and say hello Roger
Two questions:
What is the white material on the roof of the car?
Will the Mt go into one of the two new barns or another indoor space?
Ted Miles
IRM Member
Hello Ted The white material on the roof is long ago applied gray white primer. Now its, of course, faded and now will be removed in the future. Indoor space is a maybe. Keep donating to the fund Ted. Thanks
This is unrelated, but is it true that Union Pacific is storing their two Chicago Northwestern Dash-9s at IRM? Do you or anybody at IRM know how long UP plans to keep them stored there? I am assuming this is temporary, because according to the I learned this from source, their are being stored due to a down turn in traffic.
Hello Jerry There are two reasons First, most railroads will not except friction bearing equipment movements. There are a few exceptions but it takes an" act of congress" to get them. Second, and more important is the fact that the bridge at Mid-Continent RR Museum has been out of service ever since the big flood of 2008. The bridge has been used in the past to make equipment moves in and out of their museum. Now the only way in or out is by truck. Please help us defray the costs by sending in a check to the Mt. Harvard fund!! Thanks Roger
Wasn't all of the airbrake equipment underwater a few years back as well ? I may not have been easy to get a good air test on the car. Trucking it was the right thing to do.
Randy Stahl
Hello Randy Yes the brake system was partially underwater but was tested. I was told the brakes did apply and release. Need less to say before we operate the Mt Harvard the system will need a clean and test U valve Sending this out for service costs around $700. Yes, it was the only way we were going to move it! Thanks for your interest Roger
Roger,
Thanks for the update on Mid Continent RR museum. This was the first museum I ever visited. I believe it was 1964. So if I understand you, any equipment received or delivered out of this museum must travel over a bridge to get to the UP ( CNW) mainline. It suffered water damage in 2008 and is now impassable? Why can't they repair it?
Hello Jerry Yes, the bridge that connects Mid Continent with the UP interchange is still out-of-service! There is only one holdup to its repair. You guessed it! M O N E Y. The proposed repair bill is about $75,000.00. Unfortunately, the museum does not have the money to repair it so... they are still land locked.
Heck, $75K is not that much when it comes to bridge work. I wonder if it could be fixed with volunteer labor? Maybe a combined crew of IRM and MC people could all pitch in and make the repair in a few weekends? It's always a nice gesture to lend a hand to a sister institution. They would surely repay the favor later.
Thanks for the great blog posts, Roger.
Hello NB You have some great ideas but reality hasn't set in yet! First MC does not have the $75k to devote to the project. The leadership is not worried [from my perspective]about placing the bridge back into operation! They have more important issues to deal with, ie paying off the large loan that was secured after the floor. To your second point; the logistics of repairing a bridge by both membership is out of the question. The liability of the repair would be too great. Thanks Roger
Hi Dave I was following the Harvard and at one point as we were going down a hill we hit 68 mph. I would say we were averaging about 55 mph Thanks Roger