Illinois Railway Museum Blog

Lots of news, lots of pics, lots of work, despite rain for at least the first half of the day.  Here we go:

Seat Frame

Bill Peterson volunteered to attack the old paint and rust on one of the seat frames for the Chicago Great Western X 38 snowplow.  There were not a lot of guys waiting in line to do this job, so we all have to thank Bill for the good job.  Looking closely you will say "No that is a passenger seat".  The railroad recycled some old passenger car seats and married them to a fabricated angle iron frame.

Interior Siding

Victor Humphreys installed a lot more interior siding on the left side of the plow.

Prime Condition

With the old scud cleaned off, Bill moved on to priming the bare metal.

More Priming

We fabricated another framing timber for the plow with help from Lorne Tweed and then made eight filler blocks needed before we can consider adding ceiling boards.  Victor attacked them with primer at once.

Lights

Lighting for the 50th avenue station platform is being re-done and here, Fred Zimmerman is working on some of the porcelain glazed light shades.

Sockets

Meanwhile, Bill Wulfert was cleaning and reassembling some of the sockets for the new lights.

Boxes

Rich Witt continues work on the CA&E replica first aid boxes.  I think there are ten different parts for each box and all have to fit very exact.

Getting Legs

The Cleveland Transit System 4223 PCC car project is really getting legs.  No so much for Ray Pollice who is working on wainscotting panels.  Actually, the temporary plywood flooring was removed to let Ray stand upright on the ground beneath the car.  But at first glance - - -

Front End

Eric Lorenz installed the new special rubber gasket material in the two front windows.  Such a simple thing, such a big impact.

More Windows

Lorne Tweed and Eric continued on the window work on the left side of the car.  Eric has just installed one of the missing standee windows at the front of the left side.

New Wood

Tim Peters has completed a lot of work on the southwest corner of Chicago Rapid Transit 1024.  Previously we showed new framing and sill work; now the side filler panels are all in, as is the corner post work complete.  Tim is checking how new siding will match up.

Easy Sitting

We took the CGW seat frame away for cleaning and painting and so John McKelvey is now busy with a passenger car lounge seat.  It really looks good and very comfortable.  But I bet John will not let us try it out with our grimy work duds on.