Illinois Railway Museum Blog

         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.  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     

      Thursday, May 28, I again, made the long drive up to Mid Continent RR Museum to work on my new favorite project!   BTY, if any of you are interested in a unique and beautiful  experience of a recreation of an early 20th century railroad you must visit this museum.   Lots of wooden passenger cars, and some in service for Father's Day!  Maybe by that time the No 2 team loco might be fired up and running for the first time in many, many years!! Southwest Wisconsin is very scenic with rolling hills and the "Dells" are close by.   Anyway, enough of that sales pitch! Here are more pictures of the interior. 

As you may notice the lights are working.  I purchased thirty six, 34 volt bulbs,  remove the old ones  and installed the correct voltage bulbs.  Now the system is any working on 34volt DC!   Yes, you can find all my pictures under Bob Kutella's pictures in the Members Photo Gallery. My first stop on, Thursday,was at the Lakes States Railway Historical Association, Inc to pick up all historical documents concerning the "Harvard"   The previous owner of the car, Richard Goddard, is the President of this non-profit professional collection management corporation.   They have just moved into a $350,000 new facility in Barbaroo, Wi.   What a great place to house historic documents.   Climate controlled, computer access, etc.   Richard gave me a tour and I was quite impressed. They had just received a rather large donation of CB&Q steam loco drawings!   This enhances their collection which includes a very substantial collection of Rock Island steam loco  drawings.  After the tour we sat down and along with Ray Burmaster explained and showed me just some of the documents and archival material he collected over the years on the Mt. Harvard. I sure have found out much more information since purchasing the Mt. Harvard.   Its an amazing story how this sleeper was saved  for preservation and then moved from Terra Haute, Indiana, to Missouri, and then to Southern Wisconsin, then to Mid Continent and now hopefully with your help to Irm.  Yes, it did operate on the Milwaukee Road but only for a short time between 1951 and 1953.  It was assigned to the Milwaukee Road COLUMBIAN, on the Spokane to Tacoma-Seattle segment early in 1951, and by mid-year on the Chicago-Twin Cities run.  Most of the time it was assigned to the Pullman Pool starting on 11-19-42 and continuing to operate on the S. P. until resolution of the Pullman anti-trust suit.   This information is from my memory so all dates might not be exact.   In early 1954 it was stored in St. Louis and in October of that year  it was sent to government  storage for strategic reserve in Terra Haute Indiana.  Why Terra Haute?  I believe there was a U.S. Army Ordinance Depot there, with a rather large railroad facility.  It sat there for many years being held for only national emergences!   It along with about 160 other "heavies" sat waiting for the call that, thank heavens, never happened.   What am I talking about?   I presume a major war with?  You have to remember President Eisenhower,  was leading the country, the cold war was increasing and if you had to move troops from one area to another, quickly,  troop trains were the fastest way.   Just look at WWII movements.    Anyway, these are my ideas on the situation at that time and why all these cars were in storage.   Richard gave a list of names of cars held and each individual's condition.   Quickly, going through the list I saw maybe two that were saved.  All the rest were sent to the scraper.  Yikes!!!    I also have a copy of the appraisal from the Pullman company on the worth of the Mt. Harvard  and letters asking for the donation of said to the  Wabash Frisco & Pacific Association located south of ST. Louis, Missouri.  Date of donation May 25 1961!  They asked for a business car to be used on there 12" steam operation line as an office ,etc. and the Mt. Harvard was offered.  Pullman appraisal of this car was between $7,500 and $8,000.    If any you recall living in that era, that was a lot of money in 1961.  The average auto was selling for maybe $1,000 to $2,000 at the time, Yes?     In 1971 the WF&P sold the Mt. Harvard to MCRHS members B.G. Miller and Mark Hinrichs and was shipped to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.   Then in October 7, 1971 it was sold again to MCRHS member Richard Goddard.  In Dec 28 1987, Richard donated the sleeper to MCRHS.   And now, May 2, 2015, I purchased the Mt. Harvard from their auction.      That's the time line as I have researched so far and now the museum needs your help in seeking donations to move the Mt. Harvard from Mid-Continent to our site.   Please consider sending in a donation, large or small to the fund, Mt. Harvard.   This move is time sensitive so please do not delay.    Thank You   Roger