Greetings!
Weather for this weekend actually predicted to be slightly above normal! Actually had sun in the morning with
temps in the low 50's. Clouded up in the afternoon and had gusty winds all day.
Steve Henrichs had Grasselli Tower open so I went up to check on what was going on. Found Chris Zahrt and
his family getting the "nickel tour". Chris and his dad Fred, have been long time members of the museum and
have helped on many projects through the years. Chris used to come as a young man and has since gone on
to Purdue and been involved in a number of steam locomotive projects. Currently studying for his Masters. He
came to visit and also to accept the 2014 David P. Morgan best authored article award given out by the Railroad
& Locomotive Historical Society which was given to him in a small ceremony by a representative of the R&LHS.
Congrats to Chris!
Decided to take advantage of the decent late Fall weather by doing some additional painting on coach 899. Had
to run over to Norwayne and purchase another gallon of Pullman Green paint. While doing the painting, I could
hear Cory Bennett and Mark Knebel cutting some of the previously felled wood from the old Erie Railroad wye area,
into furnace size chunks. These will be used for the new wood furnace being built for the West Annex of the Shop.
I managed to get over to the Shop before I went home and got the attached photo of the furnace. Not sure who
was doing the work on the furnace today but I saw John De Gan walking down that way so he may have had a hand
in it.
Skip Benge of Deedsville, Indiana stopped by the museum this afternoon. Skip donated the locomotive number
plate off of Chesapeake & Ohio K2 class 2-8-2 #1165. I was able to secure a photo of this engine leading a double
header out of Peru, Indiana back in 1942 from Malcolm D. McCarter. Mac made an 8 x 10 and an 11 x 14 print
of a photo originally take by Bill Swartz. Skip's Dad worked as a fireman for the C&O and when the C&O of Indiana
was dieselized, he was able to get the number plate off of the 1165 as it sat in the "boneyard" in Peru and just before
it was shipped out to be scrapped. We gave one of the two prints to Skip and the other one will be displayed with the
number plate off of the C&O Mike. It was good to hear that Mac is still making prints from his extensive railroad
subject collection. He tells me that he recently turned 91 years young!
As I was applying paint to the 899, John La Orange walked past me with a large bucket and a long narrow wood board
of about 10 feet in length. Curious, I watched him walk down to Nickel Plate Road baggage car #344. He stood next to
the car and placed the bucket upside down on the end of board and then lifted it up onto the roof of NKP 344, attempting
to get it onto a white stack on the baggage cars roof. After a few attempts, he was successful! Well done John! On the
way back, he told me that he had been in the 344 earlier in the day and the inside was still dry, EXCEPT for the open
stack where a stove had probably once sat, and for a little bit of leakage around one of the baggage cars doors. He was
surprised that the interior was basically dry. That's good to know as the outside of the car is starting to show deterioration
which eventually will need to be addressed. There are many parts for the 2789 in that car.
Others at the museum today included Bob Albert, Bob Jachim, Steve Newland, Tom Royce and probably some others
I missed. Bob Barcus worked in the gift shop in the depot. Next Saturday will be the first of our Santa trains! Help would
certainly be appreciated. Contact Loretta Kosloske.
Have a good week everyone!
Les
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