Passenger Car Department

This is a solicitation of new funds for the purpose of building Barn 15. If you're wondering the price per foot, here is the expensive details. Pricing is subject to market conditions but the Building and Grounds Manager, Dave Diamond, has told me to expect the price to be around $250.00 per foot. Yes, expensive but consider the alternative of a rare piece of equipment sitting outside in all sorts of weather. Protection is the name of the game!! For example, in order to fund an 85 foot passenger car in this new building, it would cost $21,250.00. Very expensive, but well worth your donation.

Here is the list of equipment the Passenger Car Department would like to include in the new barn.

Pawnee: 83 feet

Pawnee

IC King Cotton: 82 feet

King Cotton

PRR  John Greenleaf Whittier: 82 feet

Rock Island 2612: 82 feet

2612 when it first arrived

CB&Q  Silver Ridge: 85 feet

CB&Q  Silver Pony: 85 feet

Rock Island 2524: 81 feet

2524 last coach to be restored 

Rock Island 2555: 81 feet

Milw Road 649: 85 feet

649 being unloaded

Milw Road 542: 85 feet

542 just unloaded. This coach is still under a tarp because of a large leak in the roof.

CN  Ingramport: 85 feet

Ingramport, our only CN sleeper

And our newest addition... Pullman Villa Real: 82 feet

The Illinois Railway Museum is well known for protecting its artifacts. Please consider a donation to Indoor Storage for the Coach Department.

Thanks,

Roger Kramer, Curator

Continuing from John McLoughlin Part One, we view the transition to the full restoration of all the four open sleeping sections. Again, this from last year in 2020.

Here I am installing a new Spar urethane coated window sill.

Here is the completed lower section including newly recovered seat cushions.

Fast forward to Nov 2020 and all four sections are completely repainted and representing a typical Pullman sleeper once again.

Another view of a completed section.

Here is the hallway entrance leading into the mens bathroom.

Yes, we have not forgotten to repaint the ceilings. There is a lot of over head work to do for each one. Removing the old paint takes many volunteer hours. For this reason it takes about 15 hours to complete one ceiling area.

A picture of the lower berth lights.

The section area showing the daytime lighting without the ceiling lights on.

I am very proud of all the help everyone has contributed to this project. Yes, Its a great feeling to sit and relax in this area once again.

Andrew Kay now has begun to remove old paint from the western vestibule.

Another view.

Well now, the weather has gotten colder and we now have switched our efforts to the last remaining interior projects. The removal of old paint from the drawing room and two compartments may take a long time. If you would like to help us as a volunteer or aid us financially please send a donation to the RF John McLoughlin  fund. Thanks, Roger.

The following pictures are of another ongoing Barn 10 restoration project. The John McLoughlin, as many of you know, has been receiving an extensive historical facelift. Here are the developments from mid Summer 2020.

This is the last of four sections having paint applied. 

June 2nd finds Sandi applying more paint to the wall. 

The very eastern sidewall is now  repainted.

Viewing the multiple sections showing  the divider wall of each. 

The upholstery team of Jane and John working on recovering one of the seat cushions.

June 5th Tim Fennell continues removing old paint from the upper berth. 

June 8th Sandi has already primed the upper berth. The job gets done quickly when your working on it almost everyday.

Tim is back out vacuuming the floor.

With the first two sections completely repainted, Tim is installing the brass plate signs.

Sign reads.  This car equipped with adjustable seats  Porter will adjust upon request. 

Another view. If anyone has any of these signs in their collection, we certainly could use more.

Just like the Dover blog reports there will be addition blogs about this restoration. Thanks, Roger.