Illinois Railway Museum Blog

This blog continues the restoration story where Dover part 2 ended.

This is the finished product of the buffet installation. Pretty slick!

These two pieces are the new window sill trim made for bedroom A and B.

Parts being installed into bedroom B. Gregg had previously cleaned and painted them.

The most difficult job in the last two bedrooms were stripping and repainting of the upper berths.

Here is wider shot. A very difficult area to work in. Remember, too, all this work was completed in cold winter weather.  Wally and Gregg provided the labor. 

Much can be said about our amazing volunteers. A new volunteer, Wally Fiebiger, has been removing the old paint in both of the upper berths. Not an easy job considering he has to crawl up there in that small space.

Its all painted and parts installed including the very rare berth netting. I should mention that the netting was used to store ones personal items while sleeping in the upper berth.

Another picture but at a different angle.

The next four photos show the bedrooms A and B completely repainted and restored. We are missing the oval mirrors. They were at the local glass shop getting fitted for the mirrors.

The suite door is open showing both bedrooms.

Bedroom B 

Bedroom A 

Picture of Bedroom A facing the mirrored door.

You cant imagine the beauty of these two bedrooms. What a contrast. Its has taken some 20 years to complete the restoration of all six bedrooms but the wait is well worth it. One important note here is that the work seen here on these three blogs is all paid by donations from the restricted fund, Dover Strait. My Thanks to all who have participated on this project over the years. A special thank you to Gregg Wolfersheim for his expertise and devotion to this the last phase of the Dover project. All you donors have made this possible and I thank you. The chairs and sofas along with their repairs will come this late spring and early summer. There is still one major project to complete, mainly the purchase and installation of carpeting. Look for that to happen later this year.