Greetings to all from North Judson IN,
HOT & HUMID again, but good for corn and beans. Starting to smell like August also.
Coming down on IN39, the chickadas, little bugs that make one big noise, from the
Kankakee River to IN8, solid noise, thought it was my tires at first. Fall is around the
corner. Never seen the foliage so thick either, trees along the C&I need to trimmed
back, brushing against the train. Winter projects.
Track/tie gang, Cory, Mark, Matt, John and Dave made up the crew for Friday and
Saturday up near La Crosse. put in 50 ties Friday, 35 Saturday and tamped and spiked
all 85 on Saturday. To date 292 ties installed and tamped/spiked. The end is in
sight. This is very grueling work and will make old men out of these guys soon. Next
time you seen them, give them a handshake and tell them you wish you could be
there helping them, but football season is starting soon, watch out for a swing of the fist.
I rode the first train out to milepost 217 to clear brush and weeds away. The mile marker
is over further than normal, due to once a siding before English Lake bridge, so its now
is not as noticeable. It was quick work sawing down a couple of medium size trees and
throwing them into the ditch, weed wacking weeds down and the train returned.
I have a couple of more trees to cut down, but can wait till cooler days. Reboarded
the Erie caboose and was just happy to sit down and enjoy the breeze.
After a Subway lunch, back to museum, got my car and drove down to tank car.
Report that nuts are gone from wood walk way, yes at least 5-6 nuts gone and
maybe a half dozen loose. Even the hand brake stand did not have nuts on
bolts. I believe this is a sabotoge act of some sort. Not that many nuts so close
to each other could all be loose and others as tight as could be tightened.
Strange, will put lock tight nuts on all bolts next week.
Les worked on Grasseli tower after being relieved by Loretta in the depot selling train
tickets. The car show did not pan out, so Loretta came back in the depot.
Don Baker worked on the electrical panel at kitchen car and rewiring the inside. Maybe
the light switch will now work properly, instead of tape over it to prevent being turned off.
Baileys has A/C units on sale right now and with heaters for winter, maybe we could
get some cool air in the kitchen car, hint to Dave and Margret Cook.
Steve and Fred were working on Grasseli tower.
I went to the shop and worked on the C&NW car truck, scrape wheels of oil and dirt
and dirt from the trucks. I need to get a chipping hammer, as the dirt and oil chip right
off down to the steel, then a putty knife to smooth clean.
After the last train of the day, board meeting in the depot. One item to note, the NKP
wood tool car will be burned soon and steel scrapped. All interested persons in the
car did not pan out. I have some ideas what to do with the car. Fix the rotted wood
in the roof, reroof with rubber used on the open air cars. Take off the rotted wood
siding, replace with OSB board, cover with rubber covering, virtually sealing the car
to rain and snow. The frame is not rusted/rotted and all items under the floor is in
good shape. The car was originally a boxcar, so the ends were left on and doors put
in for access in and out. Replace the trucks, which by the way are very unusual in
construction, and replace with either the roller bearing trucks by the storage reefer
car shed, or kitchen/diesel car trucks brass journals. Return the car to a flat car, redeck
it, eventually putting the REA trailer on it for display only. Keep the original trucks
on the car. The car is still useable, could be used for signal car, freeing up the
NKP boxcar of valueable space. Whatever the outcome, it has its positive and negative
points.
Any responses should be directed to HVRM Board of Directors in a timely manner.
Time is short for this car. Contacts are avail at the HVRM web site.
Have a good week, school is starting soon, the big yellow busses will be back
on the road soon.
Tom
HOT & HUMID again, but good for corn and beans. Starting to smell like August also.
Coming down on IN39, the chickadas, little bugs that make one big noise, from the
Kankakee River to IN8, solid noise, thought it was my tires at first. Fall is around the
corner. Never seen the foliage so thick either, trees along the C&I need to trimmed
back, brushing against the train. Winter projects.
Track/tie gang, Cory, Mark, Matt, John and Dave made up the crew for Friday and
Saturday up near La Crosse. put in 50 ties Friday, 35 Saturday and tamped and spiked
all 85 on Saturday. To date 292 ties installed and tamped/spiked. The end is in
sight. This is very grueling work and will make old men out of these guys soon. Next
time you seen them, give them a handshake and tell them you wish you could be
there helping them, but football season is starting soon, watch out for a swing of the fist.
I rode the first train out to milepost 217 to clear brush and weeds away. The mile marker
is over further than normal, due to once a siding before English Lake bridge, so its now
is not as noticeable. It was quick work sawing down a couple of medium size trees and
throwing them into the ditch, weed wacking weeds down and the train returned.
I have a couple of more trees to cut down, but can wait till cooler days. Reboarded
the Erie caboose and was just happy to sit down and enjoy the breeze.
After a Subway lunch, back to museum, got my car and drove down to tank car.
Report that nuts are gone from wood walk way, yes at least 5-6 nuts gone and
maybe a half dozen loose. Even the hand brake stand did not have nuts on
bolts. I believe this is a sabotoge act of some sort. Not that many nuts so close
to each other could all be loose and others as tight as could be tightened.
Strange, will put lock tight nuts on all bolts next week.
Les worked on Grasseli tower after being relieved by Loretta in the depot selling train
tickets. The car show did not pan out, so Loretta came back in the depot.
Don Baker worked on the electrical panel at kitchen car and rewiring the inside. Maybe
the light switch will now work properly, instead of tape over it to prevent being turned off.
Baileys has A/C units on sale right now and with heaters for winter, maybe we could
get some cool air in the kitchen car, hint to Dave and Margret Cook.
Steve and Fred were working on Grasseli tower.
I went to the shop and worked on the C&NW car truck, scrape wheels of oil and dirt
and dirt from the trucks. I need to get a chipping hammer, as the dirt and oil chip right
off down to the steel, then a putty knife to smooth clean.
After the last train of the day, board meeting in the depot. One item to note, the NKP
wood tool car will be burned soon and steel scrapped. All interested persons in the
car did not pan out. I have some ideas what to do with the car. Fix the rotted wood
in the roof, reroof with rubber used on the open air cars. Take off the rotted wood
siding, replace with OSB board, cover with rubber covering, virtually sealing the car
to rain and snow. The frame is not rusted/rotted and all items under the floor is in
good shape. The car was originally a boxcar, so the ends were left on and doors put
in for access in and out. Replace the trucks, which by the way are very unusual in
construction, and replace with either the roller bearing trucks by the storage reefer
car shed, or kitchen/diesel car trucks brass journals. Return the car to a flat car, redeck
it, eventually putting the REA trailer on it for display only. Keep the original trucks
on the car. The car is still useable, could be used for signal car, freeing up the
NKP boxcar of valueable space. Whatever the outcome, it has its positive and negative
points.
Any responses should be directed to HVRM Board of Directors in a timely manner.
Time is short for this car. Contacts are avail at the HVRM web site.
Have a good week, school is starting soon, the big yellow busses will be back
on the road soon.
Tom
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