If not springing, at least MOVING forward at HVRM 3-10-2012

Greetings -   A sunny day with a cool wind greeted us at North Judson today with temps moderating into the upper 50's by the afternoon.   After an early morning Board of Directors meeting, Bruce Fingerhut, Bob Jachim, Ryan Kertis and Tom Travis went over to the old Milk Station to try to finish the project.  Only the wall closest to the old Erie Railroad trackage remained standing and when I eventually joined them, they alreay had a good start in hammering out a row of bricks so that a short portion of this wall would remain in place after the upper portion was toppled over.  Bruce, Tom and I swung hammers and a small sledge, but even though almost an entire row of bricks was missing, the wall would not come down despite trying to push it over with long pieces of lumber.  Cory Bennett eventually showed up was the backhoe and pulled down one half of the wall.  We then continued removing  the row of bricks from the other half, finally breaking for lunch.  I am sure that my shoulders will be very sore tonight and tomorrow!  Cory and backhoe came back after lunch to finish the job.   Lunch consisted of chicken soup, stuffed cabbage, chicken breast "sliders", various other goodies and peach cobbler for desert.   John DeGan was cleaning up items in the Shop building.   Loretta Kosloske worked on preparing for the Easter Bunny special trains coming up on April 7th.   Rich Warner brought his Erie Tiplex down and adjusted clearances on the overhead G Gauge loop in the depot gift shop area.  Nice looking and nice sounding engine!   Speaking of "smaller" trains, I think I mentioned in an earlier report, that an old Lionel train had been donated to the museum by Bruce.  That was in error as the donation had actually been made by Jim Mennis.  Also, Jon Oram advised me that he had added a Monon boxcar to the N gauge display layout that is in the old Troop Sleeper.  I meant to check it out today, but never did get over there to do it.   Joe Kingsbury continued sanding and priming the outside of Erie Lackawanna bay window caboose C345 in the West Annex of the shop.  Joe, by the way, was apparently the successful bidder on the Lionel train mentioned above.   Bob Albert continued gathering up scrap to eventually sell.   Elmer Mannen and Dan Siple worked on a problem with the Whitcomb.   Tom and Cory joined John LaOrange and Dave Cook in the East Annex of the shop, putting down forms for the future pour of a 8 foot wide concrete pad on the north wall, with Mark Knebel cutting some of the 2 x 4's to the correct length with his chain saw.   Bing Risley and grandson were cleaning up brush and branches around the refrigerator car building.   I finally went down to MDT refrigerator car 13385 with some sandpaper.  This car was marked last year with a Built date, but I could never figure out why the car did not have a built date on it.  Finally dawned on me that perhaps the date was under the FA 6-64 marking where the car had been reweighed at that time.  So, with a bit of elbowgrease, I carefully sanded the FA 6-64 area and low and behold; their appeared the original markings NEW 10-56!   Other folks at the museum today included Doug Kosloske, Randall Downs, Margrett Cook and Tom Royce.  I may have missed some others.    Finally rolled out for home at 3:30 p.m.  Have a good week everyone and don't forget to "Spring Forward" tonight by turning your clocks ahead one hour!     Les

Many Hands Make Quick Work on Projects At HVRM Saturday 18 Feb 2012

Greetings,
 
Another sunny day in NW IN, cool, windy, no snow on the ground, very untypical for here in February, but March is
still around the corner with some weather surprises I'm sure.
 
Early morning activity was down at the old  milk shed demolition site. All of the contents that can be saved and sold is out of
the building, shelving was taken out an stored inside a boxcar, more than enough for our needs. The brick walls have be pushed
in and the rubble loaded into a dumpster for Richard Warner to use on some project. Most likely more dumpsters will be filled
before its all over. Included in this project was, Bob Albert, Steve Newland, Cory Bennett, John LaOrange, Bruce Fingerhut, Dave Cookl
Ryan Kertis, Doug Koslovske, and a couple of others. Two bonfires continued buring debris. lots of cleanup remains to be done.
 
After lunch, work continued on repainting the Erie caboose, lead by Joe Kingsbury, 3 members of a local boyscout troop continued
there sanding and prep work for painting. Caboose is moving right along and hopefully the painting will occur in the near future.
 
I noticed the backhoe tractor outside, so the transmission problems and engine has been repaired. Many long hours put in by
Cory, Dave and Rich to get this tractor ready for summer tie replacement in the museums main railroad line.
 
Erie and EJ&E cabooses got their center pins greased in quick order. again many helpful hands made this a quick job. John L,
Doug K, Cory B, Elmer M, Mark K, The air compressor was fired up and the big air jacks lifted the caboose easily and greasing
was done quickly.
 
Some work in the kitchen car has been done recently. Removal of a wall, opening up the area for more kitchen space and a new
serving table installed. The diesel car has not been worked on yet, but once we find the time, it will make an welcome addition
to the meeting/eating area.
 
Fred Boyer and Les Beckman installed a new handle and lock for the LIRR 2937,  provided by Jason Annen, now makes the
LIRR coach locked and secured.
 
Depot duties was held down by Loretta K, Bob Barcus and I saw Judy Boyer and Margrett Cook around the museum also.
 
Some visitors were at the museum grounds touring the displays and gift shop. If the weather is nice, people will get outside
to do some traveling.
 
Everyone have a good week, drive safe and remember Lent starts Wednesday, so eat those pancakes Tuesday.
 
Tom

Short day, short report HVRM 2-4-12

Greetings -   Arrived at Hoosier Valley today at 10 o'clock.  Gray day after some snow last night, but temps in 40's as our "mild" winter continues.   Signed in on the attendance sheet in the NKP kitchen car where I found the wall between the kitchen and eating areas removed by Bob Jachim and Joe Baker.  Looks different!   Started out in the depot, putting a single section of Lionel track with roadbed on the shelf behind the gift shop counter.  This shelf has two O scale donated Troop cars and I wanted to see if the O scale non-powered Indiana Harbor Belt 0-8-0 sitting in the back of a display case in the depot waiting room, would look good with those two cars.  Had a heck of a time raising the top of the display case, but finally managed to do it.  Put the 0-8-0 on the new section of track and I think that the combination looks terrific.  Those of you who see this new display, please let me know what you think.  I can always return the steamer to the display case.   About this time, I was asked by Bob Barcus and Loretta Kosloske if I could stick around the gift shop while they made a visit to the library in La Crosse to check the activities room there to see if it could be used as a backup to a proposed Picnic train to possibly be run during the upcoming passenger train season at HVRM.   Doug Kosloske stopped by the depot and told me that they had sent the valves for EL Alco #310 to Pittsburgh Air Brake for normal inspection and maintenance.   Bob and Loretta returned and I eventually went over to the kitchen car for a cup of java.  Upon return to the depot, I was delighted to see Harold Lambirth there with his family.  Harold was instrumental in securing our crane from Purdue University in 1992, shortly after it had been retired.  Harold started his career on the coal crew at Purdue about 1945, the same year that Orton built the crane for the university.   Had some other visitors today with some modest gift shop sales.  Also had one visitor join the museum.  Bob reports good internet sales of museum items.   Because of the time in the depot, I never did make it over to the Shop building so not sure what was going on there.  I did however, go over to the Milk Station where I found Bob Albert, Bruce Fingerhut, Fred Boyer, Steve Newland, John LaOrange and Ryan Kertis continuing with their efforts to clean out the building.  I spent time giving them a hand in loading the dumpster with junk and throwing burnable items onto the fire they had going.  Ryan reported that the roof of the structure continues to sink and it won't be long before it totally collapses.   I left the boys to their work, and headed for home at about 3:15.   Les

Old man winter finally shows up at HVRM 1-14-12

Greetings!   After what has been a mild winter (in the 50's through the middle of this past week and less than 2" of snow), winter showed up on Thursday with in excess of 5" of snow throughout the Region.  There was a good snow cover at North Judson today and temps were barely above 20 degrees all day.  At least the sun was out at times.   Due to an errand, I was late arriving at the museum, not getting there until after 10:00.  Rich Warner was working on the switches on the G gauge layout that runs around the top of the gift shop area.  Judy Boyer and Loretta Kosloske were working in the depot.  I found a broom and swept the station platform, but couldn't find the shovel, so had to go over to the Erie building to locate one.  Did a bit of digging out at the ends of the platform.   Saw Joe Baker almost immediately thereafter and he reported that the north wall of the East Shop building annex had been cleaned of junk.  This is to accomodate the heavy metal shelving from the Milk Station that will eventually be put into this area, after concrete posts can be installed when some warmer temps show up.  I walked down to the Shop and had to admit that the guys did a great job.  Not sure who helped besides Joe, but saw John DeGan, Fred Boyer, Bob Albert, Cory Bennett, Steve Newland, Doug Kosloske and a few others in the area.   A good turnout today, considering the weather.  Mark Knebel picked up pizza's for lunch and the members scarfed them down.   After lunch, Bob, Steve and Ryan Kertis joined Bruce Fingerhut over at the Milk Station building, to continue with cleanup.  I decided to head over to the Shop where I found Fred working on removing the bolts from the benches and the wheelchair anchors in the EJ&E transfer caboose so I found a wrench and pitched in.  This is being done so a new rubberized floor can be put in the car.  This is the same type of floor that was put down in the B&LE caboose some time back, and it has held up very well.  After Fred and I finished, we went over to C&O 2789 and removed the right marker light bracket so that Fred could check to see if a similar bracket can be made for the left side.  Turns out that it would fit, so Fred took the bracket home as a pattern for a new one.  We then did a slow walk around the K-4 and noted some of the problems that need to be addressed in its cosmetic restoration.  Fred managed to locate the latch and we were able to get the door to the stoker motor open and take a look at it.  It was a long time ago that Bill Byers managed to get that motor running one day.     Don't forget that next Saturday is the Annual Meeting of the museum which will be held at the North Judson Public Library in the downstairs meeting room at 1:00 in the afternoon.  Hoosier Valley will hold their elections at that time.  Running for office:   For President:  Cory Bennett                          Les Beckman   For Treasurer:  Margrett Cook                          Bob Barcus   For Director (two to be elected): Joe Kingsbury                                                     Tom Travis                                                     Steve Newland                                                     John LaOrange   All members in good standing will be allowed to vote so please try to attend the meeting if at all possible.   Have a great week everyone.  Try to stay warm!   Les

Smokin' end to 2011 at HVRM on 12-31!

Greetings!   Our mild winter continued with temps in the 40's again today.  Arrived at the museum about 9:30 and noticed smoke coming out of the open door of the Shop.  Obviously, a diesel had been fired up!   Went in to the depot where I found Loretta Kosloske and Bob Barcus working on train planning 2012.  From the little I could hear, it sounds like an interesting schedule.  The diesel went past the depot and I eventually stuck my head out the door to see what was going on.  Turns out that the crew was using GE # 11 to do some switching.  Since I had never been in the 95-tonner when it was moving, I decided to take a walk down and see if I could catch a short ride in the cab.  Elmer Mannen was engineer with Fred Boyer as fireman and invited me aboard.  John DeGan and Doug Kosloske were working on the ground.  The crew had shoved the dead Alco into the passing siding and had pulled out the now finished Nickel Plate caboose # 471.  Bay window 471 really looks sharp in her new coat of red paint with NKP High Speed Service lettering in the light gray band across the top of the car.  The crew went into the caboose track and coupled on to Erie Lackawanna bay window caboose # C345, since she is the next project for the painting crew.  They pulled the EL hack out and put it on the main, then shoved everything back into the caboose track.  They then went and picked up Alco 310 and headed back toward the shop.  When they stopped short of Mulberry Street so that John could flag the crossing, I thanked Elmer and Fred and detrained the GE onto the depot platform.  I enjoyed the ride in the unit.   I noticed a bit later that the crew had put everthing away, so I assume that the C345 ended up back in the West Shop Annex for painting.   Decided to go down and see what, if anything, was going on with the cleanup of the old North Judson Milk Station.  Found Bruce Fingerhut, Bob Albert and Steve Newland hard at work.  They had a Bailey's truck partially loaded with boxes of good items for that store.  There was also a dumpster with stuff that was too far gone to save.  I pitched in.  Others helping included Fred (after his crew duties were finished), John LaOrange, Mark Knebel and Ryan Kertis.  A lot of the steel shelving which had been taken apart, was loaded and moved in both Mark and Ryan's pickup trucks and taken over for use later in the Shop.   After the truck was driven to Bailey's, we started in burning old cardboard boxes and other burnable "junk".  This fire really got going after a while, with lots of smoke at times.  Fortunately, the folks that live behind the old Milk Station are very tolerant of our efforts.  I think that they are glad that the old structure is eventually going to go.  As we neared the end of a very tiring day, one of the ladies that lives in one of the neighboring houses, even brought over a pitcher of hot sweet tea for Ryan, Bob, Bruce and myself.  A nice gesture to be sure.    Mark stopped by to tell us that the museum had been "buttoned up" so we stirred up the fire to try to get some of the unburned items at the bottom of the pile to the top.  But I was tired and decided to call it a day at about 4:15 p.m.   Hope that everyone has an enjoyable New Year!   Les

RE: Winter and Santa arrive at HVRM 12/10/2011

Greetings!   Back hoe update. Richard Warner has been working on the problems. He and his assistant engine mechanic, will work on the transmission. He has the capablility to completely rebuild it for parts only. The bolt that broke in the engine, he was able to back out the broken bolt with an easy-out. It was very loose in the threads. The rocker arm is bent. Dave Cook thinks the water in the hydraulic system, that was removed when the system was flushed, may of had something to do with these problems. Future looks good for rehab before spring.     The first measurable snow late this week was on the ground and with temps today in the low to mid-20's was a favorable setting for the first ever Santa trains at HVRM.  Beautiful blue skies and sunshine all helped the atmosphere.    Life came to Alco 310 and the crew switched cars around in the morning so that the two Santa trains consisted of a nice warm LIRR coach 2937 and a less than warm B&LE caboose # 1989 which was used for the backup move to English Lake.  Both the 11:00 and 1:30 trains had been sold out, but a few extra riders were able to be accomodated on both trains.  C   Loretta asked me to pick up Santa Claus at his place (fortunately a bit south of the North Pole) and I took him to the Arlington Street crossing where he waited for the train to give him a ride.  Scenario was that there had been a problem with his reindeer and once on Board, Santa asked for the kids to "keep an eye out for them".  On the first run, believe it or not, the train spooked up a herd of (wait for it....) 8 reindeer!  Dasher, Dancer, Comet, etc., come back!  No such luck!  Santa visited with each child, and gave them a nice little wrapped present.  In addition to Santa, Fred and Elmer in the cab, Doug as conductor and Bill Dauber and Joe Kingsbury collecting tickets, made up the train crew.   Total ridership for the day was reported as 216 with a bit over 40% of that being kids and youth.   Bob Barcus, assisted by Margrett Cook, reported a good day in the museum gift shop.  The Union Pacific G gauge train that circles the gift shop derailed and Mike and I had to give Bob a hand in rerailing it including dragging the tall ladder in from the display Troop Sleeper .  Apparently a switch was somehow thrown by accident.  Fortuntately, this minor problem happened while the first Santa train was out on the line and the G gauge was back in operation by the time the passengers arrived back at the depot.   Mark Knebel and John LaOrange acted as road guards for both Santa runs.   Ryan took photos of the train itself (11:00 run) and on the train (1:30 run).   Bob Albert, Louise and Steve worked in the old Erie Milk Station building today, burning a lot of worthless paper items.   Bing Risley brought lunch, including a number of goodies, including three different soups.  I made a meal of the Chicken Noodle!    I checked on the Nickel Plate caboose before I left the museum and the exterior appears to be finished.   A number of other museum members were around today including Tom Travis, Tom McKee, Dave Cook, Tom Royce, Randall Downs, Jason Jordan and probably others I missed.  The cold weather and the concentration on operating the caboose trains, kept other activities to a minimum.   Enjoy the week everyone! December 17th is the last day to sign the list in the kitchen car for President, Treasurer and 2 director positions. Newsletter arrived last week also, great color pictures of HVRM Pumpkin Patch.   Les

Back Breaking Work at HVRM Office, 12-03-2011

Greetings to all wherever you may be,
 
Today started out as an overcast, rainy day, but by late afternoon it was quite pleasant. Board meeting was short, about an
hour. Big news is that HVRM will start the Annual General Membership Dinner again next spring. Details will follow.
I arrived late again, due to some issues trying to get going this morning. Les reported that the  troop kitchen car/ex-diesel
office, the C&EI number has been found with the help of Ryan Kertis last week and he has contacted the C&EI Historical
group for some stencils and the board approved repainting it next year back to C&EI. In lieu of the Metra car being converted
for a lunch room, with some work inside the troop kitchen car, it will be converted to a lunch room. A working stove did
provide heat at one time, with some tinkering should work again.
 
After a quick breakfast at Finger Hut Bakery with Les, we returned an started to work with Mark K, John L, Richard , Les,
an myself on taking up the screwed down luan board inside the HVRM office building. Mark has removed all the contents
of his office out to the 48 foot container, set up for office duties. The old carpeting was taken up and rolled  an taken
outside. Then started the removal of the 4x8 sheets of plywood, nailed in with ring shank nails, extremely difficult to remove.
A small area was started with crow bars and some extreme pounding, the hard back breaking work commenced. A variety
of tools were used and after some trial an error, breaking a pitchfork in two, bending a long bar wrench, another long handled
broken pitchfork was used. First a crow bar was pounded under one edge and the long handled pitchfork pulled it up off the
floor, I used a heavy duty spike puller bar to get under the flooring and keep it up while Mark kept pushing the fork in
further to pull up more plywood. Amazing we finished finally and then pulling the nails out of the floor. Underneath the
plywood was the orignal planks for a floor. Two of the large planks were pulled up and there was no blocking under the
joists to keep the floor level. Plans were made to jack up the building and put supports under the floor. Lots of water
damage to the door area will need to be address later.
 
A quick trip down to the milk building to see how the crew was coming along. They have removed a sizeable amount of
material to either the dumpster or truck. Inside the building remains a large amout of questionable material for resale
at Baileys. Bob A, Steve N, Bruce F, Fred B, Randall were all working at the milk building.
 
The Christmas train for next week was being readied charging batterys and maintence. Joe K, John L, Doug K were all
busy.
 
Elmer M and Doug K were also working on the diesel engines down at the shop area. John and Richard were also
taking the backhoe tractor apart, transmission and engine damage all caused by a 69 cent bolt inside the transmission
a long time ago damaging parts that will require an extensive amount of money to fix. Stay tuned for further details.
 
Loretta K, Bob B and John DeGan were about at the museum thru the day.
 
Some upcoming events will happen in January, office elections for President, Director (2), and Treasurer position.
Make sure that you come out to vote, its important to all the canidates running and the future of the museum.
 
Some ideas are needed for goals that could be worked on in 2012 by everyone. Tourist train operation, restoration of
railroad cars, track work, shop cleanup. The shelving out of the milk building will be coming to the shop buildings.
The shelving is heavy duty and can be put up all the way to the ceiling. Needed to get all the clutter that occupies
floor space unto shelves will be great. Many other projects need to worked on, Grasseli tower, landscaping, cleanup of
the yards, coal pile, worn out ties, make the museum presentable to the public. Lots of hard workers needed.
 
Have a safe week, only 22 days till Chrismas. I got a present today for myself, a Black & Decker 1/2 inch, 7 amp, heavy duty
electric drill down at Norwayne Lumber, got to have those toys for restoration work.
 
Tom
 
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