Greetings,
Today was a typical November day at North Judson, good weather, temps in the
high 50's. Les is in WI for the weekend.
Yesterday was Veterans Day. A wonderful program was held at the La Porte
Civic Auditorium. It seems that a larger crowd occupied the floor area than last year.
The local middle schools grade 7 and 8, were transported from school to the Civic
for the program. Its good to hear the students thanking the Vets for their service.
The highlights of the program was the 21 gun salute, and the playing of Taps by
2 La Porte High School band members added to program.
Arriving late this morning at HVRM, the track crew Mark, John, Cory, Dave and myself
tamped stone for most of the day. The tie replacement program is complete up to the
Today was a typical November day at North Judson, good weather, temps in the
high 50's. Les is in WI for the weekend.
Yesterday was Veterans Day. A wonderful program was held at the La Porte
Civic Auditorium. It seems that a larger crowd occupied the floor area than last year.
The local middle schools grade 7 and 8, were transported from school to the Civic
for the program. Its good to hear the students thanking the Vets for their service.
The highlights of the program was the 21 gun salute, and the playing of Taps by
2 La Porte High School band members added to program.
Arriving late this morning at HVRM, the track crew Mark, John, Cory, Dave and myself
tamped stone for most of the day. The tie replacement program is complete up to the
2n switch from the east end. The entire switch has been leveled and realigned making
it look good. Bing assisted in hauling stone from the clean ballast pile to fill in bare
spots. Work terminated about 2:30pm as everyone was tired.
Joe Kingbury and the boy scouts have been working on the NKP bay window caboose
repainting the exterior. Things are looking good and progress is coming along nicely.
Other interior items need to be fixed, floor and seat recovering. Doug has taken out
the seats for recovering. After fixing items, a new floor of rubber matting will be installed.
Next caboose slated to be repainted is the EL bay window caboose. Boy scouts would
like to have a project to work on, possible car is the NKP baggage car.
The GE locomotive had the radiator drained for the winter season. The Alco will have its
coolant drained next weekend. The Whitcomb was worked on, with some items needing
replacing to make it run safely
The Mid America Cars have not been moved yet. The MDT, C&NW boxcars have been
placed on the #3 track to the west of the shop. The 2789 tender will remain on the
engine for the winter.
Milk house clearing continues with a big truck from Baileys and a dumpster. The truck
was filled and dumpster filled about 2/3 full. Doug said it didn't even dent the material
inside the building. Lots of people working inside the building, Doug, Loretta, Bob A, Steve,
and a couple of Bailey employees.
Arlington Street crossing has been paved and is back in service.
Depot was manned by Margret, Loretta and a few others.
Next Saturday is membership meeting at 1PM in the depot. Items are the Shop Czar,
someone is needed to take charge an clean up the shop area. The milk shed hopefully
will provide some big shelving to put inside the buildings and get items up off the dirt
floor. This winter will be fixup/cleanup of railroad cars. Come on out and participate.
January meeting will be the election of officers/board members. President, treasurer,
2 board members (buildings,equipment). Deadline is 17 December for putting you name
on the ballot. Election committee is Pat Degan, Louise Kingsbury and one other whose name
escapes me at this time. Contact them to have your name put on the ballot, sign up sheet
is in the kitchen car.
Have not heard much on the conversion of the Metra car into an eating area, meeting area.
The South Shore flatcar, reel wire car, has still not been removed by IRM. The Porter
steam engine still still has not had any decision what to do with it. I would like to propose
that the Vulcan ore cars be moved to a display area, offline, and repainted and cleaned up
for display purposes. One at each end of the properity. One at the east end and one in
the area of Grasseli tower eventually. The flower bed has been removed during the week.
The telephone line pole could be removed and the landline moved to the power pole to
clean up the area. The crane with the bucket would make quick work of removing the pole.
I donated a wood burner stove to be used in the west shop, needs installation and smoke
stack installed. The REA trailer needs to be put inside for the winter again. I suggest clearing
an area in the shop, middle aisle, up against the wall, so I can work on 3 sides and work
on the doors that need to be rebuilt. The west shop area outside needs to be cleaned
up of old air tanks, cut levers, etc down to the rail storage area. Along the north side
of the west shop and couple of big scoops of ballast need to be dumped in the mud hole,
getting pretty deep with water. Clean-up of the coal pile, selling the remains to get
rid of it. Some talk of using the hopper car for dumping ballast on the row. If some device
to control the doors open/close could be devised for the flow of ballast, that would be nice.
Thats it for now, drive safe and have a good week.
Tom
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