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Saturday, April 14. 2018Just Another Saturday
I would just like to help announce that the Irm.org web page has been updated to a brand new format. Please take a look. I think you will be pleasantly impressed with this updated and more informative version. Now, here is a sample of what happened last Saturday. It was just another cold day at Irm. There sure was a lot of activity for a cold day. Here are just a few images of the days events. I couldn't cover every dept but just be sure lots of progress was being made.
 Ray is taking a break sitting on the cab floor of the 1630 while Ken Ristow enjoys the view.  Bob and Ed Kletecka drilling holes in the 428s new steel cab floor.  Mike McCormick, another new steam dept member, is also drilling and laying out the old pattern on the new floor steel.  Bob Olsen sanding the exterior vestibule door on the Mt Harvard.  Last Saturday he was sanding the new window exterior frames for the Mt Harvard.  Here are some 80 screw heads that I sanded and primed for future installation on the window frames.  The latest project of both the track and buildings and grounds departments.  After all these years the old bookstore passenger cars are being removed from the site next to the station. Now we shall have a much clearer view of operational equipment running by the main line.  Remember these stairs? How many times did we all walk up and down them? They will be gone shortly.  Jane and Stu from the steam dept were helping Norm and his crew with more riveting on the MEC 28.  Thats Jane heating the rivets.  Another view  The riveting is slow work but it eventually gets completed.  Heres part of the exterior where Tim has removed the old wooden siding and now is preparing to reside with new!  End view of the 1754. An interior shot. Tim is again working hard on this project! He is at the museum almost everyday except Sundays. That is his day of rest. Tuesday, April 3. 2018Continuing the Mt Harvard Restoration
Our small crew this winter and early spring have been progressing on a number of projects for the Mt Harvard. I have been working in the woodshop for about 3 months manufacturing 15 mahogany wood window frames for the sleeper. They have been made from various sized wood mahogany planks purchase from Owl Hardwoods of DesPlaines, Illinois. A lot of cutting, trimming, fitting and gluing to get the correct size and shape for the window. All the frame dimensions have been made from the specification drawings given to me by the folks in the Pullman Library. The window project is far from finished but its to the point where the frames call now be sanded and primed. I would just like to thank Tim Peters for assisting me in this project His valued experience in woodshop construction and machine operation have made my efforts much easier.
 After cutting the wood pieces to conform to the drawings I am going to use the museums mortising drill to cut holes in the long 2 inch wide wood pieces.  Here Im sitting at the machine drilling square holes to accept the tendon portion of the window .  It took me a couple of days to drill 60 holes. Very tedious work!  Heres the mortising machine in action. This is a very valuable piece in the museums woodshop. Without it many, many projects would not have been made here in the wood shop.  Here are just some of the frames already fitted and glued ready for sanding.  Sitting at our temporary work table here in the woodshop.  I also removed some of the window sill in the obs end of the sleeper. I removed the old stain then sanded, restained and applied three coats of spar varnish onto each piece.  Curt Wahlmark was one of four members of our small winter team. Here he is removing old paint from one of the vestibule doors from the Mt Harvard. Bob Olsen is sanding and removing old paint from second exterior vestibule door from the Mt Harvard. |
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Comments
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 [...]
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...
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, [...]
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.
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 [...]
Wed, 06-02-2021 17:27
Nice to see 428's cab back on. Looking forward to when it is operable!
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 [...]
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?
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
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]