Archive for April, 2008
weekend update April 26-27, 2008
Posted by: | Commentsanother week of small steps forward folks….
both CNW 7700 doors are in and the car got itself air tested for the season. all is well and the first passenger car of the year is “on the road”
a set of photos of the new doors and install are in the irm webpage
http://www.irm.org/gallery/CNW7700
other bits of news include:
the DMIR 84 windows nearing completion for install in May, thanks to Chuck Trabert
the BLE 25 window is in final varnish and should be ready to give back to Mark Hoffman for install next weekend
IC 3345 is almost done with the metal work on one side, so its almost time to turn it around and give Andy Townsend a whole new frame to fix.
We now have a steel cabinet outside the barn to store paint, which will allow us to further clear out the center aisle of Barn 3 and perhaps make it a bit more user friendly for shop work
No more movement on the Yard 5 issue for the moment, as we await the securing of a couple of boxcar contents. Once complete, the rest of the freight cars should move, making room for the long wheelbase stuff in 10/11 to get out of the way of the construction team. Getting the RDC out of the middle is really the only delay in getting tthe streamliner cars out into their new spot. We will be without electricity for a bit until Max gets the time, but we will be around and busy doing all the prep work for several weeks, so everyone is welcome to stop in of they are in the neighborhood.
With a bit of luck, in the next couple of weeks, we will also be able to swap the display track around and get Galt House back in the middle of the set so we can make a complete walkthrough again. Shelly and help made a good deal of progress in getting the car cleaned up for show.
The other significant plan for Barn 3 this year is to get the railing in front of the Susan Marie opened up so we can make it possible to access the car as well. Currently we plan to have three cars open on that track, and soon add the dover to the show. We want to brag on all the work being done by Bob Hunter and help from Mark Hoffman and Roger Kramer.
This coming weekend is scrapbook weekend, so here we go! time to put on a show!
Everyone is welcome. Come one Come all! Stop by and say Hi, lend a hand or a dollar (or both).
Lots happening.
April 20 2008 update
Posted by: | Commentswell well it has finally happened
a decision on the move of the streamliner cars……we will be moving to the north track of Yard 5
The turbine is already moved, and the Used book store is already back in position. Now we have to await Max and his time to plan and install the electical connections for the train.
Of course, now that he is working, that may take a month or so. If we move in the meantime we will be forced to run on generator power for a while, but we have been forced to do that in the past, so it will be ok. Not necessaarily the best thing, but progress is good!
The other advantage to the north track is that is will give us a straight space with pavement for our visitors to use and hopefully make their visit better.
Watch out for Pauline to add photos of the turbine move et al.
On the other passenger front. the second door got into the CNW 7700 today, and all aligned and ready to go. Next week the car will be brake tested, and then its off to service it goes!
Mike plans to push forward with testing most of the commuter cars right away, and getting them all in service and “off our plate” of things to do. Then he wants to go back to working the vestibule of the DLW car.
Roger, Bob Mike Prendergast and Mark Hoffman all shared time on Dover today as well, which is nice to see. They got the bedroom lights going again for the season, and worked windows back into place
Shelly got the BLE 25 window just about done, and hope to have it in Marks hands next week to install.
With Nick back in town the bobcat work begins. Julie has given the passenger dept a signal cabinet to store paint, and it got moved into position today about 50 ft east of the barn. Mark will needlechip it (his current favorite pastime) and we will paint it red.
We finished the afternoon by cleaning up some more of the winter mess and improving the barn for the upcoming season.
Mark Gellman spent a chunk of time working the paint on the RDC, getting the purple removed as we want it to go back to CNW livery as soon as we can. Once we get it in line with our streamliner set, we hope to jump in and get it cleaned up for guests.
The AC system in Birmingham moved forward as well. I want to try and get it done before the move, so I have electricity to test each component. so we can focus on other housekeeping issues with the set when we get them in position. We need to purchase one more blower at a cost of $200 to finish so of course donations to the Silver Car Fund would always be appreciated.
Time and energy have been at a premium these past two weeks, so not many photos. I promise to try and get a few more done soon.
weekend update april 12 2008
Posted by: | Commentsanother week of behind the scenes.
Not wquite the weather we had last week either, gloomy, chilly, a bit of wet stuff……
It would appear that the decision has reached a consensus to move the streamliner set to the north track of Yard 5.
The turbine will move to the south track in front of the Used Book store,and the RDC will be the new entry point and tail end of the sleeper set.
It wont happen quick, but we think we can clean the car up and make it into a coach trailer for the train, which would be nice. A good cleaning for starters will give a new entry point, and the entrance and exit will both be on paved surface for our visitors.
Now all we have to do is wait for the board to approve it and give Max the money to order the electrical equipment we will need to set it up. The cars will be open for our dedicated friends as soon as they move, but not for the general public for a little while until we can enclose all the connections and get the electrical and ventilation systems operating.
Stop on by and say hi, feel free to set and have a cuppa in Bimingham.
On the heavyweight front, the first of two new baggage doors got installed today in CNW 7700, and of course its gorgeous and works great! Mike, Ray, Wayne and Shelly have spent a ton of effort on these, and it shows, shiny and new! The second door is now in paint and hope to get it in next week. Congratulations!!!
BLE 25 new window is varnished, and hope to have it sanded and ready for Mark Hoffman to install soon as well.
DLW vestibule metalwork is getting cleaned, prep for repair plates, as soon as the CNW 7700 doors are done the car can be tested and then Mike hopes to get back to welding and sparking.
Chick has been abusing windows for the DMIR 84 at home over the winter, and its almost time for him to drag back and join the rest of us party folks in the barn.
Barn 3 has gotten all of the lights checked, so on days we are open we will now have 12 of 16 cars lit for view, and we hope to get a bunch of them open for visits as well.
Once we get the Yard 5 issues resolved, we will once again turn to the plan for Barn 11. Dave Diamond is awaiting our eviction so he can begin the process, and we couldnt be happier to oblige. The sooner he gets rolling, the better our chances of ioccuping the building before winter. Wouldnt that be great? Nine more cars going inside from the passenger car department.
The passenger car dept also got energetic and cleaned up East Union dispatcher office over the past week. We found several typewriters, comptometers, and and change making machine from a Chicago company that went out of business in the 1930s. Early office equiipment now set up for the ticket agents in the station to use
Stop out whenever you can, say hi, and we will put you to work.
As always , dont forget that all of this work needs funding, so please donate to your favorite passenger car, or one of the funds available on the web site store
http://www.irm.org/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=35_46
thanks for visiting, see you soon
Weekend Update April 6 2008
Posted by: | Commentshi again,
no we didnt forget, just a bit worn out.
Not a lot of new stuff to report this week, but progress made.
CNW7700 doors are moving, Mike hopes to install one the weekend of Apr 12, the second is in paint now
BLE 25 new window is being finished so it can go in soon
Barn 3 is getting cleaned up and pretty for the public. We spent a couple of days going through and getting lights changed and cords checked to make sure we can be ready. We still hope to have both Ely and Susan Marie open this year for tours.
A meeting was held on saturday with Jamie, Elmer and Gordons team to discuss the possiblities for Yard 5 , so we hope by the next board meeting to be moving ahead
The down side is of course, since we managed to spend months back and forth with ideas, that we now approach the 2008 season with no clear spot and definitely no solution for opening the streamliner cars for view
to add to the delay, we lost power in the south end of the museum campus for a week, due to a wire malfunction, and with the one man line crew being unable to get to the problem it made repairs impossible for a week or so.
We now have power back on, but the cars are moving around to stay out of Dave Diamonds way as he prepares to build the new barn 11, which we all want to happen ASAP!!
Stay tuned to discover where we are going and when.
As always, everyone is welcome to visit if we are around, with the understanding that the cars are not all dressed up to party quite yet.
Chicago & North Western 7700 Page is Started
Posted by: | CommentsA new page has been started for the Chicago & North Western 7700 combine car. Recent work on this car includes a complete rebuild of the baggage compartment door frames last year and fabrication of two large baggage doors over the 2007-2008 winter.