North Judson Mint Festival Weekend. 18/19 June 2016

Greetings to All,
 
Too start off it was one HOT weekend in NJ, but other parts of the country
was at extreme heat. I was not at HVRM Saturday, due to another commitment.

Seems to had some ballast stone taken some where on the Erie line Saturday.

 

Both days were North Judson Mint Festival, the type that burn your feet off on

the hot asphalt. I tend to stay off that hot surfaces now. Sunday dawned again
 hot an humid. When I arrived, the C&O 2789 was pulled outside for viewing,

GE #11 was on the house track outside the north side of the shop. EL 310 had

already performed two guest engineers duty in the morning. The tourist train,

was already made up, sitting at the depot with the coach A/C running to cool

the car down inside.

 

Both days count was over 120 riders. I was a car host on the MKT open air car,

along with Randall Downs an son Matt. Joe Kingsbury an Bib Tibbie. Conductor

Doug Koslosoke, enginners Bjarne Henderson, John LaOrange. Bob Albert performed

road crossing duties for both runs. Mark Knebel was off working on the Erie line.

Bob Barcus an Loretta Kosloske manned the depot gift shop. New members, Jason,

an his wife also assisted on the train an in the gift shop.

Railroad north of the Kankakee river still blocked with grain cars.

 

At the end of the operations, the tie tamper was switched to be able to get out

of the shop during the week, most likely for some tie tamping with fresh ballast

along the Erie line. Friday is a special run for the Big Train Operators Club holding

its convention in La Porte, (G scale). the club will arrive at 8:30am an train ride will

be at 10 am. Car hosts an volunteers for various places around the museum, Grasselli

tower, shop buildings etc. Come out an volunteer. Hope to see you this coming

weekend.

 

Finally the weather is more tolerable heat wise, but drink plenty of water.

 

Tom Travis