The track less travelled and hot temps at Hoosier Valley June 24 and 25, 2016

 

Greetings!

Temp got up to 94 degrees at HVRM today, Saturday, June 25th.  Quite a bit better yesterday when they were in the low 80's.  Why mention yesterday (Friday, 6/24)?  Well, the Big Train Operators Club convention was being held this weekend in La Porte, Indiana and two busloads came down to tour the museum on Friday, and ride the train to La Crosse.  Except of course, that we can't currently operate to La Crosse, being limited to travel just to the west of the Kankakee River near English Lake.  This led to some interesting Hoosier Valley train operations for the BTOC.  The museum decided to depart EAST from the North Judson depot to just short of State Route 10/39, then go back west through the switch behind our shop on the old Chesapeake & Ohio main line, then head east out the old C&O around the curve and short of the end of track before heading back west to English Lake.  I believe that this is the first HVRM passenger train operation over the old C&O east of North Judson.  The first photo shows EL Alco # 310 pushing west on the C&O just after clearing the Main Street crossing where I had been performing flagging duties (note the regular museum rail line off to the right with the depot in the distance).   I jumped in my minivan and quickly headed west and managed to catch a shot after the 310 had just finished crossing Mulberry Street on the C&O where Bob Jachim is seen walking away after flagging that particular crossing.  BTW, the flashers at both Mulberry Street and Main Street worked, although they had not been used in quite some time.

The third photo shows John DeGan watching the BCOT folks after their arrival at the depot from English Lake .  The fourth shot shows Mark Knebel (left) and John La Orange providing assistance for one of the detraining passengers.  In all, Loretta Kosloske said that 62 BTOC members rode the special operation.  Thanks to all of the HVRM members who came out to help on the weekday.  The help was greatly appreciated.

Work got back to normal at the museum today despite the hot temps.  A group is shown in the 5th photo, working on the GE and the plans for the day included pulling the injectors in an effort to find the leak.  That's Todd Flanigan up on the hood of the 95-tonner.

Mark Knebel and Jason Ciastko put in some ties out near Main Street on the museum trackage.     

I managed to get four photos of Grasselli put up in the tower, as shown in the last photo.

Both trains ran on Saturday.

Stay cool this week as best you can!

Les