Keepin` it warm at HVRM 7-27-13

 

Greetings!

 

Cool day for July!  Set a new record low temperature high for July 27th today; only hit 65 degrees.  Sun and clouds and a cool wind all day, with just a few drops of rain.  We really need some good rains as things are very dry.

 

Arrived at 9:00 a.m. and operating crew already hard at work.  John DeGan engineer with Bob Barcus as Conductor.  Dug out a couple of weeds in the flower bed around one of our electric poles.  Ran into Steve Henrichs who was looking for the key to the Man Lift which we located in the key box in the Shop.  Then over to the Erie shed for some Freight Car Red (Tuscan) paint.  Spent the rest of my day painting the TTX flatcar, which I managed to get finished and even had a bit of paint left over.  Didn't get around the museum much today, but here is what I know happened:

 

Steve Henrichs put a clamp on the pipe extending out from the expansion tank at the top of Grasselli Tower (which is why he needed the Man Lift).  Steve continued with the painting of the steam heat radiators for the second floor of the Tower.  Steve Newland put in two new window sills on the windows on the west side of the Towers second floor.

 

A crew worked on tamping around a number of new ties put in earlier this week on the old Erie track east of Main Street.  John LaOrange, Cory Bennett, Dave Cook, Bing Risley and Mark Knebel were involved in this work, and perhaps some others that I missed.

 

Mike Koehler was working on his ex-Long Island RS-1 #467.

 

The yellow (ex-IC) display caboose continues to be worked on.  Bob Albert, Fred Boyer and Doug Kosloske were the work crew.

 

Two trains to English Lake seemed to be well patronized.  Final train of the day was a picnic train special to La Crosse.

 

Good to see the Emmons (Bruce and Annabelle) at the museum this afternoon.  Bruce was one of the founding members of the group that founded the museum to acquire the 2789 back in 1986.  Talked to Dan Siple earlier this week and Dan is doing well after his recent heart surgery.

 

Headed for home at 3:30 p.m.   Hope everyone has a great week.

 

 

Les

 

   

 

 

 

   

Hobo Day Activities 7/13/13

Greetings to all,
 
Wonderful day at HVRM today, Nice temps, fluffy clouds made the sun more
bearable to be outside. Lots of mowing grass around the museum grounds
made the grounds look good. 
 
A large tent was erected, along with tables and chairs for serving the "Hobo Stew'.
A large school bus showed up with a load of anxious kids to ride the train. Good
turnout for the first run of the  day. After the ride, lots of people went over to taste
the stew. Must of been good and plenty of it.
 
The troop sleeper car was pulled outside and put on track 3, as to not get hydralic
fluid on it. Cory and Dave took all the lines loose on the back hoe to blow out the
water in the lines. At one time someone must of mistaken the hydralic oil tank
as being the radiator and filled the tank with water. All went well and the system
is now water free. Richard got some hydralic fluid that absorbs water in the sytem
an should take care of any problems from now on. While raising an lowering the
bucket, a oil line broke. It was quickly taken off an taken down to Skip's garage
and replaced with new line. Everything now seems to run somewhat better, and the
real test will be next week installing ties on the Erie line.
 
The C&EI tool car will have its floor stripped out, left outside till its done to prevent
filling up the building with charcoal remants. The holes will be fixed and then a new
floor will be put down. Insulation installed, windows installed, door rebuilts and most
likely electric lights an outlets installed, a long project ahead for restoration. The car
when completed will be a dining eating facility next to the NKP kitchen car.
 
Talk of finally putting concrete down in the west shop is nearing reality. Maybe soon.
The IC yellow caboose in now in the middle shop awaiting some sanding on the out
side of the bondo and repainting of the car. Windows are being built an installed
in the cupola by Doug. Some sort of sliding curtain to be rigged up for the entrance
to the west shop building, between the middle an west shop area, to keep the
heat inside in winter.
 
The display track is now ready for equipment. Starting at the west end, IC caboose,
Troop sleeping car, IC Metra car and then the Model 40, if room, the Whitcomb
diesel.
 
I worked on grinding an priming the PRR flat car. About 3/4's done. The weather was
cool an I got a lot done. Dirty dirty dirty work with the grinder. Les continued during
the week to finish up his passenger car with paint on the east end. A very large (tall)
ladder was needed to reach the upper areas. I got Cory to move some steel cabinets
up too close to the south side flat car , preventing getting close to it. Also moved
was a large payloader tire beside the REA trailer to the north 40. BTW, Bing is getting
tired of getting donations of used tires, we cannot get rid of them either, please
do not bring them to HVRM. Same goes for used motor oil, no need for it. Donations
of well worn equipment shows up at the shop door also, fix it up before bringing it
down to the museum area, so people don't have to spend hours of time fixing it up.
 
Mark,during the week, has spiked about 25 ties on the Erie line, lots of hard work
by himself. Bruce Fingerhut has mowed many miles of trail during the week also.
July 30, 31 is road crossing repair, ties replaced an ballast put in also, please
come out an lend a hand, as many people as possible make the job go faster.
The English lake crossing an Toto road crossing will be replaced, with paving done
on August 1st. A grant application has been submitted to the state for replacing the
Mulberry street crossing also.
 
Everyone have a good week. Next Saturday will be general membership meeting,
please try an attend. A card will be there to sign for Dan Siple who had heart
surgery this past week. Get well soon Dan. Meeting most likely will be at 8am in
the depot at HVRM.
 
Tom Travis

Dedication Day for Troop Sleeper-7/6/13

Greetings to all, hope all had a safe 4th of July and enjoyed lots of fireworks.
Not bad this year considering the temps last year were over 100 degrees.
 
Lots of activities this week, Monday 7/1, saw Les working on his passenger car
painting on the west end. Getting closer all the time to completion. Tom working
outside of the west shop area on the REA trailer, painting the upper half with
green paint. Completed all with Les helping later in the afternoon paint some
detail angle work that a roller does not work very well on. A couple of rain showers
interrupted work and that was it for the day.  Tuesday or Wednesday C&I brought in
another trainload of grain cars for storage, filling up all the tracks. Thursday had
a track crew working on Erie track down by IN10 road crossing, including Friday,
over 50 ties were put in, not spiked or tamped yet, later. Cory, Mark, John, Joe was
the crew and I held down the small cart with the tools on Friday. Work ceased at 5pm
a full day for everyone. Friday I finished the lower half painting on the REA trailer.
Looks good, but might need another coat to hide all the rough spots. Easy to roll,
will use a long pole to do the sides in one swipe.
 
Saturday was dedication of repainting outside, and fixing wood panels and repainting
on the inside of the troop car. At approx 3pm, the car was rolled outside for pictures
of the participants in restoring the troop car. Lars and Bjarne Henderson both had
big smiles on their faces as the families inspected the car. Nice job guys and
Thanks again for all your hard work.
 
First tourist train of the day had a good size crowd on board. Second an third trains
of the day were so so on passengers. Cory and Dave worked on draining the oil
from the hydralyic system from the back hoe tractor. Water has turned the oil to
a milky color and slowed down the operation of the system. By next weekend the
tractor should be back in operation. John was engineer, Doug conductor on todays
trains. Bob picked up a load of scrap rubber and wire, filling his truck to overflowing. 
Bob and Loretta ran the depot ops today, Margret and Diane handled the lunch
for the hungry workers. Steve Newland, Steve Hendrichs worked in the tower today
woodworking and cleaning parts for the radiator system. Jason Jordan participated
in activities today also.
 
Thats about it for today, next saturday is hobo day, come out an enjoy the displays
and hobos.
 
Have a safe week, enjoy the nice weather
 
Tom