Tuesday, June 8, 2010

"In order to survive as a Museum"

Bill Wulfert handed me this page from the annual report of 1961. Some things haven't changed much: the need for safe working habits and the need for work on the 1268, among others.

The baggage section of the 277 is about 8' square, so how much of a concessions department could there possibly have been? I believe they had a cooler for pop and some shelves with books and knick-knacks for sale.

The best part is the last paragraph: Mr. Mizerocki makes it sound like the Museum is on the verge of failure. It's easy to laugh now, but in fact it's only because people did assume their responsibilities that IRM was able to find a permanent location and expand into its present extent. He actually makes a good point: our future is never guaranteed.

4 comments:

Scott Greig said...

I wonder what badge collection ol' Rocky was talking about? I thought the badge display in the Museum station was donated by a member in the early 1970s.

Unknown said...

"He actually makes a good point: our future is never guaranteed."

Indeed not! It is only people like you and Frank (as well as a many others) who make all this possible.

Thank you, and I sincerely hope that the interest is passed along to future generations as you, Randal, seem to have done so well.

Glen Brewer

Scott Greig said...

Edward Francis Mizerocki was one of our first ten members...he started with Chicago Rapid Transit as a Truck Man Helper at Wilson Shop on January 5, 1946, became an Air Brake Man circa 1955, and worked in air brakes at Wilson until circa 1977 (when the last 4000 work motors were retired). Around that time he transferred to Kimball Shop, where he was a Carbody Inspector until he retired at age 65 on November 1, 1982.

He left IRM sometime around 1970, and dropped out of sight after he retired. He lived in the ghetto neighborhood of Englewood, and in the late 1980s he developed Alzheimer's and most of his collection was put up for sale at area RR shows.

Per an inquiry to the Amalgamated Transit Union, he died on June 24, 2004.

Randall Hicks said...

Thanks for the biographical information, Scott!