Archive for Restoration
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.
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
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.
Update 2011-04-24
Posted by: | CommentsCurrent events for the weekend
I hope to post the department notes later in the week, following Mikes review.
For now, just a Yard 5 update.
first, for the photo browsers, i have begun to organize the galleries in the Passenger dept gallery, to keep things a bit more organized. i am adding sub folders by year.
Next, the work in progress.
i am making progress in getting the set ready for the season.
As many of you know, I aim for Mothers Day every year, and this year was no different, until I learned that the Illinois Terminal Historical society is coming out on saturday.
So i am trying to suport that project a bit, simply by having displays open and running.
i have made a conscious decision to begin the season with a simpler (and cleaner looking) display, reducing many of the handouts and posters. At least for now. If more information seems right later, I can always add them.
I simply had a feeling last year that the displays were losing their value through overload.
The one big change will be the RDC displays. I have kept the RDC stuff, and pulled back on all the others. Personally, i like the appearance more, with the car actually looking like a railcar and not a picture gallery.
I think the Budd/Pullman display can be redone, but maybe in the Exhibit cars instead.
The same goes for the Operation Lifesaver stuff.
The other part of the reality, is that it will make the exhibit a bit easier to maintain.
Once I get the cars done, I do have a little project sitting on a flat car waiting patiently, no?
i took some railfan/modeler pictures of the RDC undercarraige added to the gallery
http://www.irm.org/gallery/CNW-9933-2011
will put the Zephyr information in Silver Ridge, as a more appropriate location.
Ridge took two days; partly self imposed.
I have negelcted this car for a while, with all the other things going on, and I promised her some serious work this year. Soooo,
I started at one end, and reinstalled window ledges, i also got the carpet in the corridor edged and reinstalled. It is not quite long enough after the repairs, but it is straight and gives a better line to the space.
As i have mentioned before, Marc found the ceiling vents that are missing, and I hope to get them installed this year. I do want to try and clean/repaint them before i put them in, but at least we have them now
I also replaced some of the berth latch hardware.
Little pieces but more and more back together, huh?
http://www.irm.org/gallery/CBQ-Silver-Ridge
I also have some new NP info and a video that i want to run in Loch Sloy once i can figure out a place to show it. Its not easy with all the small rooms, and no real open space as in the other cars.
If folks have ideas to make the show better, please let me know. Comments here or in person are always welcome.
For now, RDC and Silver Ridge are both completed and open fully. I hope to finish Pacific Peak this week, and the rest over next weekend.
Dont forget, much of this will cost money, and so donations will ALWAYS be needed. Olympus and Silver Pony remain on the donation site,
http://www3.irm.org/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_7
and if you call the office you can donate to any piece of equipment directly,
Alternatives are the Passenger Car Dept in general RSPSGR
or the streamliner set in general RSILVER
Thanks to everyone that helps out.
I will post more general department info later in the week.
A small update 2011-04-18
Posted by: | Commentsjust a few notes after a couple of weeks
first, congratulations/condolences/cheers/sympathy to the newest members of the IRM BOD.
As always, there is a lot of work to do ahead.
On the “inbound” front, we hope to have info soon on both Olympus and CBQ 1309 transport in to us.
No immediate news, other than to report that we continue to pester folks to get it done.
On the Silver Pony front, there is no real news. I have not been out there much as my time is being consumed by Barn 3 and the streamliner display. As soon as i get the set open, I will try to get back to work on our newest “friend”
Next, a few new pictures in the gallery.
BLE 25 combine and Inglehome came out into the sun a bit over the weekend to get their brakes checked.
Both passed, but Inglehome had a broken buffer frame, on the rear.
We dont know when or how it broke, but it had to involve impact/maybe during switching.
Not saying anyone did anything wrong, because hundred year old metal sometimes fails after many many impacts.
Only means that when Inglehome comes out to play, it has to be on the end, as there is now no buffer to mate any other cars.
The latest pictures were all taken in natural light without flash, and I find it interesting how the section upholstery shows up so blue.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/Inglehome?page=1
http://www.irm.org/gallery/BLE25?page=1
The Barn 3 displays are up and running.
DMIR 84 floor repair is moving along.
Wayne and Shelly have gotten the subfloor done, and hope to get it sealed and prepped next weekend.
With a bit of luck, Chuck will have time to get over and replace the windows he has done over the winter.
No new pictures, hope to get more next week, after they get it done.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/DMIR84
In Yard 5 , some progress.
The first window is in the RDC, its kind of neat to be able to see out from inside the car.
Of course, as usual, nothing was easy. The reason I chose this particular window to change was the snowdrift inside this past winter. The 30 or so screws supposedly holding the window in were in reality only two.
Then i kept my promise to myself and cleared all the paint aroud the window frame to minimize the risk of getting the icky chemicals on the new glass.
THEN all new gasket on the opening, and last but not least, getting all the screw holes to work again.
Once the glass was in place, it took another day to get all the trim and cover plates to fit properly.
BUT ITS DONE!. one down 21 to go.
http://www.irm.org/gallery/CNW9933?page=1
CNW fans take note!
$350 each to get them replaced, donations to the RDC itself
R9934 is the fund number (remember the identity confusion?)
I have started to get the displays up and the car cleaned, so I hope to open at least the RDC this weekend.
Silver Ridge is next, and has a ways to go.
Several window ledges to install, one set of window trim in a roomette to replace, and the corridor carpet to put down.
Another new wrinkle is that Marc (YAY) found the missing ceiling vents for the roomettes, so I want to put them up as well. I have not spent enough time with this car recently, with all the other distractions, and I rpomised it that I would “make her shine” for this season.
I really want to open this weekat least a bit to get ready for the IT convention on April 30, but the time is getting late, and i really hesitate to open the set until its reasonably safe for visitors and their small children.
Birmingham is plugging along, one new wrinkle is I FINALLY got mad enough and tore out that hot water heater in the freezer unit in tyhe kitchen. Now I can think about replacing the door someday, another small step away from restauant and back toward railroad.
Pacific Peak and Loch Sloy are both ready for final prep,. but need vacuuming and a wipe down, then beds made and displays set up.
Soooo, once I get Ridge settled and safe, I should be able to get the set open.
Of course if anyone wants to pitch in, I am more than happy to provide the windex, vacuum cleaners and bed linens.
As always folks, donations remain a constant need. i anticipate about $1000 in hardware purchases this summer to use for Pony on display, AC unit and generator for power backup.
passenger car donations listed in the web store
http://www3.irm.org/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_7
for those that wish to contribute to any other piece, donations can be made by phone or by mail
Thanks for everyones support, and we hope to make more progress soon.