The Zephyr happens to be parked outside, and was posed next to the safety island at Barn 9 North. Nobody else has anything quite like this!Otherwise, there wasn't a lot to take pictures of today. Mostly, I'm trying to get ready to repaint the #1 vestibule. So there was sanding, scraping, and other surface prep.
I stripped the paint from the heater bracket and the brass brake handle, as seen here. It's too bad I then had to paint it again.
I stripped the paint from the heater bracket and the brass brake handle, as seen here. It's too bad I then had to paint it again.
Most of the vestibule is now ready for finish red, but the last 10% always seems to take 90% of the effort.
And then there was more cleanup, since the cars have been rearranged. The front end of the 233 is now adjacent to the 319, so it can be pulled out for pictures. Looking in the front window, we can see it has a C6 controller, the same as the CA&E cars. But it has no MU connections of any sort, so there's no way to take advantage of that coincidence.
An old wooden grain elevator in Huntley is being dismantled, and as a result some very large pieces of lumber are available, much bigger than anything we can get new. Frank lives in Huntley and got in contact with the demolition contractor; he visited IRM today and Tim gave him a Cook's tour, focusing on the wooden cars. Tim was also busy taking measurements of things we might need new lumber for, such as the double-truck open car. And incidentally, you can even watch the building being demolished at this link. Ain't technology wonderful?
It is very unfortunate actually. I know Mrs. Marlowe. The one that sold the mill to the person who has had it scrapped. I've bought stuff there when she ran it. I'm very sad to see it go to be honest.
ReplyDeleteJoel
Wow...farewell to another piece of old Huntley. As a kid coming out to IRM with my dad, I always remember going past Marlowe Feed along 47 between Algonquin Road and Marengo Blacktop.
ReplyDeleteI haven't used that route in years, but the place was still something of a navigation point for me.
My comments mirror Joel's and Scott's,, another piece of history sadly fades away. It was a neat strucure, as a model railroader it was on my list of things to note/measure as a future project but of course I never got around to it.
ReplyDeleteAt least there's something of a silver lining with the materials being available for reuse. Better than nothing.
John Cloos
Preserving old buildings is even more difficult than railroad equipment, since they usually cannot be moved and must often be heavily adapted for reuse. IRM has done an excellent job of preserving old buildings, of course, including the Strahorn which probably would have been demolished otherwise.
ReplyDeleteThe person that bought the mill from Mrs. Marlowe told her that he wanted to make it into a restaurant or something like that.
ReplyDeleteIs the lumber being sold or donated?
ReplyDeleteAs I understand it, we'll have to pay for it, at least the valuable pieces. He said some of it we could have for free, but I'm not sure of the details.
ReplyDelete