Monday, December 18, 2023

Weekend Report

Frank writes...


I wasn't able to make it out to IRM this weekend thanks to a bug that kept me home taking care of ill family members (nothing serious, don't worry). Fortunately, our intrepid cub reporter Steven was at the museum to document it all and sent a full report - thank you, Steven!

Project 1 of the weekend was to replace a burnt-out bulb in the Hornet while it was out of service for this weekend. [See below.] The bulb was acquired from the "Lean-3" attic and worked perfectly in the Hornet.



One of Saturday's oddities was CA&E 431 being used in streetcar service due to Hornet's roof having a few leaks. 431 seemed to be very popular with the crowds with the great heat inside! 



Ed: Kudos to the shop crew for running all three kerosene markers!


Miscellaneous photos from Saturday. Main notable stories were that the 45-tonner was in and out of the Diesel Shop a few times this weekend for various projects. Other shots are various HHR property shots and a quick two photos from 18's fender progress. 







Sunday Photos: Richard mentioned that the online roster was missing some info on the Toledo Edison 1, so equipped with a tape measure, Joel and I took a walk to Barn 13 to get the height, width, and length dimensions of the steeplecab. Shots show off the cab, one hood, and the double articulated coupler.

Joel also did what he does best, teaching us newer volunteers new skills; today's skill was properly lighting and trimming the wick of our kerosene lamps. Here we see Joel, Will, and I getting the three kerosene lamps hung onto the back of the 431. I was told that the CA&E normally only ran with the two lamps but when downtown on the Metropolitan line they ran with a third in the rear middle, which we recreated the last few days of operations. The final photo was a parting shot of the Barn 6 lineup with the Warrenville CA&E sign in the background and the 431 on the other side.




Ed.: This isn't the best angle and I couldn't find a good view of my own, but with its hood propped up like this TE 1 looks like the world's largest and rustiest game of Hungry Hungry Hippo.



Many thanks again to Steven for sending this update!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Steven takes some nice photography! I bet up in that attic are what is left of box of street railway bulbs a small IRM salvage crew got out of the Howard Terminal wash racks and crew buildings. We also extracted a couple of unusual air compressors, parts for a Northwestern L wood car, and a Bates pole. O. Anderson

Ted Miles said...

Randy,
What railway is the Springfield Ave passenger shelter from? I do not thing it has been on the blog before. A great looking structure; I am sure you will have the Jewel shelter looking as good as soon as you can!

Ted Miles, retired but almost time to renew my IRM membership.

Randall Hicks said...

Ted: It was located on the west side of Rockford, on the R&I, at the intersection of Springfield and State. The IRM website’s roster has a section listing all of our historic structures. With most of these smaller structures, the date of construction isn’t known.