IRM Puts On the Dog

IRM can really put on the dog(s) when we want to. Barn 6 echoed to the barking of a dozen or more Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs as the local club of GSMD enthusiasts put their pets to work. These dogs are bred for pulling power, and here they are hauling a track cart loaded with weights. A good time was had by all, I believe.

Meanwhile, the Car Dept. was involved in yet another huge switch move, mainly to put as many regular operating cars at doors as possible. Here, for instance, are the blue cars and the 36 at the east end of 84. I was too busy to take many pictures during the switching.

This is our Lake Shore Electric coach #150 in daylight. Now I just need somebody to photoshop in a trolley pole and some steps, and it will be very convincing.

I didn't get much car work done. Jeff Fryman was working in the woodshop; he painted all of the window sticks for the new drop sash for the CA&E steel cars, and also the new trolley hooks for the 319 which Rod Turner made for us.

In fine arts news, IRM was donated a 6' x 9' oil painting of steam locomotives and the roundhouse in Wilmette from the estate of a man in Chicago, and Nick had brought it out to the Museum. It needed a team of five of us to unload the huge crate into the Strahorn library, where the painting will be placed on display. L to R: Buzz, Nick, Tom Hunter, and Frank Devries.

We didn't have room to slide the painting all the way out of its crate, but here's a glimpse of what it looks like.

And here are some views of the interior of the Strahorn. Barb and her team of volunteers are constantly improving the collection of books and artifacts.