Illinois Railway Museum Blog

A job that was long on the wish list of coach department projects was finally completed June, 2019. Thanks to the energy and determination of Nick Dey, who spearheaded the project, our RPO again is in beautiful shape and should be kept that way for many years. Nick started the project in mid August, 2018. Working in barn 3 by himself his goal was to repainted the 1923 for the Museum Showcase Weekend but because of the lack of volunteers that date was missed. In early September saw the RPO moved into barn 14 and the work there was continued. With more volunteers helping in the Fall, 2018, and Spring of 2019, the 1923 finally was repainted and re-lettered and placed back in service for RPO days in June of 2019.

RPO now located in barn 14.

Sides are sanded in preparation for primer.

Here is Nick working on sanding and taping the roof line.

Another view.

The car side sanded, old lettering removed.

Primer applied on lower course.

As Nick Dey watches Ben Metzger primes more of the side.

September 11 saw this side completely primed.

The 13th saw the other side primed.

Unfortunately, the team just ran out of time to complete the job in the Fall of 2018. The next year was sure to bring a renewed emphasis to complete the job. In the spring of 2019 Gregg Wolfersheim entered the picture and thus completed the project.

Gregg first painted the roof black and then began sanding and abrading the primer in preparation for the finish coat Sherwin Williams Urethane.

A smiling Gregg after the paint job. And What a beautiful job it was.

Both sides of the car were painted with Sherwin Williams paint.

The lettering reapplied.

The 1923 also reapplied onto the car side. Boy does it look nice!

The completed project displayed outside Barn 13.

The goal was to demonstrate how the railroads use Railroad Post Offices in bygone service years. We met that goal when the freshly painted car was used again on RPO Days 2019! I didn't take any pictures of it in operation last year but I sure heard many favorable comments from members and visitors alike. Thanks to Nick Dey, Gregg Wolfersheim and the many volunteers who spent countless hours working on the CB&Q 1923. Again, it takes a team effort. If you wish to see more painting projects like this in the passenger coach dept PLEASE contribute to https://www.irm.org/donations/category/passenger-car-department/    Thanks, Roger.