Greetings,
First day of tourist operation at HVRM North Judson for the season. A nice
day in the low 60's but a very strong wind out of the west, which made it very
cool.
I arrived early down in North Judson, stopped at Fingerhut for breakfast with
the locals. Not a big crowd today, maybe getting an early start on yard work.
Arriving at 8am at the depot, a group was headed out to the Erie main
line with the payloader, 22 ties, back hoe and Marks truck with a load of tools for
track work. Cory, David, John, Mark and myself got started taking out bad ties
an inserting new ties. Before noon 22 ties were inserted before lunch, after lunch
25 more ties were put in before 4 pm, for a total of 47 ties. Spiking will come after
the rest of the ties are replaced, then the tie tamper can be brought down to
tamp and level the track. Rotten ties were picked up and put in a pile, so to
keep the trail neat an clean.
The tourist train took most of the remaining people to run. John DeGan, Doug,
Joe Kingsbury, trainee Bjarne Henderson, Jim an a couple others I didn't know
ran the train. Things seem to go well, no major problems. Not record crowds,
but is early in the season. Everyone who rode seemed pleased.
Steve Hendrics moved some furniture from the shop back to Grasselli tower,
after painting it. Some items required help by Les Beckman an others to take
it up the stairs. The tower is really beginning to look really great. Floor is painted,
walls are painted, fixtures are being replaced an painted. Slowly replacing
windows by Steve Newland on a not to interfer basis working. Steve took an
old door over to get repainted also.
Now for the big news, the plates for the TTX car were brought over by Rich Vetter
from Joliet IL yesterday. Rich owns RISX, Railway, Industrial Services, a rail
equipment repair facility. Jim Panza notified Les earlier in the week that the drive
over plates were done and needed to be transported to North Judson, A note
was received Friday that the plates were to be brought to HVRM Saturday. The
two plates weight almost 400 pounds an Bing Ringsley with his skid loader
got the plates off the pickup and put in the west shop. Many thanks to Jim Panza
and Richard Vetter for this great donation. I'm hoping that Les will write up an
article to post about the making of these plates an what it took to get it done.
Priming the steel is needed to be done to prevent rusting, as it may take
a while to get them installed. Some modification will have to be done to the mounts
on the TTX car for it be connected. Missing is a spring that makes it easy to put into
the upright positon, but beind a display only, it wil be in the upright position. 200
pounds is a lot to lift by one person.
Next Saturday is National Train Day, I will be going to Chicago, Union Station
to see the displays. I went last year an really enjoyed myself an plan on riding
the South Shore. My yearly pilgramage to Chicago, not too hot, nor too cold.
Cept for the Blue Fest, which this year is on Fathers day weekend is going to
be a challenge to get to with so much scheduled for that weekend.
Amazing how the trees are changing so fast, only 2 weeks ago you could clearly
see thru the wood an spot interesting things, but now is slowly being covered
up. Some brush trimming needs to be done, earlier in the week the rail lines
were sprayed for weeds an grass in the right of the way. So the mainline
will look nice for the summer season. Now we have to look forward to the bees
and yellow jackets nesting anywhere in the rail equipment.
Next week is board meeting at 8am, with the membership meeting on May 17th
at 8AM, due to tourist train operations. Expect for short meetings.
The wye continues to be be cleaned up with brush piled high. A couple more truck
load of wood was picked up and brought to the west end of the shop for spliting
and stacking done by Mark Kniebel. A very big pile is now at the west end.
Les painted the IC symbol on the platform diesel with 1 Spot paint. Its now
a completed project.
Richard Warner is headed west to Wyoming this week for the arrival of UP 4014
in Cheyenne and chasing it the last couple of miles into town. Have a good time
Richard. I wonder what Richard will do for the museum on this trip, maybe a
hopper ballast car?
Everyone have a good week, days are longer now, more to get done outside
but don't over do it. I did yesterday and feeling the pain this morning. Five more
weeks of school, with extended school days again starting the 12th for 6 days to
make up for a snow day..
Tom
First day of tourist operation at HVRM North Judson for the season. A nice
day in the low 60's but a very strong wind out of the west, which made it very
cool.
I arrived early down in North Judson, stopped at Fingerhut for breakfast with
the locals. Not a big crowd today, maybe getting an early start on yard work.
Arriving at 8am at the depot, a group was headed out to the Erie main
line with the payloader, 22 ties, back hoe and Marks truck with a load of tools for
track work. Cory, David, John, Mark and myself got started taking out bad ties
an inserting new ties. Before noon 22 ties were inserted before lunch, after lunch
25 more ties were put in before 4 pm, for a total of 47 ties. Spiking will come after
the rest of the ties are replaced, then the tie tamper can be brought down to
tamp and level the track. Rotten ties were picked up and put in a pile, so to
keep the trail neat an clean.
The tourist train took most of the remaining people to run. John DeGan, Doug,
Joe Kingsbury, trainee Bjarne Henderson, Jim an a couple others I didn't know
ran the train. Things seem to go well, no major problems. Not record crowds,
but is early in the season. Everyone who rode seemed pleased.
Steve Hendrics moved some furniture from the shop back to Grasselli tower,
after painting it. Some items required help by Les Beckman an others to take
it up the stairs. The tower is really beginning to look really great. Floor is painted,
walls are painted, fixtures are being replaced an painted. Slowly replacing
windows by Steve Newland on a not to interfer basis working. Steve took an
old door over to get repainted also.
Now for the big news, the plates for the TTX car were brought over by Rich Vetter
from Joliet IL yesterday. Rich owns RISX, Railway, Industrial Services, a rail
equipment repair facility. Jim Panza notified Les earlier in the week that the drive
over plates were done and needed to be transported to North Judson, A note
was received Friday that the plates were to be brought to HVRM Saturday. The
two plates weight almost 400 pounds an Bing Ringsley with his skid loader
got the plates off the pickup and put in the west shop. Many thanks to Jim Panza
and Richard Vetter for this great donation. I'm hoping that Les will write up an
article to post about the making of these plates an what it took to get it done.
Priming the steel is needed to be done to prevent rusting, as it may take
a while to get them installed. Some modification will have to be done to the mounts
on the TTX car for it be connected. Missing is a spring that makes it easy to put into
the upright positon, but beind a display only, it wil be in the upright position. 200
pounds is a lot to lift by one person.
Next Saturday is National Train Day, I will be going to Chicago, Union Station
to see the displays. I went last year an really enjoyed myself an plan on riding
the South Shore. My yearly pilgramage to Chicago, not too hot, nor too cold.
Cept for the Blue Fest, which this year is on Fathers day weekend is going to
be a challenge to get to with so much scheduled for that weekend.
Amazing how the trees are changing so fast, only 2 weeks ago you could clearly
see thru the wood an spot interesting things, but now is slowly being covered
up. Some brush trimming needs to be done, earlier in the week the rail lines
were sprayed for weeds an grass in the right of the way. So the mainline
will look nice for the summer season. Now we have to look forward to the bees
and yellow jackets nesting anywhere in the rail equipment.
Next week is board meeting at 8am, with the membership meeting on May 17th
at 8AM, due to tourist train operations. Expect for short meetings.
The wye continues to be be cleaned up with brush piled high. A couple more truck
load of wood was picked up and brought to the west end of the shop for spliting
and stacking done by Mark Kniebel. A very big pile is now at the west end.
Les painted the IC symbol on the platform diesel with 1 Spot paint. Its now
a completed project.
Richard Warner is headed west to Wyoming this week for the arrival of UP 4014
in Cheyenne and chasing it the last couple of miles into town. Have a good time
Richard. I wonder what Richard will do for the museum on this trip, maybe a
hopper ballast car?
Everyone have a good week, days are longer now, more to get done outside
but don't over do it. I did yesterday and feeling the pain this morning. Five more
weeks of school, with extended school days again starting the 12th for 6 days to
make up for a snow day..
Tom
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