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Saturday, June 22. 2019Steam Department June Update
Sorry for the extended radio silence: things have been busy in the real world and in the steam shop.
As I’d imagine everyone knows by now, for the first time in many years IRM has two operable steam engines! Shay 5 entered service over Memorial Day weekend.  A beautiful sight to see.  Some machines just look fast. Looks can be deceiving. But there is more good news. It is not enough to preserve the machines; we also have to preserve and teach the skills needed to run them. To that end, I am excited to report that already this year we have qualified two new steam locomotive firemen and one new steam locomotive engineer. Congratulations to Ken, Don, and Eric.  Ken, newly qualified as an engineer.  Don, newly qualified as a Fireman.  and Eric, newly qualified as a Fireman. Congrats all! But today, I am not here to talk to you about locomotives, I am here to talk to you about holes. Pits, to be specific. The IRM steam department has long been hampered by the lack of an inspection pit, which makes a lot of work underneath the locomotive very inconvenient to perform (especially for those of us who are not as skinny as we once were). Last year plans for an inspection pit were drawn up, and work began this summer almost as soon as the Shay and 1630 were out of the shop.  Volunteers began breaking up the asphalt pad inside the shop almost as soon as 1630’s steam test was complete.  The next day’s spoils.  The next Monday, volunteers from the steam and track department began unbolting the rails.  Which were then removed from the building, courtesy of mechanical assistance from the track department.  A bolt can’t be stubborn when its a liquid.  This was the state of the shop as of Memorial Day. This is a once in a lifetime view—you will never see our shop this clean again.  During the week our friends in B and G came through and removed the remaining concrete and pavement. All that is left now is to start digging. Stay tuned! Wednesday, June 5. 2019Repainting the Section Walls on the Mt HarvardAfter the bathroom was repainted my energies turned to repainting the walls between the sections. Here is the photo essay on the project.  Tim Fennel, our newest volunteer, is sanding the dividers in preparation for priming.  He along with Dale Steichen, Bob Olsen, Jessie Felt and Sandi Harreld made this repaint possible.  Sandi here is priming.  More Sanding  Then I decided to strip and small area where the lower berth lights are installed. Now there is more continuity with all areas repainted.  Early May finds Sandi again doing what she does best, painting with primer.  We also removed more old paint on the wall adjoining the womens bathroom. Thanks Roger Tuesday, June 4. 2019Bathroom Ceiling Painted on Mt HarvardWe finally finished the major painting project in the women's bathroom. The ceiling, of course, was the most difficult. Working over head is very time consuming and a bit taxing on one's upper body muscles.  Here I am working away.  Early April and Sandi is touching up a few spots on the wall.  Priming the ceiling.  Two panels are now primed.  The middle panel is scraped and sanded ready for primer.  Primed.  Painted with the top coat. As of this date I have now installed all the lamp shades and all but one of the sinks. Still to be made is the dressing table below the mirrors. I hope to get at that in the middle of July but before we exercise the sleeper on the main for the Septembers railfan weekend. Thanks Roger |
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Comments
Mon, 09-08-2025 08:22
Good job on the Burlington Nortern 9976. OK.
Tue, 08-12-2025 12:56
No new news that I have heard of thus far.
Tue, 08-12-2025 12:53
I'll also be doing another update on it soon. Keep en eye out for that.
Tue, 08-12-2025 12:47
A little work was done to it for Diesel Days this year. You'll see photos floating around for the temporary short term job that was done to make it [...]
Wed, 08-06-2025 13:01
Is steam car CN 15444 going to be coming to museum several times it was to be moved to muesum
Sat, 07-19-2025 18:56
Yeah, sadly it's still there as of 7/19/2025
Thu, 06-12-2025 19:14
Its been 14 years guys, where is the unit? Like really? Did you guys misplace it? Or are repairs taking that long? At this point be might we will have [...]
Wed, 04-09-2025 17:40
Jamie Thanks for the update. She's gonna shine like every thing else you guys do! Smeds
Thu, 03-06-2025 16:28
Yes, there is a wye. Those two have been MU'ed on diesel days a year or two ago.
Wed, 03-05-2025 14:04
7009 number boards look good. Is there a way to turn a locomotive around at IRM? In case you ever had a mind to connect 7009 and 6847?
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...