Illinois Railway Museum Blog

Entries from October 2015

Sunday, October 11. 2015

Trolley Bus/Motor Bus Department ... Posted by Ray Piesciuk in Trolley Bus Department at 16:14

Trolley Bus/Motor Bus Department Update 10/11/2015

Since our last update, we sucessfully ended our operating season. Our final operations for the year were Labor Day Saturday and Member's Day/ATTRM Convention on Saturday, September 19. The 19th was a 12 hour operating day with service starting at about 10:00am and ending at around 10:00pm. Bob Bourne, Richard Schauer and I operated the Chicago Marmon 9553 and the Seattle MAN artic 4020. That same weekend, we operated "The Bus Stop Shop" for the first time. This fundraising effort consisted of selling surplus items in the Museum's collection. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Julie Piesciuk, we raised over $2,000 throughout the weekend.

Julie organizing the Bus Stop Shop stock (09/19/2015).

The ultimate goal is to build an additional bus garage, as we currently have more buses than can fit inside the current buildings - with more on the way.

Bob Bourne does a little shopping at The Bus Stop Shop prior to going into service (09/19/2015).

To that end, over the past few weekends, we have started a huge switch move in both bus departments. Richard Schauer has calculated the layout of both the Andersen Garage and the Hoffman Garage to maximize the number of coaches we will be able to fit indoors in order to protect as many as possible from the harsh winter weather. The planning and preparation took place over the past few weekends and Saturday the switching began.

Dayton Flyer 925, CSL Brill-American 84 and Milwaukee Marmon 441 await their turn to go back int the Andersen Garage during switching (10/10/2015).

With help from Nick Espevik, Thomas (sorry I don't remember your last name), Fred McGullam, John LeBeau, Vince Allen and others, we worked the entire day Saturday, moving all but two buses in the Andersen Garage, and putting four in their final locations. This will continue for the next few weeks until they are all where they need to be.

Seattle Twin 633, Dayton Pullman 435 and Des Moines Brill 239 sit in front of the Andersen Garage during switching (10/10/2015).

After a multi year absence, Trolley Bus service WILL be on the calendar for 2016. We will operate on the Saturday of major holiday weekends as well as during the Trolley Pageant, Member's Day and during a new event for 2016, "Bus Day"!!! Bus Day will be on Saturday, October 01, 2016 and will of course feature trolley bus service. We will also open as many of the motor buses and trolley buses as we possibly can for your inspection. Finally, the Bus Stop Shop will return, once again giving you the opportunity to acquire rare, historic or just plain fun artifacts, which are duplications in the museum's collection. At the same time you will help support the continuing efforts of the Trolley Bus and Motor Bus Departments.

Heres a sight you dont often see - the Andersen Garage mostly empty. Visible are (L-R) the CSL Brill-American 84, Edmonton BBC 181, Toronto Flyer 9339, and Vancouver Brill 2340 (10/10/2015).

Finally, I'd like to thank everyone who has shown their support over the past several years as we have struggled through some difficult times. At this point, the future could not look brighter. We have raised about 60% of what is needed to build a new garage, we will have regular trolley bus service again in 2016, and the ranks of volunteers and those interested in volunteering in our two departments has never been greater. So once again, I can't stress this enough, we TRULY appreciate all the support and words of encouragement (and of course donations) from everyone - it really helps!!!

Sunday, October 11. 2015

Progress on the o/s ATSF 2544 combine Posted by Roger Kramer in Passenger Car Department at 10:40

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Progress on the o/s ATSF 2544 combine

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.

The wooden floor before it was painted

Loraine Bixler painting the floor

The floor finally painted Now I can start to install the seat frames

The seat frames are all installed and now also four newly upholstered seat backs

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!

Loraine Bixler and Dave Cook use their hands at polishing the car side

The two people that were instrumental in upholstering all the backs and cushions for the combine. The team of John,the expert, and Jane, his apprentice

All upholstery is complete.

Another view

It is our hope to use this car in limited service next year

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

Friday, October 9. 2015

Our Barn Construction Goal Posted by Roger Kramer in Barn 14 Construction at 19:38

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Our Barn Construction Goal

The completions of Barns 13 and 14 are continuing with the enormous help of the building and grounds crew led by Dave Diamond.

Western view as you drive by Olsen Road

Another angle

As of this last Wed all four concrete large end door sills slabs are now poured and waiting curing.

Eastern view of barn 13 end sill poured two weeks ago

Barn 14 view of end sill poured this last Wednesday

Freshly poured concrete

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!

Eastern end of both barns

Inside barn 14 Asphalt for the walkways has yet to be installed

Want to help? Please send in your donations to the new barn fund. Thanks Roger

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Comments

James Kolanowski about Milwaukee Road 33C update
Fri, 03-29-2024 21:26
We're slackers and spend more time working on the equipment in the shop than keeping all you readers updated. We'll work on it, but I'm sure updates [...]

AJ about Milwaukee Road 33C update
Thu, 03-14-2024 08:02
What happened to the Department Blog? It's been over 2 years and I still regularly check for updates, but nothing comes...

Ted Miles about Progress update of the Multi Purpose Building
Mon, 12-27-2021 16:28
Happy New Year to all the Departments at the Illinois railway Museum! Thanks for all the good work you do in railroad preservation. Ted Miles, [...]

J Blustein about The Old Bag and the Silver Beaver
Wed, 10-13-2021 13:33
Was the CB&Q 1309 every transported to IRM?I’ve been reading old issues of Rail&Wire and the car was mentioned several times.

Jason E about Progress update of the Multi Purpose Building
Mon, 06-07-2021 22:40
I was wondering if in the model layout display what scale would you guys be using and would you be displaying model train history as well? Just [...]

Thomas about It Happened One Saturday at IRM
Wed, 06-02-2021 17:27
Nice to see 428's cab back on. Looking forward to when it is operable!

Ted Miles about It Happened One Saturday at IRM
Tue, 06-01-2021 16:47
I hope the work will continue on the UP #428. Now that they are the museum's connection to the national railroad network; she would be very [...]

bob miller about Dover Strait Progress Part Three
Sat, 04-17-2021 23:07
What is the status of 126, the Milwaukee Buffet car that is in S. Dakota? Any guess on when or if it will get to IRM?

Ted Miles about John McLoughlin Progress - Part Two
Wed, 04-14-2021 21:09
Perhaps it is time to scrap the remains of the c, B & Q 7128 to make room for the Villa Real. Ted miles, IRM member

Jason Erkenswick about Diesel Shop update 1/29/2021
Wed, 04-14-2021 15:26
Hi IRM my name is Jason and I was wonder If you guys would be willing to save a CN Dash8-40cm they are currently being retired by CN and being [...]

Alex Schneider about Dover Strait Progress Part Three
Fri, 04-09-2021 19:56
Bear in mind that the Nebraska Zephyr is an articulated train set, so cars cannot be inserted at will. Although cars and/or a second engine could be [...]

Matthew Maloy about Dover Strait Progress Part Three
Wed, 03-31-2021 11:37
I believe Silver Pony is currently on the back burner, and has been put into storage in one of the barns. The car needs a lot of work done to it's [...]