Wow! 
The winter is already gone by, and we are getting ready to open for the 2012 season!

I must admit, the lack of reporting is completely my problem here. My life has taken a decided turn for the busy since Jan 1 , and every time I begin to write stuff down I seem to run out of energy.
My museum time has been less, and by the time I get done making my daily mess, I seem to run out of gas. 
I didnt even get a report to the board for the Feb meeting

At least for now, lets try to fix that little problem a bit. 
As I review this report to you, I can easily spend a couple of hours adding photo links and tweaking the words, but then I would not have the time to put this out today, before I go back to work on the trains themselves.
Therefore i think I will just "let 'er rip" and try to add stuff later when time permits

First , I have to say I think its going to be a fun year, and a lot busier that it appears.
If the wheels for the dome arrive, and the new baggage car gets here, all of a sudden I will have a ton of projects to do almost at once.
My time right now is to try and get all the other major projects in the department done, so when I do start the streamliner projects, I am not torn by other demands.
In addition, once operating season begins, everyone will be off doing their operating projects, so displays will need to be seriously self sufficient.

For or regular visitors, I want to say right now that the streamliner set will not be open until Mothers Day.
April will be spent finishing Barn 3, Special Exhibit cars and other Yard 5 projects, then cleaning and preparing the display set.
Along the way if the other cars get here and rolling, that will also affect the display while I get the new arrivals visitor friendly.

Another significant point is to simply invite everyone out for the season, both to see the newest exhibits and share some of our fun.

We also cannot forget the importance of donations to the various projects around the department. 
Many many friends have supported us over the winter with their kind words and their financial contributions, and I do not have a way to express my gratitude beyond saying THANK YOU and add a promise to give everyone the best I have.

GENERAL DEPARTMENT PROGRESS

Inbound Acquisitions

Incoming acquisitions have been making progress, slowly but some.

The UP approvals are verbally complete, but we await word from the Executive Director on the arrival of the supporting documents.

The baggage car Silver Beaver has been put into work at Gateway in preparation for its trip to us. As of Friday 3-23 the car is getting a final air test, as all the mechanical work is completed. The last word is they need some minor parts to complete the work and get the car on the road to us. Nick is supposedly going down there this coming week, to finalize the work.

Wheels for dome car Silver Pony have been located, but in three different places.
Two wheelsets are supposedly part of the donation, but the third and fourth axle will require purchasing, and the location is still not known. This information is part of the description received from the Executive Director following his last visit to the St Louis area.

Lake City donor request is on the webstore, and photos have been posted in the department gallery.

http://www.irm.org/gallery/MILW-Lake-City

Prep work has been completed and transport company is arranged. Right now, the actual transport is on hold, as the ground is too soft for the car to be removed from its current backyard location. Crane company has already been out and reports that if we try to do it now, we better have some tow trucks there to pull everything out of the mud. Not a good idea to trash the ladies back yard, when she is really working with us to take the car out.

The new owner of Glen Alta appears to be planning to put it on the flat car currently occupied by Silver Pony, which may in fact help us to move the entire process along

The newly acquired CRIP coach in Iowa awaits movement to IRM. Brake work has been done and the car is now mechanically ready to transport.

There has been no word regarding the Circus cars that were offered to us in Florida last year, so we have no knowledge of their status. Jamie was the one acquiring them, so we are not directly involved.

The heavyweight baggage car in Denver will still require a visit from the Executive Director prior to its movement, and the latest estimate for that activity is early summer.

EQUIPMENT REPORTS

Within the next two weeks or so, the Passenger Dept will once again focus its attention on preparations for the upcoming season. The preparation of displays and barn space takes 2-3 weeks, with mechanical inspections of passenger cars occupying from April 1 on. We begin with Barn 3, and then move to Yard 5 in April. The goal, as always, is to have the Yard 5 displays open by Mothers Day.

DLW coaches (3)

• 561 and 567 are in service.
• One window damaged during Terror 2011 will be repaired before service.
• 556 continues to have interior spaces worked to prepare for repainting. This continues to be planned as completed this season.

Rock Island Coaches (6)

• Four in service
• One remains dormant
• One remains in Iowa, awaiting transport. Once it arrives, it will require significant work before it is usable in revenue service.
• The repair of the roof of CRIP 2571 remains a project planned for spring, since much of the work will be needed outdoors on scaffold.

B&M 3288/1094

• http://www.irm.org/gallery/BM1094
• Continued interior work.
• Folks that stop by will notice that Jack has quietly made serious progress on the kitchen end of the car. 
• I hope to find the time this spring to try and power up the ceiling fixtures for him, as that would be a nice touch in the midst of all his hard work.

Dover Strait

• http://www.irm.org/gallery/DoverStrait
• The interior is making progress.
• We still are seeking information from the supplier to complete the carpeting process.
• This car is next on the plan to convert to 110vac lighting, as part of the reduction of electrical demand in displays, and further reduction of maintenance costs.

IC 3345

• No progress at this time as we await structural completion of the last exterior window frame.
• This car is also planned to be moved to Barn 11 as part of the alignment to place Lake City on display soon after arrival.

CZ Silver Pony

• http://www.irm.org/gallery/CZ-Silver-Pony
• Thanks to significant help from Lee Evans we have begun a spring cleaning of the car interior.
• As with many of our other displays, we hope to make the car available for view quickly once we can get it in position, even as we continue the restoration projects.
• Dome light lenses have been installed.
• We cannot complete some of the work until the car is on wheels.
• Seat frames have been completed by the metal shop and delivered to the upholstery shop. The hope is to have seating in the lower section completed gradually over spring and early summer.
• Dome seats have been located via a meeting at the RPCA convention, and we hope to have them on hand this summer, delivered by the donor.
• Window gasket material is being sought. Contact has been made with a supplier in California.

CNW RDC 9933

• The last of the baggage rack lights have been repaired and installed.
• The two existing fixtures that had malfunctioned last season have also been repaired.
• In addition, we have located two replacement lights for the vestibules to repair the ones missing their lenses, so we hope to have them in be May as well.

CBQ Silver Ridge
No changes as we plan for 2012.

UP Pacific Peak

• Steady progress is being made in backdating interior wall surfaces.
• Carpet removal in a double bedroom with exposure of original wall surfaces.
• Mike has made nice progress on the walls, and has learned the time consuming nature of the process. Over April he hopes to reach a logical break and clean up in time for May.

ACL Birmingham

• No immediate changes.
• We were able to make the interior ventilation system a bit more effective late last year, and so we hope the car will be even more comfortable this season.

NP Loch Sloy
No change this month

NP 230 Baggage Car

• The exterior painting of the car is complete. 
• Final touches to lettering and replication of car signage will be completed in spring.

YARD 5 DISPLAYS

Special Exhibit cars

• The exit vestibule has been cleaned of obstructions and the center sill and coupler pocket are exposed.
• Welding repairs have continued on the vestibule platform for the exit end of the cars.
• The interior of the first car has been cleared and repainting is completed.
• The video security system has been installed.
• The foyer has been repaired, lighting reinstalled, and fixtures replaced.
• With the presence of the security system,, we have been able to go ahead and begin the installation of the new displays.
• A malfunction of the AC unit in the car late in the season has been assessed and Jerry Lynn has prepared to perform the repairs when the weather tempers a bit.