Illinois Railway Museum Blog

This sure is not the same summer as last year.  More rain and only a few hot heat wave temps so far.  Clear and pleasant Saturday and Sunday.  So we spent most of the time Saturday working on the Chicago Great Western X 38 snowplow outdoors, and Sunday rubbernecked like a tourist at our Vintage Transport Show.  If not a record setter, surely one of the largest in my recent memory, with over 500 vehicles on display, and seven different trains running for riders.

First of the Ceiling

Victor Humphreys is nailing up the first of the long awaited new ceiling boards inside the rear cabin of the plow.  Just a few boards at a time but a big visual impact.

Rear Roof

Bill Peterson worked in the shop the morning, cutting and fitting the next ceiling boards, and then moved on the enjoy the weather on the roof of the plow.  He made good progress attacking the rust and old paint to the rear of the cupola/cab.  Behind him you can see the last two of the eight new windows installed in the cupola, the old rotted frames still resting on the roof after being removed.

Front Area Roof

Tom Bernacki and I (mostly Tom) went to work on the roof to the front of the cupola.  As you see here only a small area remaining, then priming and the black finish enamel.

A Prime Crew

Tom and Victor are up on the roof and they primed all the new areas to the front and in the rear of the cupola.  A number of other tasks moved along including installation of the last remaining new window on the north side of the rear cabin. And the second seat frame for the cupola got some finish paint, aluminum polished up, and more new wood parts primed inside the shop.

More Roof Work

It was not all fun and games on the snowplow.  I walked by Chicago Rapid Transit 1024 and handed my camera up to Tim Peters who got this view of the south hip roof area.  Nearly all repairs are complete - new tack moldings up, and letterboards replaced.