Greetings,
Today again dawned to another cold day. Only 19 this morning with colder
temps to come in the next week. By this afternoon snow was coming down
again, just making the driving slippery. One spin-out was noted on the
way home from North Judson, just not slowing down early and braking at
the last moment makes for scarey moments for some.
Did not get down to the museum till about 11am, due to a late night basketball
charter to Chesterton, I slept in. When I walked in, a coupler with a bent
shaft was on a roller cart. John LaOrange and Joe Kingsbury has taken out
the east end coupler on the ND&W 5332 Porter diesel. John is going to take
it to a shop to have it straighted with an extremely large press, as its going to
take some omph to get r done. Much of the morning it took to get it out, hopefully
it will go back in faster.
The tarp that was up between the middle and west shops was back up with
a new improved rope system to open an close. Not being long enough,
Cory, Dave, Bjarne were tacking another piece on the bottom with brass
grommets. Cory had acquired the grommet package at a truck stop, not
a bad idea, but since he is a trucker, and tarps do rip at times. So now a
nice bottom tarp dragger is on the bottom to keep out the cold air the west shop.
The electric man lift in the west shop was used to string up the
tarp along the top rafter.
Fred Boyer was again working on the IC yellow caboose. A couple of salamanders
were keeping the air temp above 40 or so. Bjanrne Henderson has received the
lettering from the ICHS group. So he will be able to letter the caboose once painted.
After lunch, the group moved down to the North Judson library basement for the
years annual meeting starting at 1pm. 30 members were present. Reports from
secretary and treasurer where given. Election ballots were handed out and
counted. Cory Bennett retained the president postion, Bob Barcus, treasurer,
John LaOrange, Joe Kingsbury directors. Much discussion on the subject of
heating the west shop building was held. Many ideas were discussed and all
will be investigated for cost of type an installation. Heating sources from
wood stoves, LP gas, natural gas, kerosene salamanders were brought up.
Heat is needed in the shop if equipment is to be painted in the winter period.
Certain paints now require a certain temp for it to go on the steel surface correctly.
A new LP gas heater will be bought an installed in the kitchen car shortly, paid
by the lunch money fund. Concrete pad will be poured as soon as it warms up
some in the shop area, as all preps are made for pouring.
John LaOrange reported that buildings need to be repaired soon, the payloader
shed, motor car shed, all needing work on roofs and walls. Shop buildings
continue to leak water from the roofs onto the floors.
ND&W 5332 to be blue carded, most likely will cost a couple of thousand
dollars to accomplish, and take maybe 2 years to get ready for operation.
Having low hour, low used Cummins engines, with parts available, antifreeze
fluid added to system, will make this a year round engine available for switching
duties. The Whitcomb was evaluated and costs just exceeded what was resonable
for HVRM. With CAT engines, no parts are available, so if one goes down, it is
sidelined. A spare CAT engine remains on a NKP flatcar in the rail yard. The
Whitcomb is slated for display.
After the meeting, drove directly home, as not much else was going to happen
for the day. Take care, have a good week everyone.
Today again dawned to another cold day. Only 19 this morning with colder
temps to come in the next week. By this afternoon snow was coming down
again, just making the driving slippery. One spin-out was noted on the
way home from North Judson, just not slowing down early and braking at
the last moment makes for scarey moments for some.
Did not get down to the museum till about 11am, due to a late night basketball
charter to Chesterton, I slept in. When I walked in, a coupler with a bent
shaft was on a roller cart. John LaOrange and Joe Kingsbury has taken out
the east end coupler on the ND&W 5332 Porter diesel. John is going to take
it to a shop to have it straighted with an extremely large press, as its going to
take some omph to get r done. Much of the morning it took to get it out, hopefully
it will go back in faster.
The tarp that was up between the middle and west shops was back up with
a new improved rope system to open an close. Not being long enough,
Cory, Dave, Bjarne were tacking another piece on the bottom with brass
grommets. Cory had acquired the grommet package at a truck stop, not
a bad idea, but since he is a trucker, and tarps do rip at times. So now a
nice bottom tarp dragger is on the bottom to keep out the cold air the west shop.
The electric man lift in the west shop was used to string up the
tarp along the top rafter.
Fred Boyer was again working on the IC yellow caboose. A couple of salamanders
were keeping the air temp above 40 or so. Bjanrne Henderson has received the
lettering from the ICHS group. So he will be able to letter the caboose once painted.
After lunch, the group moved down to the North Judson library basement for the
years annual meeting starting at 1pm. 30 members were present. Reports from
secretary and treasurer where given. Election ballots were handed out and
counted. Cory Bennett retained the president postion, Bob Barcus, treasurer,
John LaOrange, Joe Kingsbury directors. Much discussion on the subject of
heating the west shop building was held. Many ideas were discussed and all
will be investigated for cost of type an installation. Heating sources from
wood stoves, LP gas, natural gas, kerosene salamanders were brought up.
Heat is needed in the shop if equipment is to be painted in the winter period.
Certain paints now require a certain temp for it to go on the steel surface correctly.
A new LP gas heater will be bought an installed in the kitchen car shortly, paid
by the lunch money fund. Concrete pad will be poured as soon as it warms up
some in the shop area, as all preps are made for pouring.
John LaOrange reported that buildings need to be repaired soon, the payloader
shed, motor car shed, all needing work on roofs and walls. Shop buildings
continue to leak water from the roofs onto the floors.
ND&W 5332 to be blue carded, most likely will cost a couple of thousand
dollars to accomplish, and take maybe 2 years to get ready for operation.
Having low hour, low used Cummins engines, with parts available, antifreeze
fluid added to system, will make this a year round engine available for switching
duties. The Whitcomb was evaluated and costs just exceeded what was resonable
for HVRM. With CAT engines, no parts are available, so if one goes down, it is
sidelined. A spare CAT engine remains on a NKP flatcar in the rail yard. The
Whitcomb is slated for display.
After the meeting, drove directly home, as not much else was going to happen
for the day. Take care, have a good week everyone.
No comments:
Post a Comment