Hail to the Orange, Hail to the Blue

This year's Showcase was an unqualified success from every point of view. I couldn't possibly list all of the equipment that operated, so naturally I'll concentrate on the IT and CA&E cars. My co-conspirators can probably fill in the rest. I was too busy to take many pictures.

The IT orange cars ran all day Saturday to everybody's satisfaction. David was the conductor on the 277. Meanwhile, Frank and I were operating the blue cars with Jeff Fryman as the conductor. We also made a couple of trips after dark



Here we see the 234 on the rear of the IT train. Thanks to Stan, Joel, Dan, and everybody who helped with the inspections and getting the three cars ready. The mainline was so busy we ran in sections several times, as indicated by the green flags.

On Sunday I was out again and served as a conductor on the heavyweight train for one trip, then was transferred to work the bilevels for the rest of the day, with Ray Weart as engineer. Among other things, we had what seemed like a mile-long freight train with three units and five cabooses to contend with. Again, I believe everybody went away happy.

Everyone associated with IRM can be proud of what we accomplish!

Frank adds... I finally got a chance to upload some of the photos I took. We started off the day at 50th Avenue (Stan Wdowikowski was nice enough to run the 308-309 over to 50th so that I could delay signing in, so as not to "go dead" before night operations!) and over the course of the day got a chance to run a variety of different "routes" from both 50th and East Union. Many thanks to Chris and Dan Buck who dispatched the railroad on what was certainly one of the busiest and most varied operating days anyone has ever seen at IRM. Below left, 308-309 share the 50th Avenue platform with the IC MU cars on the west track while Charlie Strong washes down South Shore 803 on the west leg of the wye. Below right, the scene at Car Line Junction at the height of the action.














Things were certainly busy. Below left, the CA&E cars sit on Station Track 1 while the Class B brings a caboose train into Station Track 2, followed by Indiana Railroad 65 approaching in the distance. Below right, before the start of night operations the IC MU cars and the 308-309 share the 50th Avenue platform.


Below left, Kirk Warner snapped a photo of us trying to light the markers with alcohol after we ran out of lamp oil. We soon switched back to good old kerosene, provided by Charlie Strong, who also spent a while fiddling with the markers to get them to work better. Thanks, Charlie! Below right, Randy Hicks and David Wilkins (with hand lanterns) on the platform at East Union during night operations.

David adds.....

My weekend began on Friday when I arrived at the museum just after 6:00PM. After signing in, having a job briefing, I assisted Stan and Joe Stupar in helping to arrange and stage equipment for Saturday. This included staging the IC MU cars at 50th Avenue. After finishing switching operations at around 11:00PM, we signed out and headed to dinner.

Saturday was a great day weather wise, and conducting on the IT train really made me realize I was riding a "time machine." Here I was, conductor on a 3 car IT train, traveling down interurban right-of-way, with the "steam road" railroad off to one side, corn fields all around and even under IT-style catenary wire. It was as close as I'll ever get to riding the real IT, and it was a pretty close copy. Of course, the illusion was furthered by Stan wearing traditional motorman garb, and the other three members of the crew also wearing authentic conductor garb. I furthered the recreation by wearing a pair of Shuron Ronsir eyeglasses, appropriate for the era.

One one of the trips, I talked to a gentleman from Gillespie, Illinois who rode the IT many times in his youth. He even traveled on the IT to take a high school science project to Illinois State University, using the combine to carry the project. He told me that riding in the 277 was something he never thought he'd do again. Overall, it was a great weekend.

Randy adds: Here's a link to a good picture of David, if you're a member of the Illinois Terminal group.

David Responds to Randy's addition: I contend that "looking the part" is an essential part of railway preservation. Even a shirt and tie on warmer days, with the conductor hat would look thousands of times better than a white polo shirt. I further feel that looking the part is essential for special museum days, like showcase weekend. Okay, I'll get off of the soapbox now....