Archive for May, 2011
midweek update 2011-05-25
Posted by: | Commentsas we approach the Memorial day weekend, preparations are underway.
EVERYONE COME OUT FOR THIS WEEKEND!
Jamie got the cars out and set up for the mainline. A seven car train for the weekend!
Today we went through them and made sure all was well. Safety kits in each car as usual
Then we turned our attention to Yard 5.
Another Wednesday of progress in little steps, nothing really “high profile” but good things nonetheless.
For all you Union Pacific fans, all 22 beds in Pacific Peak are open for use for the first time since it got to IRM.
A couple of the DBR lowers were uncooperative, and I know they have been this way since arrival. This year, I went after the problems, and now they are all functional.
By this time it was mid afternoon, and I saved time to finish assembling the window and shade frames in Roomette 8.
This is one of the Roomettes that had been in pieces since the windows were installed, and as many of you know, I have been trying to put things back together throughout the car this year.
Ceiling vents done, window ledges intalled.
This shade and trim set was last partly because the shade mount brackets were missing. Last week i pulled a template from another and made new ones.
I still have one bedroom shade to repair, as the roller is broken.
I think I am going to have to order from Adlake, and pay their prices.
I also have a torn shade in one roomette that should be replaced. another Adlake item.
Of course that means we now have ANOTHER excuse to ask for donations to the car. Adlake stuff is excellant, but not cheap.
http://www3.irm.org/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_7
Unfortunately the account is RSILVR not on the list, but donations to Silver Pony will defray the cost and free up other funds to pay for the work on Ridge.
If folks are inclined to donate in person or by phone then RSILVR works well. Thank you to everyone that continues to support our efforts.
update 2011-05-22
Posted by: | CommentsA housekeeping and maintnenace weekend
Of course the 85 temps gave the ventilation system in the streamliners some exercise, and being a quiet week not too may folks…
PLUS the excavation out front obviously decreased traffic a bit.
Everyone needs to come out for the Memorial Day weekend, the WW2 reenactment is supposed to have more soldiers than last year, and the weather is looking GREAT!!!!!
www.anzioexpress.org for details
next a simple addition to the gallery, as i discovered i had not taken photos of DLW coach 567. so now the IRM gallery has those.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/DLW567
for the full gallery , including some underbody shots for the modelers, and some pictures of the brake rigging to compare with the stuff mike has been fixing on 561
ALSO… DLW 561 is done, another day of checking and fixing, but he has relaeased the car for service next week.
This means we can plan for the seven car train for the Memeorial Day weekend.
RPO 1923
Combine BLE 25
Coach IC 2804
Coach DMIR 84
Coach DLWm 561
Coach DLW 567
Inglehome
If all goes well, this will also be the set up for the RPO Weekend two weeks later.
beyond that, got the rest of the Birmingham AC units in and the air movers in Pacific Peak in place, so, in theory, next weekend will be a good thing for us.
updates 2011-05-15
Posted by: | Commentsok so the weather was lousy!
temperatures hovered around 50 as a high all weekend, with on and off rain and then the wind picked up….a raw time, felt like March
Then Saturday the front of Yard 5 got torn up for a major repair job.
I applaud the work. Dave is getting a ton of infrastructure done all at once, new plumbing, new gas, new electrical.
I only wish we had a pedestrian pathway to and from the yard.
Lacking a safe passage, we had to close all Yard 5 displays for the weekend.
With that done, we went to work on some of the projects we had put off for a while
I managed to actually get things done on all five cars over the two days, so all in all it wasnt a total loss for us.
I promise to set up some pictures in the blog soon, i am not quite ready, so I hope the links will do for now.
RDC got the light housings in the last baggage posts. They came in from the metal shop and i picked up glass lenses for them and installed it all Friday night.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/CNW-9933-2011
RDC reading light installed and operating
Silver Ridge finally got the last four vent grilles installed. I mentioned that Marc had found them and this weekend was a perfect time to do inside work, so they got cleaned and put in. Paint will have to come later, but they are the correct parts, and now the only holes in the ceiling are the six light fixtures i still need
http://www.irm.org/gallery/CBQ-Silver-Ridge?page=1
last ceiling vent goes in
Pacific Peak has had a broken diaphragm curtain for a couple of years, and i had been jury rigging it for use. Once again, having time without visitors passing through, I found another curtain that i freed up and adjusted. Now installed, another weather protection for our guests in place.
Loch Sloy also had a chronic problem that i simply hadnt found the time or energy to attack. The passage light in the non vestibule end had been out, and it was a bad socket. Today was the excuse to tear it down, clean and repair it and reinstall it. Works well, now the connection between cars is better lit, and makes the exit corner from Birmingham a little more visitor friendly
I didnt think i had a “honey-do” list for the cars, but i guess i did!
Birmingham was the last stop on this repair tour, and its not quite done yet.
I have started to track down the power for the lights inside the freezer units, which, while not a major issue, is another one of those small cosmetic things that will brighten up the car and perhaps show folks more of the functions.
With a bit of luck Wednesday is the day i will be able to finish them too.
I know folks are interested in Silver Pony, but with the weather as it was this weekend, I certainly didnt plan to do windows on a ladder.
If i get a bit of sunshine, i hope to get back to it in the next week.
Obviously in two weeks, the WW2 event will take a lot of my time, but for this week, and perhaps this weekend coming I can make progress.
On the Barn 3 heavyweight front, Mike has been fighting the brakes of the second Lackawanna coach.
It has some issues, even after the repairs so far. He hopes it wil fix next week.
Shelly and Wayne got the seats back in the DMIR 84 coach after their great floor rebuild, and Mike and crew did the brake test, so its ready to go . The IC 2804 coach is done as well.
If the second DLW coach gets working all the top tier cars are ready for service. and he will be able to start on the CRIP coaches early.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/DMIR84
Congraatulations to the mechanical team!
He might even have time to do restoration work this summer in there!
Thats about all for now. Not a lot of drama, not a lot of big visible projects, but a lot of nagging issues resolved this week, so we feel pretty decent about it all even with the weather issues.
As always dont forget we still need donations for both Silver Pony and Olympus, not to mention the other projects going on.
We have noticed the the webmaster has been able to add a donation spot for indoor storage as well. This would be a donation to the Passenger Dept indoor storage fund, and the money would be specifically used to get more passenger dept equipment inside.
If you are interested in a particular piece of equipment, you will still need to make a specific donation to that piece. Some are on the website, all others can be done over the phone or in the mail or in person
Thank you in advance to anyone that can help us along.
http://www3.irm.org/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_7
Passenger Dept update 2011-05-05
Posted by: | CommentsGENERAL DEPARTMENT PROGRESS
Operating season 2011 has begun, and the passenger dept continues to gear up for the upcoming mainline season.
The first cars have been inspected and made mechanically operational. We will complete interior and safety equipment preparations prior to the first use May 7-8.
The timetable is planned for several more cars to be inspected prior to the Memorial Day weekend, as the event personnel have requested more cars available to resolve last years overflow trains.
While our participation with the plan for the IT convention last week was minimal, it appeared that the event was a success, and we applaud the work done to give our guests a good time.
EQUIPMENT REPORTS
Inbound Acquisitions
Incoming acquisitions are making progress, but each has become complicated by factors.
The CBQ 1309 baggage car in Denver has been visited by the Executive Director, and many of the transport questions have been answered.
Olympus wheels are in discussion , and while we hope to complete the acquisition soon, it is taking a while to get all the pieces in the “right place” The latest conversation places the car in line for travel in May, as the shop at Gateway is currently in use on retail work.
DLW coaches (3)
567, is in service.
561 brake hardware parts are complete and repairs progressing. The plan is to have it completed May 8 and placed in service for the season.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/DLW561
556 continues to have its interior cleaned in preparation of a ceiling painting when temperatures are better.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/DLW556
Rock Island Coaches (5)
As noted earlier, four revenue Rock Island coaches are now in service. The fifth remains awaiting restoration
One car, previously noted, still awaits a window re-glazing following the Terror event, but should not delay use of the car this season.
B&M 3288/1094
Continued interior work. The kitchen area is beginning to be restored, with a model on display indicating the original layout for our guests to envision. Some more exterior painting is taking place on displayed surfaces.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/BM1094
DMIR 84
Flooring repair beneath seats nears completion.
Windows are reinstalled following repair.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/DMIR84
Brake testing is planned for the week of May 14-15, to prepare it for service Memorial Day weekend.
CNW RDC 9933
The first window has been re-glazed and reinstalled.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/CNW-9933-2011
CBQ Silver Ridge
The off season repairs needed are nearing completion.
Roomette doors repairs are completed.
Seats have been reupholstered.
Corridor carpet has been repaired and replaced.
Several window sills have been reattached.
Missing hardware has been located and replaced in several bedroom locations.
Ceiling vents, missing since the arrival of the car in 2004, have been acquired and they will be installed after refinishing.
CZ Siver Pony
This car, having arrived in January, is making progress in anticipation for display.
The work on this car has been stopped temporarily, as we focus our effort on the current public areas of the department.
We hope to begin work once again shortly after all Yard 5 displays are completed over the next week or so.
We understand the high profile nature of this acquisition and hope to make it a positive addition to the museum.
YARD 5 DISPLAYS
The streamliner sleeper set has opened for the season,
Special Exhibit car has reopened for the season, with some exciting plans for new displays.
A group of folks developed a special display for the Illinois Terminal convention, and appears to have been well received.
The Memorial Day team has also indicated they would like to expand their use for this season. We await their information so we can prepare for it.
The Chicago Railroad Fair display being developed by Ray Bellock has been making progress, and while we are trying to keep space for the WW2 folks, we anticipate the display to continue to take shape during May.
While we still await the completion of the second car power supply, we continue our plans to add the second car to become part of the show as soon as possible.
In addition, we remind everyone that donations are still a large need. Thanks to several donors already, we are able to fund a lot of the needed work on windows and seats, but much remains to be done, both on Silver Pony and the rest of the Streamliner sleeper set.
Please keep us in your plans in the future and watch the display grow.
http://www3.irm.org/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_7
photo gallery as always
http://www.irm.org/gallery/passengercardept
another small note 2011-05-04
Posted by: | Commentswhile getting things ready for this weekend, i got a few pictures of the brake repairs on DLW 561.
The beams had worn last year to the point where the brakes were locked on, and the cause was simply worn parts all adding up to a large drag on the adjusters.
Mike and Ray have gotten the beam sliders replaced, and hope to finish the car this weekend.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/DLW561
more to come when the monthly dept review is finished this week.