Passenger Car Department

Here is a pictorial about the Holiday Train event.  IRM had a very successful Holiday Train event this year using for the first time, a diesel powered  three CNW bilevel  consist.     This two weekend event was under the leadership of Paul Cronin, Coach department  curator.    It was so  successful that we are increasing  it to three December weekends in 2016.   More planning is needed but already we are looking for volunteers to help expand our campus decorations.    Anyone who likes to put up a Christmas tree and decorate it with all the lights and ornaments is invited to talk to Paul.   We have a great opportunity to make Irm a beautiful 2016 Christmas wonderland!   The possibilities are boundless!   HO!  HO!  HO!     Again anyone interested in decorating Irm for the holidays please see Paul Cronin.     Happy New Year from all of us to you!!!!

Unfortunately, I was not at the museum when the Mt. Harvard was unloaded.  These  pictures of the unloading were taken by Bob Olsen and sent to me to be used on this blog.  Thanks Bob for letting me use your pictures. The 190 ton crane was  supplied by the company called CRANE LIFTS from Janesville, Wisconsin.     Thanks to Mike, Mitch and Kathy McCutchin for all their expertise.  Thanks also to Marv Bult of ROSE CARTAGE SERVICE for his advise and knowledge of trucking the Mt. Harvard.   

    I would to again THANK everyone who was involved with the  lifting, transportation, loading and unloading of the Mt. Harvard.  My sincere thanks to both Crane Lifts and Rose Cartage Service for expert knowledge and assistance.   I would also like to thank all of you for your continued support of this project.  Unfortunately, what we budgeted for the project both lifting, loading,  transporting and unloading at both ends has fallen far short of the actually funds  needed to do the job.    Due to unforeseen  developments at the Mid Continent RR Museum we had to spend an extra day lifting and loading the Mt, Harvard.  At the approximate  cost of $5,000 per day per crane we  accrued  a larger expense for the entire project.  The trucking of the Mt. Harvard has also cost us more than we budgeted.  That translates into more money being spent then we planned for.  Therefore,  we are now in the red for about $14,000 and this must be paid back to the museum before any restoration plans can begin.   You can see our dilemma.   At one point we said we could have this car in limited service by 2016.   Unless, some large donations come in, our Mt. Harvard WILL NOT be in service anytime soon.   Please consider donating to the fund to help us erase this large deficit and then to continue our restoration plans.    Thanks again to everyone who gave me kind words of encouragement through out this large project.      Roger  Kramer         

Here are more pictures of the move.   I hope you enjoy them as much as I had taking them while driving on the interstates and local highways.  I was the only Irm member documenting the move.  After months of planning and worrying if the project would finally succeed I certainly enjoyed the entire driving  and chasing experience!!  

I didn't get any pictures of the Mt. Harvard traveling thru Maremgo or Union because by that time I was the lead car showing Marv, driving the130' foot rig, the way to the museum. We had a small entourage waiting for us which included Dave Diamond Dan Fenlacei Paul Cronin Mark Secco Nick Kallas and Bob Olsen.  I hope I didn't forget anyone but I was pretty excited driving onto the property. But the night was still young.    We still had to unload the two wheel sets that were on the flat bed truck.    Thanks to Mark Secco Dan Fenlacei Bob Olsen and Paul Cronin for unloading them.  The unloading  went quite smooth using one of our cranes under the direction of Mark Secco.   Matter of fact the trucks were unload without any problems. The fact is because everyone in the crew were railroad men with years of experience between us all.   We all knew what we were doing and got the job done!           A special THANKS goes out to our two contractor companies with out which moving the Mt. Harvard would not have been possible!  First, let me thank the company call Cranelifts out of Janesville Wisconsin, Mike, his wife Kathy, and son Mitch.   Boy, they sure all knew what they were doing once we figured out the true weight of the sleeper.  We used two cranes, one a 90 ton and the other 195 ton.   The total cost was very expensive  but was well worth the results.  The other part of the team was Rose Cartage Service from Lansing Ill.   I believe this is the third time we have used their services. Marv and his team got the special permits, worked out the route,and arranged for all the specialized rigs.  They also soothed my nerves as the moving day approached!  A special thanks to Marv the owner, and his brother.    They sure made it look easy moving this 130 foot rig into loading position and then finally hauling the "Harvard'' to the museum.  

I know I have mentioned this many times before but we need your donations to help pay for the move.   We have had a substantial cost overrun and really need your help.  The bills have been submitted for payment and the Mt. Harvard is now unloaded and sitting on its own trucks at Irm.   Please consider a donation to the fund!   Thanks to all of you for your support in acquiring this  important piece of history for Irm.      Roger W. Kramer