Greetings to All,
Well it has been quite a week for activities at HVRM an elsewhere. Wonderful weather
wise yesterday, mid 80's, low humidity, perfect for working outside. A trip to Chicago
on the South Shore Wednesday was a treat for me from Michigan City. The SS was
putting up new wire on the line from the 4-8th of August an were bussing folks
to the South Bend airport for every arrival an departure at Michigan City. Not the
high speed run, but new line will certainly make a more reliable trip in the future.
Maybe the bilevel cars will now be able to make that run to South Shore. I have
heard a voltage drop made it not practical to run them on the line east of Michgan
City. Also west of the diamond with Amtrak, 10 street running has a slow order
due to the street being tore up to replace railroad ties in the line. This must be in
anticipation of running faster in the next couple of years. 11th St is going to be
rebuilt with two lines to facilitate faster running an passing of trains. The street
will be turned into one way only. Otherwise a very nice trip into Chicago. Much
railroad maintenance is evident along the line with track equipment stored
everywhere. An upsurge of freight traffic is evident by SS diesel all up an down
the line. Ususally after the 10:55am departure of the bilevels, a pair of GP-38's
follow the train out for freight work. On the return trip of the 7:10pm departure from
Chicago, arrival in Michigan City, a pair of GP-38's were right on the tail of the
returning train waiting to get into the yard. A very busy interchange point the Carroll
street shop area. A trip on the CTA in Chicago from Dearborn an Washington
to Rosemont near O'Hare was a great ride also. In between stations, speed is
at a good clip, little like a amusement park ride. I noticed a old viaduct rail line
the runs east-west has been abandoned and is being turned into a walking/biking
trail, but is way behind schedule. I looked it up an its an old Milwaukee line that
went over the Chicago river to Goose Island yard. I visited an old friend, Tom Mulvaney
from Lexington KY who makes it up this way about once a year. I talk to Tom weekly
on Amateur radio and he is also a member of HVRM.
I made it down to HVRM a couple of times for work on the payloader garage painting
and replacing wood on the outside. One wall, west side, is completed, the remaining
walls are painted, but need wood replacement in spots. Yesterday the garage doors
were scrapped of old paint and primed. Some of the big cut lumber has been absorbing water, causing the paint to peal off. A couple of coats of primer were applied to help with the problem. Next week I plan on painting the doors a coat of Pewter Cup
paint. Motar Gray is the standard paint for the buildings around the museum. Mark
Kniebel has completed the repainting of the depot the last couple of weeks and
has rehung the signs on the depot.
The monthly board meeting was held at 8am in the depot. Many items were discussed
as possible donations or further programs for train operations. One item is an
NW2 EMD type locomotive that a member of HVRM is pursuing BP oil in Cleveland
TX to donate. Many comments an question were posed on condition of the engine.
The engine does have one traction motor that is inoperable. The EMD model 40
has the exact same traction motor that could be used. The engine does have
roller bearings an could be moved on rail. Ray Kammer has contacted the museum
about seeing if an ERIE RPO at Elkhart IN could be donated to HVRM. Ray also
has a diner car that would like to see used in some sort of train service. All were
taken under advisement. Road crossings will be reworked on the Labor Day weekend
doing one crossing on Sunday, the other on Monday, with paving done on Tuesday.
This is the best time for low volume of traffic, school busses, farmers etc using the
crossing. The burnt out troop tool car is inside the shop building, studying the best
plan for rebuilding a new floor. Both the ALCO an GE are running fine. The tie tamper
is inside the shop having some needed work done. Oil gaskets have been replaced,
Sparky was attempting to remove a broken bolt with an easy out yesterday. The
man who instructed how to run the machine will be back to show how to tamp
switches sometime soon. The LIRR passenger car was filled with fuel for the
diesel motor this past week. I brought up the fact that C&O 2789 is totally without
lettering or numbers. When brought outside it looks like just a blg black bug.
I brought up the idea of relettering an numbering the engine an tender. The tender
has been painted some time ago, but needs another coat of black paint an so does
the cab on the engine. The sand dome has weathered outside for some time an
needs painting. We would like to see Chesapeake & Ohio put on the sand dome
on the 2789. I was to get a cost estimate for this project. The repainting could be done during the winter time. I will get paint costs and Les will research the stencils for
relettering. HVRM does have a C&O disc that has a lot of this information on it.
Bob Albert has replaced the crossbucks on a number of street crossings with new
signs an posts during the last couple of weeks. Richard Warner has promised
a big dumpster when it is available for scrap metal, that is growing bigger every week.
Joe Kingsbury was commended for his fine work on the newsletter by a company
person who reads it, saying its one of the best he has seen. Doug wants the
Whitcomb painted up some an glass replacement in the windows done. Just another
task that needs to be done someday.
Train crew consisted of, Doug Kosloske, Steve Hendrics, Fred Boyer, Mike
Joe Kingsbury, Randall Downs. A brake issue on the Bessemer caboose was
noted, looks as if new brakes were installed an the linkage needed to be adjusted.
Trains ran good today. A 10 mph speed restriction was placed on the area north
of Arlington ST crossing where ties were replaced. Returning train from La Crosse
was run at about 2 mph due to a sun kink in the rail. John DeGan was flagger for
train crossings.
Grasselli Tower workers today were Fred Boyer, Steve Newland an Joe Baker was
working on mostly anything around the museum that needed fixing electrical or
mechanical.
Tie replacement down the ERIE main line east of Main street near the signal was
done with 16 ties put in an spiked. Cory Bennett, David Cook, John LaOrange,
Mark Kniebel were the workers. Tamping needs to be done once the tie tamper
comes out of the shop south of IN10 and some areas around the museum. Bing
Ringsley brought out his skidder machine to pick up old ties an stack them in
a pile. Bing also removed a set of old steps behind the payloader garage down
to the area of the new ties for storage, out of the way. I needs to do a good clean up
around the shed when I get done with repainting. Les Beckman assisted in scrapeing
the pealing paint off the doors an did some wood work on the door. Some bolts
needed tightning up also. The manlift is near the ERIE shed, but will be used
again soon on the building. Les also pounded a pipe in the ground for the rod that
holds the door open. The ALCO was switched tracks in the shop for some
Well it has been quite a week for activities at HVRM an elsewhere. Wonderful weather
wise yesterday, mid 80's, low humidity, perfect for working outside. A trip to Chicago
on the South Shore Wednesday was a treat for me from Michigan City. The SS was
putting up new wire on the line from the 4-8th of August an were bussing folks
to the South Bend airport for every arrival an departure at Michigan City. Not the
high speed run, but new line will certainly make a more reliable trip in the future.
Maybe the bilevel cars will now be able to make that run to South Shore. I have
heard a voltage drop made it not practical to run them on the line east of Michgan
City. Also west of the diamond with Amtrak, 10 street running has a slow order
due to the street being tore up to replace railroad ties in the line. This must be in
anticipation of running faster in the next couple of years. 11th St is going to be
rebuilt with two lines to facilitate faster running an passing of trains. The street
will be turned into one way only. Otherwise a very nice trip into Chicago. Much
railroad maintenance is evident along the line with track equipment stored
everywhere. An upsurge of freight traffic is evident by SS diesel all up an down
the line. Ususally after the 10:55am departure of the bilevels, a pair of GP-38's
follow the train out for freight work. On the return trip of the 7:10pm departure from
Chicago, arrival in Michigan City, a pair of GP-38's were right on the tail of the
returning train waiting to get into the yard. A very busy interchange point the Carroll
street shop area. A trip on the CTA in Chicago from Dearborn an Washington
to Rosemont near O'Hare was a great ride also. In between stations, speed is
at a good clip, little like a amusement park ride. I noticed a old viaduct rail line
the runs east-west has been abandoned and is being turned into a walking/biking
trail, but is way behind schedule. I looked it up an its an old Milwaukee line that
went over the Chicago river to Goose Island yard. I visited an old friend, Tom Mulvaney
from Lexington KY who makes it up this way about once a year. I talk to Tom weekly
on Amateur radio and he is also a member of HVRM.
I made it down to HVRM a couple of times for work on the payloader garage painting
and replacing wood on the outside. One wall, west side, is completed, the remaining
walls are painted, but need wood replacement in spots. Yesterday the garage doors
were scrapped of old paint and primed. Some of the big cut lumber has been absorbing water, causing the paint to peal off. A couple of coats of primer were applied to help with the problem. Next week I plan on painting the doors a coat of Pewter Cup
paint. Motar Gray is the standard paint for the buildings around the museum. Mark
Kniebel has completed the repainting of the depot the last couple of weeks and
has rehung the signs on the depot.
The monthly board meeting was held at 8am in the depot. Many items were discussed
as possible donations or further programs for train operations. One item is an
NW2 EMD type locomotive that a member of HVRM is pursuing BP oil in Cleveland
TX to donate. Many comments an question were posed on condition of the engine.
The engine does have one traction motor that is inoperable. The EMD model 40
has the exact same traction motor that could be used. The engine does have
roller bearings an could be moved on rail. Ray Kammer has contacted the museum
about seeing if an ERIE RPO at Elkhart IN could be donated to HVRM. Ray also
has a diner car that would like to see used in some sort of train service. All were
taken under advisement. Road crossings will be reworked on the Labor Day weekend
doing one crossing on Sunday, the other on Monday, with paving done on Tuesday.
This is the best time for low volume of traffic, school busses, farmers etc using the
crossing. The burnt out troop tool car is inside the shop building, studying the best
plan for rebuilding a new floor. Both the ALCO an GE are running fine. The tie tamper
is inside the shop having some needed work done. Oil gaskets have been replaced,
Sparky was attempting to remove a broken bolt with an easy out yesterday. The
man who instructed how to run the machine will be back to show how to tamp
switches sometime soon. The LIRR passenger car was filled with fuel for the
diesel motor this past week. I brought up the fact that C&O 2789 is totally without
lettering or numbers. When brought outside it looks like just a blg black bug.
I brought up the idea of relettering an numbering the engine an tender. The tender
has been painted some time ago, but needs another coat of black paint an so does
the cab on the engine. The sand dome has weathered outside for some time an
needs painting. We would like to see Chesapeake & Ohio put on the sand dome
on the 2789. I was to get a cost estimate for this project. The repainting could be done during the winter time. I will get paint costs and Les will research the stencils for
relettering. HVRM does have a C&O disc that has a lot of this information on it.
Bob Albert has replaced the crossbucks on a number of street crossings with new
signs an posts during the last couple of weeks. Richard Warner has promised
a big dumpster when it is available for scrap metal, that is growing bigger every week.
Joe Kingsbury was commended for his fine work on the newsletter by a company
person who reads it, saying its one of the best he has seen. Doug wants the
Whitcomb painted up some an glass replacement in the windows done. Just another
task that needs to be done someday.
Train crew consisted of, Doug Kosloske, Steve Hendrics, Fred Boyer, Mike
Joe Kingsbury, Randall Downs. A brake issue on the Bessemer caboose was
noted, looks as if new brakes were installed an the linkage needed to be adjusted.
Trains ran good today. A 10 mph speed restriction was placed on the area north
of Arlington ST crossing where ties were replaced. Returning train from La Crosse
was run at about 2 mph due to a sun kink in the rail. John DeGan was flagger for
train crossings.
Grasselli Tower workers today were Fred Boyer, Steve Newland an Joe Baker was
working on mostly anything around the museum that needed fixing electrical or
mechanical.
Tie replacement down the ERIE main line east of Main street near the signal was
done with 16 ties put in an spiked. Cory Bennett, David Cook, John LaOrange,
Mark Kniebel were the workers. Tamping needs to be done once the tie tamper
comes out of the shop south of IN10 and some areas around the museum. Bing
Ringsley brought out his skidder machine to pick up old ties an stack them in
a pile. Bing also removed a set of old steps behind the payloader garage down
to the area of the new ties for storage, out of the way. I needs to do a good clean up
around the shed when I get done with repainting. Les Beckman assisted in scrapeing
the pealing paint off the doors an did some wood work on the door. Some bolts
needed tightning up also. The manlift is near the ERIE shed, but will be used
again soon on the building. Les also pounded a pipe in the ground for the rod that
holds the door open. The ALCO was switched tracks in the shop for some
work being done on it.
Bob Barcus and Loretta Kosloske were depot workers today. No count on passenger
riders today. Bob Barcus noted during the meeting, the Lionel TTA and School kids
passenger runs did very well sales wise in the depot gift shop. The tour guides from
INDY were very impressed with the museum an its train ride, they will be scheduling
more trips in the future. A Port A Potty will be put behind the depot for use during
October train trips. The WWII people have cancelled out for September.
That is about all for now. Remember school starts in a lot of local communities
on different days this month. Be careful of children walking to school and those
big yellow school busses out on the road. Lots of rail accidents this past week
up in the Chicago area from people walking on active rail lines, to cars going
around downed gates at Miller IN resulting in fatalities. If you do get caught on
railroad tracks get out of the car an go to a safe area, or break thru the gates,
they are wood an easily replaced. I saw a video yesterday of a crossing that some
thing had hit the entire flashing light stand an toppled it over onto CSX causing
a CSX train pulling the special movement of C&O 1309 to the Western Maryland
Scenic Railroad to go into emergency, even a short train took a very long way
to stop completely, the CSX engine did push it off the tracks before passing. But
someone had tried to call CSX to warn them, but it was not passed on to the train
quickly enough to stop. Someone had a cellphone an completely recorded
the entire incident. Cell phones can be your friend, but also your enemy if
you use it while driving behind the wheel talking or texting. So be careful
out there.
Have a great week.
Tom
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