Illinois Railway Museum Blog

Saturday, 9/27/14: Michael McCraren had Brian LaKemper line-training; basically training him to be a conductor. Jim West and Jamie Kolanowski got the streamliner cars out on Saturday,

Sunday 9/28/14: It was a beautiful day. The annual Woodworkers Convention guests were greeted in the Ely by Kevin Kriebs, in the Lake City by Ken Kosen, in the Santa Fe Lounge Car by Lee Evans, Jr., and in the L&N diner "Galt House" by Shelly Vanderschaegen. Thanks to the visitors for attending.

Special thanks to Kevin Brown for bringing nice treats and soda.

Brian LaKemper continued his conductor training on board the "Denver Zephyr", named by Michael McCraren for the day as the car ID numbers for the Silver Ridge and Loch Sloy are both currently marked for the Denver Zephyr, and they had a BN locomotive so it seemed to fit.

Lunch on the rails: There was a special lunch for Coach Department volunteers on the Birmingham while the cars were being tested. Everyone having lunch in the Birmingham enjoyed the name and Brian's announcement as they returned: "Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for riding the Denver Zephyr, now arriving at scenic East Union Depot, please exit to the rear"

Lunch on the Birmingham with Mike Baksic, Mike Abernathy, John McKelvey, Jon Habegger, and Kevin Kriebs - Photo by Shelly Vanderschaegen

Mike Abernathy brought a chocolate cake - Photo by Shelly Vanderschaegen

The 2612 was wyed, along with X-5000. Mark Gellman, Brian LaKemper, and Jim West handled the switching, with help from Jamie Kolanowski and Mark H. The Milwaukee Road Dynamometer, X-5000 is now in place to begin prep work for getting a new coat of paint.

Thanks to Jim West, Mike Baksic and General Manager Jamie Kolanowski for getting the cars out for a ride down the IRM mainline. The cars were being tested for the upcoming Terror on the Railroad Haunted Event.

Looking east as the Denver Zephyr approaches Karstens crossing - Photo by Kevin Brown using Brian Ls camera

Michael McCraren in charge of the westbound Denver Zephyr (note the red glow from the functioning marker lights) - Photo by Kevin Brown using Brian Ls camera

Brian LaKemper was the trainman on the Denver Zephyr - Photo by Kevin Brown using Brian Ls camera

The Denver Zephyr comes around the diesel shop - Photo by Kevin Brown using Brian Ls camera

The Denver Zephyr is about to take the switch into the station, note Mike Blackwell in the distance ready to realign the switches once we get through shop - Photo by Kevin Brown using Brian Ls camera

Back in the station, note the reflection of the RDCs headlight on CRIP 2571 - Photo by Kevin Brown using Brian Ls camera

Monday, 9/29/14: Jim Windmeier came out and painted the entire 1st Exhibit Car forward vestibule with the gray paint.

Thanks to Shelly, Mark, and Brian for contributing information and photos for this update.

This Dynamometer update is courtesy of Warren Newhauser and Brian LaKemper who crewed the X-5000 for Showcase Weekend, September 20-21, 2014, and wrote this report:

On Friday night, Brian LaKemper and the Steam Department crew got the coach train put together. Totaling 10 cars, the train fit with a car length to spare on Station Track 2. Jamie K. provided assistance and advice. Brian also procured a set of stairs for riders to board without using the stirrups.

Saturday Morning dawned bright and early, with the train already assembled, it didn't take long for the crew to get ready, journals checked, stepboxes procured, and markers hung. After a successful air test, the coach train made 3 trips behind UP 1848. Brian's records show that 1848 put on an impressive show, with upwards of 30,000lbs of drawbar pull with no brakes applied, and a momentary peak of 100,000 lbs of buff while shoving upgrade and slowing for Seeman Road. 1848 never got above run 6 during these trips. After 1848 in the morning, 1630 arrived, bringing her auxiliary tender (former express milk car) to make the grand total 11 cars in a coach train that barely fit on Station Track 2 and in Johnson Siding.

The coach train is ready for service - Photo by Brian LaKemper

Warren Newhauser arrived Saturday mid-afternoon just as 1630 was being coupled to the coach train consisting of the Dynamometer and 9 other cars. After the stairs were positioned, long lines of people formed to get on the Dyno.

1630 leading the train - Photo by Warren Newhauser

1630 has made its coupling and is pumping the air back up - Photo by Brian LaKemper

Long lines formed of people waiting to ride the X-5000 - Photo by Warren Newhauser

Just before the first rain storm of the weekend (sending the wooden electric cars racing for the barns), the guys from the Steam Dept took over the office, sleeping areas and kitchen as they wanted to ride. Warren and Brian made a mad dash in the rain to get the Waukesha Enginator running, as the batteries were getting low.

The Steam Department took over the kitchen - Photo by Warren Newhauser

More Steam Department members in the Dyno - Photo by Warren Newhauser

The train made another 3 trips during the afternoon carrying a lot of people. Over two days, a lot of the conversation by museum guests overheard was, “IRM really puts on a nice show”, “There’s something about a train” as well as discussion the dismal state of Illinois politics.

After the annual Showcase Weekend barbecue, Brian L, Brian P, Cody from the Steam crew, and Warren began to figure out how to light the coach train. A large part of the problem was a lack of the historically correct trainline jumpers, and the fact that one car lacked trainline connections. We should have begun work on this earlier, admittedly. This required we find personnel with CB&Q keys, crawling through RPO's baggage compartment with volt meters tracing the wiring circuits. Among the “it’s funny afterwards” category, Shelly Vanderschaegen was inadvertently locked in the RPO during this time. She called Pauline Trabert who notified Chuck Trabert on the Dyno. On the positive side Shelly discovered some stored furniture on the RPO she can use for future exhibits. Cody and Brian (Warren and others assisting) used welding cables, train line jumpers and misc. cables to bypass the car lacking trainline connections. Using the jumpers we had, and Cody's bypass, we lit DMIR 84 and DL&W 561 from the 32V trainline on the Dyno. Brian Patterson replaced some 120V bulbs on the 561 with 32V bulbs to provide more light. The scheduled 8:00pm departure turned to 8:30 or later.

Looking forward from the kitchen end of the car with the cars 32v DC lights lit up - Photo by Brian LaKemper

Brian Patterson lighting the coach train - Photo by Warren Newhauser

Night run starting out on Station Track 2 - Photo by Warren Newhauser

Night run - Photo by Warren Newhauser

This is the second year lighting the coach train and what we have found is the passengers really like dimly lit cars while the Operating Department would prefer functional lighting for safety when boarding and disembarking. Brian L. is already planning a revised operational plan for next year's coach train.

The Dyno’s original Waukesha Enginator and batteries are more than capable of proving enough HEP for the coach train, requiring only around 10A at 32V.

The Waukesha Enginator - Photo by Warren Newhauser

After the lights were rigged, we made one more run in the evening where the lightning was clearly visible even though the skies were clear at the time. Unfortunately the skies really let loose as we made our arrival back to Union at about 11:40pm, forcing people in the rain to hurry to get to their cars.

The crew on the Dyno for Saturday of Showcase Weekend was Chuck Trabert, Dick Melzer, Brian La Kemper and Warren Newhauser (our core team).

Chuck Trabert and Brian LaKemper inside the Dynamometer on Saturday - Photo by Warren Newhauser

Sunday was a late start, but we made several runs with 1630 pulling, and a good time was had by all, despite the occasional rain. Brian got pulled off the Dyno to help man the understaffed coach train. Despite the Dyno being in the coach train, due to the RPO's inclusion, the Dynamometer was effectively isolated from the rest of the coach train. Dick Melzer joined Warren in manning the X-5000.

T-Bird by Johnson Siding on Sunday - Photo by Warren Newhauser

On the final run Sunday afternoon, 1630 cut off the train to go to the steam shop. The dispatcher told 1630 head end “Thank you for a good day” to which 1630's engineer replied “good day, good year” [signifying the completion of successful Steam operation for this year].

The final run on Sunday - Photo by Warren Newhauser