While the Electroliner was the main focus of attention yesterday, there were other things of interest going on. The Steam Shop inspection pit has been poured and backfilled, and the next step will be to pour a thick concrete slab around it to serve as a heavy-duty jacking pad.
And a contractor was working all day sand-blasting the UP rotary. I didn't want to get too close because of all the dust, but it looks great from a distance - like an unpainted model. Jeff says that they will start painting it immediately.
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Then I would like to thank my friends on the Second Shift for fixing the windshield wiper from the 319. It works great, better than the one from the 321, so I will be putting it back in place soon. I took it home to touch up the black paint.
And in American Flyer news, Henry had a Franklin that was donated to IRM but would only run in reverse, he informed me. I told him they never made a reverser I couldn't fix, so he gave it to me to take home. This one was easy: it's a two-position RIT that was locked in reverse, and once it was unlocked it worked fine. So I cleaned and lubed it, fixed the smoke unit, and it will be going back to Henry next time.
Look fondly at the new steam shop concrete pit. It's the last time that it will appear as nice, clean, shiny concrete without a coating of coal dust and grease :)
ReplyDeleteC Kronenwetter
Sure, but nobody's going to live there. Think of all the work that should get done easier and faster....
ReplyDeleteRandy- Regarding your windshield wiper pantograph- Keep those joints oiled. That's what appears to have caused it to fail in the first place.
ReplyDeleteR. W. Schauer
Thomas Kaufman/Former member of the early 70's. Randy, I have donated through Henry a large amount of HO equipment for the museum once it is finished. Is there a date for the dedication so my wife and I might attend. Henry is trying to get me to come back and help him with the model train exhibit, but I haven't retired yet and have no place to live near Union. I am also an ex BNSF employee from the 90's that is currently semi-retired in west central Florida. My father-in-law was a longtime fan of IRM, and some of the HO equipment I donated was from his small collection. I also have a modest collection of American Flyer trains from 1954 to 1960 that is going to Union when I pass away. My wife Jill has only been to IRM once, but if we came north we will rejoin the family. Thanks for any information you can provide.
ReplyDeleteThe model railroad room will not be ready for use until sometime next summer at the earliest, so I'm sure there's no date for the dedication that can possibly be set at this time. We'll let you know as work progresses. In any case, we certainly appreciate your donations.
ReplyDeleteThomas Kaufman. Thanks for the heads up. No rush, I just wanted to make a summer visit and see all you guys when the dedication was so I wouldn't have to come twice since I ma not retired yet. That donation is to be a joint donation with my self and Jill's late father, Maj David Callarman. He really loved the museum in the early days and made it a point to get there when he came to visit his sister in Wisconsin. Thanks Randy for the information.
ReplyDelete