Entries by Roger Kramer

                   The Illinois Railway Museum has signed a letter of intent for the purchase of a Steam generator unit, the former CN 15444.    Through the generous donations of two members, Nick Kallas and Roger Kramer, this car will be arriving at Irm sometime this year.  

         The unit was purchased from a tourist line operation in Northern Georgia.  It is the coach department intent to repair and restore it to operation.   We now will have the opportunity  to run late fall and early winter passenger consists using steam heat and the electrical capability that it offers.     However, this capability will not come quickly .   The entire system must be restored to operation by inspecting and then testing the two Vapor-Clarkson steam generator units.  This will  be expensive.  If you would like to see this unit under steam and in operation please consider a donation to the newly establish fund; CN 15444.    Also included in this unit is a small diesel generator set capable of producing 12KW of64/76 V.D.C. and a small 25 cfm air compressor.  Fuel for the operation is provided by 2 tanks each carrying 250 gals, for a total of 500.  Water capacity is 2000 gals having  four tanks per unit with each tank holding 500 gals..               Here are some  more of the mechanical data supplied to us courtesy of  Kent McClure, Chief Mechanical Officer, Monticello Railroad Museum.  The museum in Monticello, Illinois has the exact same car, their number is 15421.   If you would like to view their car it has been repainted to the original CN colors.  Very impressive!   I was down there visiting January of this early new year.   The next time it will be in operation will be for their Santa train in late November of this year.

        Date built:1958     Builder: Canadian Car Company      Lot Number: 2188     Total length over end platforms: 43'10"        Weight of car, light: 97,000lbs      Weight of car in working order: 132,000 lbs     Type of Truck:  Commonwealth BX- Double Equalizers, 4 wheels  5 1/2 X 10     Roller Bearings:  Fahuir    Wheels:  AAR 33"   Brake Equipment:  14"X 12"  Type 'Q' Passenger brakes  D-22-AF Control Valve  

       All the above pictures of the CN 15444 are courtesy of Ozark Mountain Railcar.   YOU CAN HELP Irm by sending in your donation to the CN 15444.    Nick and I have donated the money for the purchase but we still need to solicit funds for the transportation, track storage charges and the restoration.     That's where you can help your museum!   Please send your donations so that we can begin the process.  If you are interested in helping with the restoration please contact Paul Cronin or myself for more information.      This piece will expand the museum's capabilities and make it even more exciting to experience late fall and early winter passenger train operations along our main line.     Thanks   Roger

          Here is a progress update on the  Erie Lackawanna, Coach 556.   Much of fall 2014 the 556 has been languishing in inactivity.   The  Wednesday of Dec 17th, saw a increased  commitment on the coach.  Our new curator designate, Paul Cronin,  decided to try and removed a few baggage racks that were holding up our interior painting efforts.  His past experience with similar racks at another museum paid off.         With the help of myself and Bob Olsen the three of us not only removed a few but removed one entire side of racks in about 1 hour!               This last rack will be the first to be reinstalled.  Paul and I were surprised how smoothly each section was removed.     We saved all the brass screws and placed them in a box then stacked all the rest of the parts.        The  Sunday before Christmas, Mark Hoffmann begin the task of sanding the wall vacated by the racks.    He then primed those areas.  I was not at the museum that weekend but did get a report from him in which he stated that he had sanded and primed about 30 feet.  Pretty good production for one day in a rather poorly heated area.  We intend to have the racks commercially paint stripped then primed and paint at the museum before reinstallation.   If you would like to help pay for the paint stripping please send a donation to EL 556 fund. Thank You!   Since the Rock Island 2612 project is winding down we need many volunteers to help us with this project.  Volunteer days are every  Wednesday and Saturday.    Won't you help!?      Roger 

            The L&N diner, 2726, aka The Galt House, has finally been removed from track 33 to track 31 in preparation for much needed 2015 mechanics and inspections.  On December 6th  Paul Cronin and I began the work needed to repair the buffer damage  that was on the eastern side of the car.  This damage occurred more than 6 years ago as a result of the diner's movement back to the museum.                                               As the picture below shows Paul is quite knowageable in his techniques while using a torch.   That's one craft I never learned!        With the help from Bob Olsen, the three of us tugged and pulled and finally had enough room to pull out the bent buffer bar.                                        Wednesday, Dec 10, also the day of the woodshop xmas party, found a larger crew working on the buffer reassembly.                A special member came to visit us in barn 3 that cold day in December.             Not pictured but equally important was the reinstallation of the torsion rod.    This was accomplished on Saturday, Dec, 13th by Paul Cronin and Brian Le Kemper    Yet to be accomplished is the repair of the extremely bent steel buffer.    We must cut out the damaged area and weld in a new piece.   This will take place sometime in January or February , weather permitting.   With a new push on the diner the air is fresh with renewed optimism that the 2726 might operate in 2015.                        Again, Happy Holidays     Roger Kramer