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.