Mark Your Calendar

 The CA&E wood cars were scheduled to run yesterday but didn't, due to the rain.  Today worked out much better.  And the air was pulsating with excitement over several upcoming events.

The 308 and 319 were in revenue service most of the day.  Jeff Obarek was the motorman, Sam Polonetzky the conductor, and I was a trainman.  We had a good crowd of visitors.  No crew pictures, however -- it was rather hot and humid, so we weren't quite dressed to the nines.  Jeff refused to put on his overalls, I refused to wear my jacket, and so on.  But otherwise a good time was had by all.  Operation was slightly different from usual because the Track Dept. are working on the mainline, so westbound trains had to come in on Station 2 to unload, then go west to transfer back to Station 1 to load for the next trip.  

Meanwhile David and Al were running the 3142.  You'll have to take my word for it, but here Al is running the car piloted by David.  And Frank got a lot done: he assembled a new grid box for the 309, and then installed and tested it with the help of Dan Fenlaciki, for which we are most grateful.  We were once again too busy for a round of "Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here" today, unfortunately.

You need to mark your calendar. Now.  Flip over to July -- ready?  First, of course, is the world's biggest Trolley Pageant on Saturday, July 6th.  We plan to have 60 cars running to celebrate IRM's 60th anniversary.  If that doesn't wear you out, the next day will be our commemoration of 50 years since the end of passenger service on the North Shore Line.  You won't want to miss it.  The North Shore was inconsiderate enough to abandon service in January, so we've moved it to July for your convenience.  You're welcome.

And then, on Sunday, July 14th, will be the Steam Department Benefit at the San Filippo Estate in Barrington.  If you haven't been there before, you're in for a real treat!  If you have been, this year promises to be even better than before.  I was talking to Jeff Calendine of the Steam Dept., brother of organist Dave Calendine, and he mentioned some aspects of this year's benefit you'll have to be there to appreciate!