Busy Tuesday

Even Tuesday is often a busy day at IRM.  It was raining all morning, so there were few visitors, but the workers don't let that stop them.  I should have liked to run the 309 over to the pit, but that wasn't possible.  So I kept going on our next project: CA&E 451.  This car has been sitting idle for a couple of years due to higher priorities, but I would like to see it get finished and put into service.  The main thing is to finish the roof work.  The canvas has been installed and painted, and now we need to install the saddles, running boards, and other fixtures.  Most of these parts are stored inside, where they've been accumulating dust.  For that, I think there's a solution.

Anyway, here are some pictures.  The interior needs to be repainted eventually, but it's pretty much complete and in good condition.  I need to get some more interior lighting.

I sorted out parts for a while, then decided to spend a rainy morning cleaning up the rope guards.  They need to have a few kinks ironed out, but are otherwise in good shape.  

It took a while, but with the big wire wheel the paint came off.   Now they just need some brown primer.  One question I have is that they seem to have been painted red in the past.   Is that just a Clevelandism?

Several other Car Dept. people were hard at work on their usual projects.  Pete was painting in the 160, Ed was working in the Liner, Tim and Frank K. were working on the 1754, and Gerry was working on the 306.  The compressor in the 1754 was running so they could test the operation of the door motors, one of which is seen here:

I know nothing about door motors, so let's visit the Liner.  The final parts of the ceiling are almost ready to install.

And in spite of the rain, we had some visitors, so we need to provide transportation.   Thomas Slater (L) was running the 4290:

Meanwhile, in property news, Carl spent much of the day breaking up concrete where the new Steam Shop pit will be installed:

And the steel beams for the Multi-Purpose Building™ are being put into place so the structure can actually start to go up.  Very exciting!

CONDOLENCES

We extend our heartfelt sympathy to Jan Núñez and her family.  Jan recently lost both her sister and a nephew with the span of a few days.  We do not yet know what funeral arrangements have been made, but will try to post them when we can.

And then, we heard that Checker has died.  This was the nickname of Robert St. John, who ran a restaurant in Union for many years.  The funeral is tomorrow and the obituary notice is here.  Those of us who were around in the old days will remember him well.  I was told that the nickname came from his supposed resemblance to Chubby Checker, but the similarity always escaped me.  In any case, he was a great friend of the Museum.  We would all eat there on a regular basis, and he was always great about letting us run up a tab and pay at the end of the month, or whenever we could.  The old Checker's offered classic diner food, and back in the seventies the monthly board meetings would be held there in the evening.  He'd keep a few pots of coffee available for people to stay awake during the marathon meetings, for instance.  And he provided the steaks for the evening cookouts on Member's Day back in those years.  Many years ago he sold the restaurant to new owners, who have turned it into a more upscale restaurant, with a full bar and things like that.  Such as my favorite, Shrimp de Jonghe.  I hadn't seen Checker for many years, but remember him well.  It's sad when another link to the good old days is gone.