Illinois Railway Museum Blog

                                                      This last Saturday found the Track dept hard at work on our main line replacing some old ties with new.     THIS is hard work.   Hats off to the track dept for the planning and installation of this program.   Earlier in the year a number of trucks delivered 750 new ties to Irm for the main line upgrade.   Do any of you know the cost of one tie?                         It is $33.00 delivered.   You can do the math.   Its very expensive.  When you donate to the Track Fund some of your donations go to the purchase and maintence of the equipment and supplies.  This tie replacement program happens every year and it keeps our railroad in tip top shape.  Safety is the word.                                               A few weeks ago the crew marked which ties to remove.    The next week the crew removed the spike and tie plate on each of those marked ties.    Todays pictures are the result of the that previous planning.                                                                                                 A big thank you to the following museum members who volunteered to make this project happen.   Mike Alterio, Terry Elliot, Frank Devries, Bob Olsen, Mark Reimer and Pat Shea.       This "tie gang" will be out again next weekend.    Would you like to join them?     Just met in front of Barn 2 and be sure and wear steel-toed shoes!    Bob might even tell you a story or two how we used to do things without machines.   THAT was fun...                                                                                                                                                                                         Thanks fellows for repairing the machines and making this possible.     Without their efforts the railroad would have a speed restriction of 10 mph!!    Track maintenance is vital to the museums growth and safety.   Please consider a donation to the Track Dept Fund!     While your at it..... again.....please consider sending a little extra to the Barn 14 Building Fund.       Thanks     Roger Kramer