Monday, September 18, 2017

More Showcase

And now for a little more about Showcase Weekend.  It was a blast.

Now if you read Frank's post carefully enough, you should be able to answer the following question:
What do these two pieces of equipment have in common?




As part of Showcase Weekend we showcase our spiffy operating crews: here we have Henry Vincent, Andy Sunderland, and me.  I should take more of these pictures.  The Zephyr crews, in particular, are always impeccably dressed, but they're usually spread out along the train and not all in one place.


And here, making its operational debut at IRM, is the Charles City Western 300 on a caboose hop.  Pete Galayda has a lot to be proud of.  It's sad that John Nelligan did not live to see this.


The North Western bay window caboose does not operate often, if at all.  Victor finished the restoration back in 2002 and had never gotten a chance to ride it before.  He said he was surprised at how squeaky the car was running down the main line.  We told him you need to get out more and ride the CA&E wood cars.  We've got all the creaking and squeaking anybody could want!


As mentioned, the Electroliner team had both end units open for visitors on Saturday.  


Here Ed Oslowski is talking to several visitors about the project and the history of the Liners.


And a little store is set up with various North Shore items of interest on sale.




The other end of the train is in Barn 7.  Here John Arroyo proudly shows off his authentic Electroliner waiter's jacket.  




Meanwhile, at 50th Avenue two elevated trains of widely different types are loading.


On Members' Day we often meet old-timers we haven't seen for a while.  Here Bob Heinlein is talking to Steve Jirsa.  I also got to talk to Charlie King.  And Al Reinschmidt was out, although I missed seeing him.


Here Bill Wulfert demonstrates the Bill McGregor Pencil Test on the 1754.  If you can stick a pencil into the wood, it's probably no good.   That indicates Tim still has more work to do.



The three-car wood L train in service on Station 1.



Frank was the afternoon conductor.





I was busy during the evening operations and didn't try to take any pictures.  Your submissions would be most welcome.

Finally, let's go for a ride on the CA&E steel cars.





Zach Ehlers is the conductor.  Fred Zimmerman is the motorman, with Mike Blackwell in training.










Changing the subject, we have an update to our Deaccession List.  Ted Miles, IRM member, sends us a report about Godchaux Sugar #1, a narrow-gauge engine that was temporarily on the property.  He says: 

This locomotive was once owned by IRM and later until 2006 was part of an auto collection owned by Los Angeles publisher Otis Chandler. 

She has now turned up in the hands of the Gazsi family of Los Angeles; she is on loan to the Grizzly Flats Railroad at Orange Empire Railway Museum. She is taking the place of the Chloe (plantation locomotive) in the Engine House, while she is off getting overhauled at the Hillcrest Shops at Reedley, California.. 

The article is on the front page of the OERM Gazette for July 2017.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Sorry I missed you Randy, I was looking forward to a day of riding, but the medical issue that has kept me home did rear it's ugly head and I had to beat a retreat ( but did get a lap on loop with the 19). Surgery this week should take care of that. So should be out more in the fall to help out.

Randall Hicks said...

Thanks, Al. We all certainly hope you'll be better soon.

Unknown said...

Good luck with the surgery Al

Kirk Warner said...

The picture of CHARLIE shows that a journal box cover is missing..I would think that it should be replaced before it runs very much.

Randall Hicks said...

You win the thread for noticing that, Kirk. They were aware when the cover fell off, picked it up on the next trip, and replaced it. These bolted-on covers from McG-C are really an awful design.

David Wilkins said...

Sorry I missed Showcase Weekend this year. Early in the year, I surmised we would be buying a house this fall and I'd be in the middle of moving. I was half right, we are buying a house, but the one we are renting. Anyway, I plan on visiting IRM next year.

Anonymous said...

Great pictures from a great weekend. Thanks to you, Frank and all the others who make this such a great blog. One question, will that Lightbox feature ever return? It sure made scrolling through the pictures a lot easier.

Cliff McKay

Anonymous said...

Cliff: That's a good question. I haven't seen anything about it recently, but I need to check it out sometime.Thanks for the reminder.

Randall

Anonymous said...

Was nice to meet face to face Randy. Great job to all involved in setting up and operating Members Showcase Weekend. Us Branford boys were duly impressed!!
I uploaded my pictures of the weekend here: http://stevenloitsch.zenfolio.com/irm17