Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum 25th Anniversary will be a day to remember for everyone
who attended. It was a very comfortable day temp wise, only a few sprinkles in late afternoon,
but otherwise perfect for a good time.
The activity started Thursday with tent set-up and parking signs and getting the grounds
to look good. A long day for everyone who participated. Big tent for the food tent, good size
tent for the Bluegrass music tent and lots of little shelters for various things. The grounds
were mowed to perfection, trash picked up and cleanups everywhere. Cory, Mark, John,
Tom, Les, Diane, Bing, Dave were all on hand for this work. Mostly everything was all
ready up when I arrived, due to driving school bus, I got some help putting up a small
10X20 shelter. I helped put up some tent also. Les worked on painting the east end of
the passenger car. He finished just as I went down to see him and we went down to
Fingerhut for coffee and donut break. Levi Mayes was already there having lunch, so we
sat with him for about an hour. Levi grew up near the Virginian Railway, remembering the
yard, steam engines, lots of very interesting early years living conditions in the mountains
of West Virginia. I had to leave by 12:30pm to get back for the afternoon bus route. Les
continued working on the flower bed, weeding, and planting a few native species from
the railway right of way, that grow wild in the summer. Mark painted a couple of switch
throws. John, Mark and Les picked up all the burnt wood that was at the west end of the
tool car down to a pile of dead trees near the wye area. Bob Jacqim brought down some
traffic horse for the parking lot.
Things on Saturday started early. Lots of things needed to be done getting set up for the
days activities. Visitors started to come in early for a look at our museum depot and shop
areas.
8AM was the Flag Ceremony by the American Legion Post #92 at the flag pole area. A very nice
ceremony was held with at least 12 legion members present with the colors, trumpet player,
and flag raisers. Peggy Bohac photographed most of the day events that went on all over
the museum grounds. She did an excellent shoot of the flag ceremony with a group photo of
legion members and HVRM members. Many thanks to Peggy for her efforts.
9AM with the magic show for kids, along with face painting & temporary tattoos, which was
very popular with the kids, everyone had something. The Fair Oaks Mobile Dairy trailers showed
up for display and was a popular exhibit.
11AM was the first train of the day to English lake. The train had a full consist of cabooses,
LIRR air conditioned coach car, 2 open air flat cars and the EJ&E transfer caboose for wheel
chairs recently repainted an lettered for the anniversary. Alco Erie 310 S1 was the engine for the day, with GE #11 Interlaken Steel, was on standby duty. C&O 2789 2-8-4 was pulled out of the
shop for display. Shop buildings were open to the pulblic and lots of folks visited our work areas. The Illinois Central caboose was still in the shop being restored along with the Whitcomb
diesel. Grasselli tower was open for display both down and upstairs areas. Signals were
on displaying colors and working semaphores. The Union Pacific motor car was on duty
for rides out on the Erie line to the east. It was on the caboose track and went out thru the
switch and on to the mainline. The total ridership for the day was over 300 riders, good turnout.
12 Noon the train returned and the hog roast lunch was in full operation with a long line
of hungry people waiting clear up to the wood platform at the depot. The guest engineer project
also had one person run the Alco out on the Erie line for about an hour. The pork was excellent
and plenty to go around. The Peter Nye Bluegrass band was playing and had a good group
listening to the music. The band rode the 2:45 train to La Crosse, going to in the LIRR coach
and coming back in the the Katy open air car. While in La Crosse, they brought the instruments
to the grounds and started playing again for 30 minutes or so till train loading. A large group
formed around them listening. A retirement ceremony was going on inside the library and when
it ended everyone came outside to listen also.
2:30PM train return from English Lake the Culver Pipe & Drums were playing music on the depot
platform. Wonderful to hear bagpipes coming into the station. The group was excellent and music
wonderful. A very large crowd was on the platform was waiting to board the 2:45pm train to La
Crosse. The crew pulled the consist down to the runaround track, switched the engine to the
west end of the train in record time, recoupled. air pumped up and pulled up to the platform an
departed almost right on time. I rode the NKP bay window caboose along with conductor John
DeGan and 2 conductor trainees. The 1:30 train ride to La Crosse, my wife Maureen and daughter
Brianne rode with me.
Returning from La Crosse at 5pm, the events were winding down, tents had already been taken down, things being put away. By 6PM everything was back to normal, tent stakes pulled out of
the ground by Bing and his little skid loader bucket, tables and chairs put away. The train was
switched on various tracks, locked up, 2789 pushed back into the shop and #310 put away.
Some time was spent in the depot after all way done to cool down and reflect on the days
activities.
Joe Kingsbury had his steam engine 4-4-0 on display all day in the parking lot. Amazing piece
of machinery that was totally machined and put together by Joe.
Maybe in 5 years, another anniversary open house will be put together bigger an better than
the 25th's. Amazing what has been done in the last 20 some years in North Judson from
nothing to a tourist operation. Train rides continue to the end of September. The museum will
be open every Saturday from 8am to 4pm. Come out an visit. The next 6 months will be
getting ready for next year. Restoration of rail cars, tie replacement track work on the main line
is needed badly.
Some old members showed up Saturday that have earned respect from all HVRM members.
Dan Siple, Bob McKown, Chuck Ness, Elmer Mannen, Bruce Emmons. Good to see everyone
out visiting. Watch for the next newsletter giving a full wrap up on all activities for the day.
Again many thanks to all the volunteers who made this event happen. Come on down next
weekend, any beats pork sandwiches for lunch?
Tom Travis, Restoration Grunt
who attended. It was a very comfortable day temp wise, only a few sprinkles in late afternoon,
but otherwise perfect for a good time.
The activity started Thursday with tent set-up and parking signs and getting the grounds
to look good. A long day for everyone who participated. Big tent for the food tent, good size
tent for the Bluegrass music tent and lots of little shelters for various things. The grounds
were mowed to perfection, trash picked up and cleanups everywhere. Cory, Mark, John,
Tom, Les, Diane, Bing, Dave were all on hand for this work. Mostly everything was all
ready up when I arrived, due to driving school bus, I got some help putting up a small
10X20 shelter. I helped put up some tent also. Les worked on painting the east end of
the passenger car. He finished just as I went down to see him and we went down to
Fingerhut for coffee and donut break. Levi Mayes was already there having lunch, so we
sat with him for about an hour. Levi grew up near the Virginian Railway, remembering the
yard, steam engines, lots of very interesting early years living conditions in the mountains
of West Virginia. I had to leave by 12:30pm to get back for the afternoon bus route. Les
continued working on the flower bed, weeding, and planting a few native species from
the railway right of way, that grow wild in the summer. Mark painted a couple of switch
throws. John, Mark and Les picked up all the burnt wood that was at the west end of the
tool car down to a pile of dead trees near the wye area. Bob Jacqim brought down some
traffic horse for the parking lot.
Things on Saturday started early. Lots of things needed to be done getting set up for the
days activities. Visitors started to come in early for a look at our museum depot and shop
areas.
8AM was the Flag Ceremony by the American Legion Post #92 at the flag pole area. A very nice
ceremony was held with at least 12 legion members present with the colors, trumpet player,
and flag raisers. Peggy Bohac photographed most of the day events that went on all over
the museum grounds. She did an excellent shoot of the flag ceremony with a group photo of
legion members and HVRM members. Many thanks to Peggy for her efforts.
9AM with the magic show for kids, along with face painting & temporary tattoos, which was
very popular with the kids, everyone had something. The Fair Oaks Mobile Dairy trailers showed
up for display and was a popular exhibit.
11AM was the first train of the day to English lake. The train had a full consist of cabooses,
LIRR air conditioned coach car, 2 open air flat cars and the EJ&E transfer caboose for wheel
chairs recently repainted an lettered for the anniversary. Alco Erie 310 S1 was the engine for the day, with GE #11 Interlaken Steel, was on standby duty. C&O 2789 2-8-4 was pulled out of the
shop for display. Shop buildings were open to the pulblic and lots of folks visited our work areas. The Illinois Central caboose was still in the shop being restored along with the Whitcomb
diesel. Grasselli tower was open for display both down and upstairs areas. Signals were
on displaying colors and working semaphores. The Union Pacific motor car was on duty
for rides out on the Erie line to the east. It was on the caboose track and went out thru the
switch and on to the mainline. The total ridership for the day was over 300 riders, good turnout.
12 Noon the train returned and the hog roast lunch was in full operation with a long line
of hungry people waiting clear up to the wood platform at the depot. The guest engineer project
also had one person run the Alco out on the Erie line for about an hour. The pork was excellent
and plenty to go around. The Peter Nye Bluegrass band was playing and had a good group
listening to the music. The band rode the 2:45 train to La Crosse, going to in the LIRR coach
and coming back in the the Katy open air car. While in La Crosse, they brought the instruments
to the grounds and started playing again for 30 minutes or so till train loading. A large group
formed around them listening. A retirement ceremony was going on inside the library and when
it ended everyone came outside to listen also.
2:30PM train return from English Lake the Culver Pipe & Drums were playing music on the depot
platform. Wonderful to hear bagpipes coming into the station. The group was excellent and music
wonderful. A very large crowd was on the platform was waiting to board the 2:45pm train to La
Crosse. The crew pulled the consist down to the runaround track, switched the engine to the
west end of the train in record time, recoupled. air pumped up and pulled up to the platform an
departed almost right on time. I rode the NKP bay window caboose along with conductor John
DeGan and 2 conductor trainees. The 1:30 train ride to La Crosse, my wife Maureen and daughter
Brianne rode with me.
Returning from La Crosse at 5pm, the events were winding down, tents had already been taken down, things being put away. By 6PM everything was back to normal, tent stakes pulled out of
the ground by Bing and his little skid loader bucket, tables and chairs put away. The train was
switched on various tracks, locked up, 2789 pushed back into the shop and #310 put away.
Some time was spent in the depot after all way done to cool down and reflect on the days
activities.
Joe Kingsbury had his steam engine 4-4-0 on display all day in the parking lot. Amazing piece
of machinery that was totally machined and put together by Joe.
Maybe in 5 years, another anniversary open house will be put together bigger an better than
the 25th's. Amazing what has been done in the last 20 some years in North Judson from
nothing to a tourist operation. Train rides continue to the end of September. The museum will
be open every Saturday from 8am to 4pm. Come out an visit. The next 6 months will be
getting ready for next year. Restoration of rail cars, tie replacement track work on the main line
is needed badly.
Some old members showed up Saturday that have earned respect from all HVRM members.
Dan Siple, Bob McKown, Chuck Ness, Elmer Mannen, Bruce Emmons. Good to see everyone
out visiting. Watch for the next newsletter giving a full wrap up on all activities for the day.
Again many thanks to all the volunteers who made this event happen. Come on down next
weekend, any beats pork sandwiches for lunch?
Tom Travis, Restoration Grunt
No comments:
Post a Comment