Illinois Railway Museum Blog

Roger Kramer has managed to get some interesting images of several projects ongoing with our passenger cars.  These are seldom seen or reported on so I will start out with Illinois Central 3345.  This is a smooth side car built by ACF in 1948, configured as a  GRILL - COACH  design, also sometimes known as a lunch counter car.  IRM acquired the car from a location in Delavan WI when owned by the Chamber of Commerce and their plans did not work out.

Prep

The exterior gets prepped by removing old paint, to get ready for priming.  Andy Townsend, Roger Kramer, and Mike Steigerwald are working away on this, a section at a time.

Primed

The same area as above, but with fresh primer applied.  This area is being prepared to install the last large side window in the car.

Interior

Here is the interior, and this presents a sobering image.  A lot can be done with some more volunteer help, or more funding.  Clean it up, scrape it down, and repaint.  It would do wonders!

Moving on to one of our heavyweight cars, let's take a look at the JOHN MC LOUGHLIN.  This is a classic Pullman 8-1-2 sleeping car built in 1929 for the original Empire Builder on the Great Northern!

Womens Room

Roger Kramer and Mark Hoffman have been working on this car, exterior and interior.  Newly restored shelves are installed in the Womens Lavatory.

Hooks

On the other side of this same room are coat hooks, reinstalled after cleanup.  I suppose this design allowed the ladies to hang their wraps and block spectator views through the window from outside!  Below the lamp is the frame for a now missing mirror.

Mens Room

Meanwhile, in the Mens Lavatory we see the arrangement of wash basin and a small dental sink.  Was that provided to brush your teeth, or to clean 'storebought' dentures?