Dan Fenlaciki gave me a lot of help yesterday. First we spent some time checking the compressors on the 277 and 233 with the megger, to test the status of the insulation. The car has two compressors, which are needed to provide air for a multi-car train, and we need both of them to operate. 
Then we spent a couple of hours installing the rest of the seats in the main compartment of the 277, so it could be ready for service. Here Dan is relaxing in the newly-finished section. He also helped with removing some of my tools and larger items, such as my vacuum cleaner and fan.
We also paid a brief visit to the Art Train, where Fred Ash is making good progress on the displays. The car currently has a display on Burnham's Chicago Plan, and it looks very professionally done -- "just like downtown!" Burnham's plan was an amazing, very grandiose document, so it bears a striking resemblance to IRM's own Main Street plan. Good work, Fred!
Then we spent a couple of hours installing the rest of the seats in the main compartment of the 277, so it could be ready for service. Here Dan is relaxing in the newly-finished section. He also helped with removing some of my tools and larger items, such as my vacuum cleaner and fan.
We also paid a brief visit to the Art Train, where Fred Ash is making good progress on the displays. The car currently has a display on Burnham's Chicago Plan, and it looks very professionally done -- "just like downtown!" Burnham's plan was an amazing, very grandiose document, so it bears a striking resemblance to IRM's own Main Street plan. Good work, Fred!
4 comments:
When is the last time the 277 had a full compliment of seating?
I did a little "Googling" yesterday after seeing that IRM now has the cars from Art Train. I was instrumental in bringing Art Train to town 10 years ago.
I was surprised to learn that the train no longer is the mode of transportation for the art museum. It now uses specially built trailer trucks to get around. The rationale was that only 31 percent of the country is accessible by rail, whereby any place can be reached via a truck.
Amazing what you can learn by reading this blog.
Thanks again.
This is one of my favorite blogs on rail preservation inasmuch as it gives a behind the scenes account of the grit of what appears to be seamless when you see these cars run in service. How much activity in restoration occurs in the winter months? Are the barns heated?
Thanks for the comments. IRM restoration continues nearly at full speed during the winter months. The barns are not heated (except for the east end of Barn 2, which serves as the Diesel shop.) The steam shop is heated, and the Car Dept. has a heated shop area to allow plenty of activity, and in the unheated barns, you can set up space heaters to warm up the interiors of cars. So there's lots of activity.
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