Entries by Roger Kramer

        First, I would like to thank all of you for reading my restoration blogs and to wish all of you a Happy Holiday Season!!  Next, thanks to all the volunteers in the coach dept who have help make this a very successful year for us.  A number of projects are nearing completion as well as more receiving attention. Do not forget the blogs about the railroad china display. Two weeks ago  Paul Cronin and myself inspected the progress.   Quite impressive and very professional done, I might add.    Look for in the new year more progress and maybe a new arrival or two!    Remember, your donations, whether large or small, help Irm's many, many equipment restoration projects.   Thanks    Roger Kramer,  lead restoration manager                         

                   This fall we have completed two milestone projects on our Rock fleet.   Advertising cards have now been installed in the 2602 and  we now have fifty glass windows in the 2612.     

                    Here on a sunny day in early December I am  installing the last painted window frame in the 2612.  Austin Harvey prepped the last three frames and then I Installed them.   I would like to thank Dan and Lorraine Bixler, Gary Sherman as well as Austin for taking the time to sand each car body brass frame.   This  task was needed to remove the old paint and glue so that each window would more easily open and close.   Now all 50 window frames are painted and glazed with AS2 automotive glass.    Yet to be completed is the installation of 35 feet of new wooden window sills.     This will happen  warm  weather permitting.                                          We also  have done some detail work on the newly repainted 2602.    Rick  Serenda  has installed the car cards in the coach where earlier in the fall Dan Bixler had spent three days cleaning out the groves.   Rick has also removed the peeling wall advertising sign  holders and we will sandblast and paint them when the weather warms returns.              Again,  I  hope you all have a joyous holiday season! 

                   Here is the second installment of pictures taken by Robert Banke.  They were taken in and around the Chicago area in the late seventies. Please notice the condition of the yards, facilities and the equipment.                                           

          We could easily portray the next  scenes by restoring our last coach RI 2524 to active service.  How would you like to volunteer?            On the above picture, the next track over, is the end  of a bilevel.   Is that one of  the 2700 series bilevels?              I believe the RI 630 has survived the scrappers torch and is in existence today.      Years ago, Irm had a chance to buy this engine.   Instead,  we own the last RI steamer to run in commuter service, the # 938.                 Here is some  thought and a challenge to someone who is goal oriented and wants to see the 938 again in steam operation.   Formulate and submit a plan to raise money for the future operation and maintenance of this locomotive.   Then  present your plan before the Board of Directors of IRM and, with approval, begin raising  money to restore the 938 to operational  status.   In the meantime,  send your donations to RI 2612 coach fund and the RI 938 steam fund.                     Thanks   Roger 

  

                    Its been real cold in the weeks of November but the warmer months of late August, September, and October have produced a number of positives.   Where as other coach dept projects have the luxury of a indoor heated area where you can work in your street clothes ours now is strictly in a often unheated environment.   We have been busy focusing only on a small number of projects.

                     First, our heavy weight sleeper, John McLouglin, has had its long interior hallway completely needle chipped, sanded, and prepped  for priming.  Some of this work has been preformed in the milder weather of September and October.   I have also reinstalled the ceiling light fixture in the women's bathroom.  It was removed in January of this year and brought home to my workshop where it was primed and painted  to the finish ceiling color.  Robert Olsen and Rick Serenda,  two new members to our team have been scraping and priming areas on the steel roof.  When the weather warms we will prime and paint these areas black..  

               Next, we have been working on the interior of the Lackawanna coach 556.   Mark Hoffman, Loraine Bixler and Brian Patterson have been working on removing the old peeling paint from the ceiling, walls and on the baggage racks. We hope to have the interior painted by next year.  Many volunteer hours will be needed to accomplish this task.  We now have a limited heating supply to keep the car at least 50 degrees. Maybe that will bring out a few more volunteers to help with the project.  Interested? Please see me or Paul Cronin on Saturdays or Wednesdays. 

               Jack Biesterfeld has again been working on his favorite project, B&M 1094.  He along with Dan Boguse and myself have removed a protection wall behind the oil fired boiler.   This boiler will be removed at a later date.    In the meantime we have found the old coach wall behind it.    The old wall is in a viable state and can be restored.   Missing is the wooden  window and it's frame.   This will be made in our woodshop when monies become available.   If you would like to contribute to this worthy project please send a donation to the B&M 1094 Fund. 

                Lastly, Gerry Boguse along with his brother,Dan, have been busy winterizing the water system on the L&N 2726 Diner.  They drained all the water out of the system and then filled it with an antifreeze solution used in RV motorhomes.  Gerry also received from R and B Metal the last of the made to order stainless steel flooring.  These six pieces will be installed next spring.  As of yet there is not an interior winter heat source for the diner.    Anticipation grows about operating the diner in limited service on our railroad next year!

   All-in-all, a lot of progress for the fall season.    Please remember the coach department projects when you send your winter donations.    Thanks   Roger