Greetings,
After a day trip to Chicago Friday, I slept in this morning. The South Shore train had unusual
heavy load at Miller IN and needless to say we all stood the entire way to Chicago. Guess
every kid in IN was off school. Got off at the 56st stop for the Museum of Science and
Industry. We got the tickets for the CP 2816 movie and the U505 Submarine tour. Both
exhibits are well worth it. U505 was put underground, restored, and repainted. An excellent
display of German submariners. The tours are now limited to about 20 people and have
excellent docents. My only comment is that when I was about 10 years old, I remember
the Submarine tour, is that it smelled of diesel and sweat. Now after 50 years it is clean,
repainted and does not smell of sweat. Imagine 90 days of patrol under those conditions.
Some years ago, I remember reading that a couple of men tinkered with the diesel engines
and got them to run after 60 some years. German engineering, still marches on. Last weekend
in Mobile AL, toured the USS Alabama and USS Drum. My interest in the Drum were the
Fairbanks-Morse diesel engines, both looked brand new. The Drum is outside, but is being
restored cutting rusted panels out of the hull and replacing them. In Pensacola FL, FRISCO
2-8-2 1355 is nicely restored, lettering is not authentic, but looks good. The L&N depot
is now the headhouse for a multistory hotel. Beautifully restored, with the express building
now serving as a banquet hall. BNSF handles a lot of industries along RT29, mostly paper
mills, the same nasty smell that I remember in 1980 at Corry Field for school. Pensacola
is now a nice town, not a sailor town anymore, just big employer of civilians on military bases.
Arrived at noon, everyone was at lunch. The track crew was working on the east
main line switch, replacing 5 more ties by days end.
NKP bay window caboose has new paint on the north side, with lettering just about ready to
be applied.
Steve Newland and Bob Albert worked on the water line at the Erie shed. Replacing the
water leaking pipe.
Les Beckman did some painting on the switch stands from the C&I interchange to the
shops. Some adjusting, painting, of the green and red aspects.
I worked on the REA trailer using the manlift to reach the very top. The upper portion is
now primed. The roof is in good shape, cept for needing repainting aluminum trailer
paint.
The last train of the season left at 4PM for La Crosse with over 100 riders on board.
The LIRR coach was full with the diesel running to put some heat inside. Some brave
souls rode the 2 open air cars
Departed at 4:45Pm. Got a note from Les that he had passed thru La Crosse on his
way home and the C&O kerosene marker lanterns were burning brightly on the B&LE caboose.
Nice touch for a end of season train. Doug supplied the lanterns for todays train.
Next Saturday, Board meeting at 8am. Have a good week.
Tom
After a day trip to Chicago Friday, I slept in this morning. The South Shore train had unusual
heavy load at Miller IN and needless to say we all stood the entire way to Chicago. Guess
every kid in IN was off school. Got off at the 56st stop for the Museum of Science and
Industry. We got the tickets for the CP 2816 movie and the U505 Submarine tour. Both
exhibits are well worth it. U505 was put underground, restored, and repainted. An excellent
display of German submariners. The tours are now limited to about 20 people and have
excellent docents. My only comment is that when I was about 10 years old, I remember
the Submarine tour, is that it smelled of diesel and sweat. Now after 50 years it is clean,
repainted and does not smell of sweat. Imagine 90 days of patrol under those conditions.
Some years ago, I remember reading that a couple of men tinkered with the diesel engines
and got them to run after 60 some years. German engineering, still marches on. Last weekend
in Mobile AL, toured the USS Alabama and USS Drum. My interest in the Drum were the
Fairbanks-Morse diesel engines, both looked brand new. The Drum is outside, but is being
restored cutting rusted panels out of the hull and replacing them. In Pensacola FL, FRISCO
2-8-2 1355 is nicely restored, lettering is not authentic, but looks good. The L&N depot
is now the headhouse for a multistory hotel. Beautifully restored, with the express building
now serving as a banquet hall. BNSF handles a lot of industries along RT29, mostly paper
mills, the same nasty smell that I remember in 1980 at Corry Field for school. Pensacola
is now a nice town, not a sailor town anymore, just big employer of civilians on military bases.
Arrived at noon, everyone was at lunch. The track crew was working on the east
main line switch, replacing 5 more ties by days end.
NKP bay window caboose has new paint on the north side, with lettering just about ready to
be applied.
Steve Newland and Bob Albert worked on the water line at the Erie shed. Replacing the
water leaking pipe.
Les Beckman did some painting on the switch stands from the C&I interchange to the
shops. Some adjusting, painting, of the green and red aspects.
I worked on the REA trailer using the manlift to reach the very top. The upper portion is
now primed. The roof is in good shape, cept for needing repainting aluminum trailer
paint.
The last train of the season left at 4PM for La Crosse with over 100 riders on board.
The LIRR coach was full with the diesel running to put some heat inside. Some brave
souls rode the 2 open air cars
Departed at 4:45Pm. Got a note from Les that he had passed thru La Crosse on his
way home and the C&O kerosene marker lanterns were burning brightly on the B&LE caboose.
Nice touch for a end of season train. Doug supplied the lanterns for todays train.
Next Saturday, Board meeting at 8am. Have a good week.
Tom
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