David Johnston, a friend of ours from the Bay Area, has just donated a set of slides he took back in 1967 of IRM in its early days, as well as a few from nearby. And pictures of the old days are always interesting, so our sincere thanks to David. Enjoy!
All images are copyright by the photographer and may not be reproduced without permission!
At this time, nearly all of the IRM collection was still stored on what is now the main line west of Olson.
Our first steam locomotive.
Here we are just east of Olson, looking towards the old west switch that led to Yard 1. Whatever happened to that Yard Limit sign? I think in the distance you can see a row of buses along the farm path that later became Central Avenue.
The 68 was the first car to be stored in the newly-constructed Yard 1.
The IT Birney. Who is that on the step?
The Shay was our first operating steam locomotive.
This was the original passenger stop at Olson Road. (We're looking west.) Nicely landscaped!
I believe here we're looking south-east at the main line with the interchange track on the left.
This, of course, is the Peoria. Probably it had just arrived.
Our string of North Western baggage cars.
The 966 actually looked pretty good when first acquired!
The 354, and behind it the 144 and 65.
Finally, the Ely.
Meanwhile, at a nearby trolley museum in South Elgin:
I don't know for sure, but I can only imagine this must be one of Wendell's open cars, being protected against small arms fire.
It's always been a rough neighborhood.
5 comments:
I am not sure, but based on the smile and dirth of scalp covering, we are looking at Charlie King on the 170 step. Com Ed 7 was at the west end of track, and the yellow painted CNW RPO was the gift shop. It had a giant tube TV mounted up in the upper area of the clerestory on the west end, presumably for members or gift shop workers to watch TV during boring days at the museum. That is the same wood RPO that is a gift shop now a days, so it has a legacy at IRM. The photos of the 441 in green paint are the only ones I have ever seen. Nice trim paint with Art Nouveau style that Rio Used, versus the squared off version it has had in red in Wendell years. O. Anderson
Yes, 966 really did look good, until it became parts fodder for 972. Plus, what engine was that red diesel switcher?
Raphael- I wouldn't say that your statement is accurate. 966 gave up its trucks, but not to 972, and we have trucks that could be rebuilt and put back. Other than that, I can't think of any significant items that were used. After all, 972 was a complete, running car when acquired.
The switcher was Mathews Co. #1, a gasoline-mechanical locomotive, ex-Army Corps of Engineers, built by Davenport in 1942.
R. W. Schauer
Raphael- The Mathews switcher is still operational; IRM sold it in 1982 to the Catskill Mountain Railroad. If you Google "CMRR 1 locomotive", the first link below the pictures is RR Picture Archive, which shows it at CMRR. Near the top of that page is a link "USAF 7563(35 Tonner)", and if you click that, you'll get a picture of it at IRM in US Air Force paint. It's also on Frank's deaccession list as USAF 7563, with a picture.
R. W. Schauer
I have to believe that the 966 has an important part to play in the restoration of the three existing Milwaukee 900 cars.
Randy Stahl
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