Illinois Railway Museum Blog

Since mid-June our team has been slowly working on  the goal of placing the ATSF combine back into service.  We first painted the floor and then installed the ATSF seat frames. Finally, after almost two months of upholstering,  preformed by  the team of John McKelvey and Jane Blackburn; all the newly upholstered seats cushions and backs were fitted into their seat frames.  This gives your museum another 46 seat coach and the opportunity to use it in next years revenue service.About mid August we started polishing and waxing the exterior sides of the combine.  It started out as a test and quickly grew into a full-fledged project.  It was amazing what a little elbow grease did in taking the old oxidation off of the old paint surface.  It brought back the  luster of the long ago paint job!  What a transformation!   You can see from these final pictures that the interior transformation is almost complete!  Yet to be completed is a repainting of part of a wall in the "smoking" section and the repainting of some floor sections.  Paul and I would like to thank the following people for their hard work and perseverance without which this project would not have been completed.  John McKelvey and his assistant Jane Blackburn were instrumental in reupholstering all the seat cushions and backs.  Thanks to Ray Erickson and Dale Steichen  for stripping off all the old fabric from the cushions and backs. Loraine painted the wood floor and husband, Dan Bixler, sandblasted all the heater covers. Thanks also to  Dave Cook, Loraine Bixler, Robert Olsen, Dale Steichen and Howard Geirer for polishing and waxing the exterior.   After a twelve year hiatus from service this coach will, hopefully, be again in limited service next year.   Yet to be completed is a brake test which will involve replacement of the brake valve[COTS], inspection of the trucks and running gear, and installation of new journal pads.  Estimated costs run upwards of $3500.00  Would you like to help defray the costs?   Please send a donation to the Steam Passenger Coach Fund.   The next blog on the ATSF 2544 combine will be devoted to the upgrade of exterior.    Thanks      Roger  

The completions of Barns 13 and 14 are continuing with the enormous help of the building and grounds crew led by Dave Diamond.   As of this last Wed all four concrete  large end door sills slabs are now poured and waiting curing. In the mean time work continues to correct an elevation error leading to the inside of the both buildings.  After more ballast has been dumped and tamped on the rail leading into each barn  the process can begin to grade and smooth the future interior walkways.   Then the hard job of laying asphalt can begin.  Please consider a donation to cover  the additional barn construction costs overruns.  Materials and labor are very expensive!  It took Dave and his crew a week just to dig the holes and  install the wooden forms for one barn's door sills!      Want to help?   Please send in your donations to the new barn fund.   Thanks   Roger