Passenger Car Department

Entries from June 2015

Monday, June 29. 2015

Wednesday, June 17 and 24 Activities Posted by Roger Kramer in Passenger Car Department at 18:41

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Wednesday, June 17 and 24 Activities

Just a rather short report concerning the various projects plus, a mention about a new one now underway. The ATSF 2544 combine project has finally begun. We are painting the wooden floor in preparation for the installation of walkover seats! Our intentions are to install the 14 seat frames that were painted about three years ago and fasten them to the wall and floor. The next step will be to find enough seat cushions and backs to complete each frame and make the combine operable. After that inspect the brake system and repair any problems.

Loraine Bixler working on her hands and knees painting first coat on the floor

The floor had been prepped a few years ago by Shelly Mike and Ray

Hopefully, by this weekend the entire floor will be painted and some walkover seat frames installed.

This is the area I plan on repainting on the 2555

As I have mentioned before, we are also upgrading the interior of the RI 2555. The paint was in bad shape and needed an upgrade.

Andy is sanding the last of the area around the door frame

Not to be outdone we are still continuing our final restoration on the 2612.

Many of the seat backs have been removed to allow me to install new wood window sills

Here is one still ready to be installed

Bob Olsen has begun the laborious task of removing the old paint from the ceiling ribs

The crew of Ray, Dan, and John. Ray is removing one of the last old seat covers.

We are also continuing the exterior upgrade. Howard has been leading that endeavor.

Howard working his magic

The car sure looks better even in gray primer

Dan Senior and Dan Junior as we call them are working on various outside jobs

Again, Bob is working on the ceiling on the 2612

Bob is installing one of the 12 freshly painted ceiling vents

Yes, this year we are going to sandblast a car. We will ,of course, keep you updated on that progress.

Paul has just delivered 2500 lbs of sandblasting material.

Well, I guess this is not one of those short reports after all. The coach dept team is always busy. Want to join us? Wednesdays and Saturdays are the best for getting things done. If you can, stop by for a visit. Please, remember the Mt. Harvard Match! Any amount of money sent into the fund will be matched 1:1 by the Milwaukee Road Historcial Assocition. You can't lose! Getting the biggest BANG for your donation on 4th of July Weekend.... Roger

Monday, June 29. 2015

A Great Financial Opportunity in ... Posted by Roger Kramer in Passenger Car Department at 16:30

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A Great Financial Opportunity in support of the Mt. Harvard

An opportunity for supporting the acquisition of the Mt. Harvard has been graciously offered to IRM by the Milwaukee Road Historical Association. Earlier this month President Bob Storozuk came out to IRM for a visit. He met with Nick Kallas, Paul Cronin and myself to discuss an idea he wanted to share with us. Here is his idea. The Milwaukee Road Historical Association, better known as MRHA, would like to help with the cost of moving the Mt. Harvard from the Mid Continent Railroad Museum, to the Irm campus. Speaking for the MHRA, in which he is the President, he offered to match any Mt. Harvard donations sent to Irm on a ONE:ONE basis. In other words, for every dollar sent in for the Mt. Harvard, his organization would also send in one dollar up to a total of $10,000.00. What a generous offer!! There is a time limit to this offer and it expires August 31, 2015.

Exterior picture of the lounge end

Here's where you can help! You can either send in a donation via mail or E-mail your donation to the Mt. Harvard fund and every dollar will be matched. Like I said, what a generous offer! You hear about similar offers on WGN or WTTW but this is a very unusual matching grant offered to IRM.

Inside the lounge

Please consider taking advantage of this generous matching grant. Thanks again to Bob Storozuk and the Milwaukee Road Historical Association for this honorable grant offer. Roger Kramer

Sunday, June 14. 2015

Another couple of Wednesday's of ... Posted by Roger Kramer in Passenger Car Department at 20:02

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Another couple of Wednesday's of sucesses

The last couple of volunteer Wednesdays have been quite productive in the coach dept. The first Wednesday in June we had 9 people working on various projects From more needle chipping on the RI2612 and the 2555 to sandblasting of parts for the upholstering of seats to painting on the L&N diner. Here all some representative pictures and the people that made it happen.

Dan and Paul looking at a replacement brake beam for a RI coach

Austin and Loraine again chipping on the exterior of the 2612

Jane and John working on the RI seat reupholstery in barn 4 work shop

After everyone went home I took this picture of the 2612.

In the afternoon Jane work in the 2726 diner scraping some old paint off of the hallway ceiling

Jerry Boguse was painting in the kitchen of the 2726 diner. Can you smell the paint drying?

Lunch break The whole crew

Everybody is busy. From left to right Ray, Bob, Dan Bixler and Dan Boguse.

I forgot to include this picture a couple of weeks ago. Heres Paul having a laugh with Dennis D .

This last Wednesday was so busy I forgot to take some pictures. That day the crew completed the wall surface preparation on the 2555,and I started the installation of the wood window sills in the 2612. In the next couple of weeks I plan on starting a new project which will, eventually, place this coach back in limited service. I keep you posted. In the meantime...Please remember to send a donation for our newest passenger car, the Mt. Harvard! Thanks Roger

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