The IRM Freight Car Department has completed major restoration work on Rock Island 19135, a transfer caboose rebuilt by the CRI&P in 1965 from a boxcar. When work on the project commenced in August 2006 the caboose looked like this:

http://www.irm.org/gallery/CRIP19135-RESTORATION/aai

And this past weekend, when 19135 was taken for an official test run, it looked like this:

http://www.irm.org/gallery/album90/adc

Kirk Warner, the project leader, is standing on the deck in the last photo. Quite a showpiece!

Frank -

Nicely done restoration. But how come the Rock Island single sheathed boxcar wasn't part of the "train"?

Les

This was not a 'train' per se. This was a run down our main line to check bearing temperatures, operation of the air brakes, and a myriad of other details prior to releasing this car to our operating department. There were no big surprises and the run went very well.

I suppose if all the stars and moon in the sky had been in perfect alignment, the loco would have been CNW 4160 (originally built for the RI), whose prime mover fired off for the first time at IRM the day before, and the consist would have included one or more of our restored Rock Island coaches (in mixed train service), our Rock Island 264070, and CRIX 20519. Maybe that will still happen, someday.


Bob Kutella

Great job on that car, nice work.

Why is one step painted yellow? Was it a Rock Island "thing"? Just real curious about that; I know the high degree of accuracy at IRM.

Howard P.

Bob -

What was the Rock Island number of CNW 4160? As a big Rock Island fan, I am hoping you guys are going to repaint it into Rock Island colors. Well, I can hope can't I? Glad to hear you've fired her up at least.

Les

Good catch Howard.

The time frame for this restoration includes the AEI placards on the sides. Photos of our car at this era indicated one yellow set of the steps. Comparing photos of other Rock Island cabooses indicated some with four yellow steps some with four red ones, same as body color.

There is some evidence of one or more derailments and damage in its life, and evidence of at least one sideswipe in a yard. This supports the theory and hard evidence that the always cash poor Rock Island salvaged one set from another car after the last time the railroad could afford a complete car repaint.

A good eye will also wonder how they oiled the journals with the step wells at the ends of the car, covering the position of the trucks which remained at the ends. Remember this was a transfer caboose on a boxcar frame. The space between the bottom two steps is actually a hinged panel or door that lifts to allow you to open the box cover enough to pour in oil.

Slightly off topic - restoring one of our South Shore Electric cars involved repainting an electrical cabinet. Inside was a note stenciled by the railroad as to the size of the lightbulb to be used inside the cabinet. To quote, it said "100 WATT BLUB" and that is what is still stenciled inside!

Bob Kutella

Thanks, Bob. That's kind of what I thought.

Are the ACI placards accurate for the car's reporting marks and number? Do you guys have an ACI reader stashed in one of the meat reefers? I'd bet you do...

Howard P.

The ACI medalions are the ones that were on the caboose, and they have been cleaned up. I am not aware we have a reader. Although this last season we put up one of the mail cranes and ran some RPO pickups on the fly.

Quite a dilemma to have a collection large enough to be able to assemble six or more cars from the core roads and run 'unitized' road name trains.

We are gearing up for our demonstration freight train operation later this season, and with some help it looks like we will be approaching a 20 car train!

If you ever get out our way and can spend a day, send me an e mail with your schedule and I would like to meet you. (That is an open offer to any of our preservation brothers.)

Bob Kutella

One of the ACI labels is accurate, reporting mark, car number and validation number and one has an error on it with the car number. These were the two ACI labels which were on the car when we commenced the restoration. I have been questioning repair shops to see if any have ACI stocks remaining. I have not found any to date.