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   Don O'Barski photos |
During the winter hibernation season; HVRM volunteers work on locomotives and various railroad cars placed in the shop for winter work projects. Seen here is work being done to switcher No. 11, a General Electric built 95-ton locomotive. Work is also underway on maintenance and improvements to caboose No. 1989 and the railroad museum's International Cub lawn tractor -a vintage piece itself. |
  Don O'Barski photos |
During a winter time-out and a mild day in temperatures, the track crew got to work on continuing the construction process of a new track near the backshop area. This particular track will access the future planned turntable site. HVRM has in its inventory a 100' twin-span turntable, awaiting installation. |
 Don O'Barski photos |
Visitors are always impressed with the mass of steel-masterfully formed to create a steam locomotive such as No 2789, all 240-tons. |
December
| Backing up to the depot, Santa Claus hitches a ride aboard an HVRM caboose to make the North Judson Christmas Parade on Dec 3, 2007 |  |
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Clean-up and maintenance-of-way work around Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum is accomplished using everything from mechanical means all the way down to little helpers. Volunteer members of all ages and sexes contribute to the constant “house cleaning” and up keep from buildings to grounds for the betterment of the working members, visitors and community neighbors.
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Taking some time out of a busy day, volunteer members worked at building a foundation base for the erection of a flagpole, one that had been donated and then refurbished inside the shop by several members. When the concrete base was ready, the 1945 built Orton locomotive crane moved into place and set the flagpole on the base. Recently, locomotive 2789 was photographed at the depot passing under the flag of the United States of America. Locomotive 2789 was built by the American Locomotive Company at Schenectady, New York, 60-years ago in the year 1947.
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A lot has transpired since January. The US&S Style DW wigwag is finished including a teardrop bell that sits atop this huge signal. All that awaits it is a mechanism. The lamp unit was fabricated from an aluminum casting made from an acetylene valve cap, then machined, courtesy of Ron Schlatter. It matches perfectly to a ruby glass globe that was found in the signal car. The result is a stunning replica of the first lamp style used on this 1916-era signal.
Four more signals, two relay cases and four terminal boxes were completed during the summer. In back of the shop sits a US&S Style TR-3 tricolor that came from both Stillwell and Edwardsburg, courtesy of Steve Newland. It was used by the Grand Trunk prior to guarding westbound moves over the new switch west of the backshop. If you’re going west from the future turntable site, you’ll be governed by a GRS type SA searchlight signal. Number 1005 arrived back in 2002 with the help from Les Beckman and Tom Travis along with a sister signal, number 1004. They both stood alongside the EJ&E near Dyer, Indiana. For a brief period, it was located just east of signal 908-2 on the museum property. Lastly, a GRS type U color-position unit stands in front of the new switch. This beauty was the result of a donation from Fred Boyer and others. Anyone that sees it instantly recognizes it as the style used by the B&O Railroad. This particular signal was pieced together from others and assembled on a pole that sat in the rail yard for, what seemed like decades. The result is beautiful. This signal is tied in with 948-1, the double arm semaphore located at Mulberry Street, so when the semaphore top arm moves, the B&O signal changes aspects. All three signals are also tied into the switch position AND a traffic lever. If, for example the lever is set for eastbound moves, the Grand Trunk and the EJ&E signals display red while the B&O displays whatever the track conditions warrant, including a lunar aspect for moves down the turntable lead. I hope you followed that because there will be a quiz later. If not, stop by and I’ll give you a demonstration. The base that the B&O sits on was obtained by HVRM president John LaOrange and Cory Bennett. They unearthed it from along the C&O near SR 10 east of the museum. Thank you, guys. Finally, 903-2, a double-headed US&S Style H searchlight signal, donated by Fred Boyer is ready to be put up across the tracks from 98, the very tall C&O signal east of Main Street. This signal sat just east of Monterrey along the Erie Railway. To house the controls for 903-2, two relay cases off the former Erie in Ohio City will be used. A big thank you goes out to Cory for retrieving them while on a business trip to the area. There others that assisted in this massive project including Mark Knebel, crane operator, Bob Albert who provided invaluable assistance, Bob Shedrow who helped bond the third track circuit, Dave Cook and Bing Risley who used the bobcat in various capacities, Todd Flanigan for the DW signs and lettering and finally Cheri Schultz who provided her painting skills to put the finishing touches on the signals and cases. Thank you all for a job well done. The signal display at HVRM is unique and one that every member can be proud of. People tell me the signal project will never end……………………stay tuned……………….. John Schultz HVRM Signal Dept |
HVRM has many veterans who partake of the many projects around the railroad shops and rail yard. Here we see WWII vet Bill Ness working on a locomotive brake cylinder, and Air Force vet Bob Albert working in the background on a project.
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Locomotive Engineer Todd Flanigan (r) and son Kyle (far left) pose for a photo with Cub Scout Pact 3157 of DeMotte IN. The scouts received a tour of the railroad museum then took a group train ride out to the Kankakee River Bridge at English Lake IN.
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Calumet Council Scout Pact 504 visits the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum in late September. The boys and families enjoyed a scenic ride between North Judson and English Lake, Indiana, where the railroad crosses the Kankakee River. The river view is unique from the open-air car.
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held on July 29th
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The "Open-Air" car has proven a success and is very popular with the visiting guests at Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum. Sit or stand, the option is available on this car with nicely built bench seating and spacious leg and walking room.
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Recently, Women Educators from the Indiana counties of Fulton, Marshall and Starke, and members of the Alpha Sigma Chapter, Delta Kappa Gamma, boarded the Open-Air car for a 45-minute ride to English Lake and the Kankakee River Bridge. Such an enjoyable, pleasant bunch of ladies - wonderful teachers...
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Motor Cars! Once again, members of the Great Lakes Railcars gave 2-mile roundtrip rides over the museum's Erie trackage to motor car passengers during the "30th Annual" 2007 North Judson Mint Festival on Father's Day weekend. Members then made several trips on their own over the Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad between North Judson - LaCrosse and Malden - a 36-mile roundtrip run.
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| Preparing for the 2007 season, volunteers put their backs into various work projects around the railroad museum. From inserting railroad ties and tamping track, to inspecting wheel sets, and preparing the gift shop area, volunteers enjoy working-out at the HVRM. | ||
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April 7, 2007 was a cold blustery day, but 139 passengers and 10-crew members left North Judson at 1PM for LaCrosse to an Easter Egg hunt. Despite the cold temperatures, heat was provided in all cars and the children enjoyed the experience.
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Well, 2007 is here and so is winter, but that’s not slowing down the signal department. Since the last update, the museum can now boast that all ten signals are lit. (In fact, on Christmas Eve, 2006, the signals remained illuminated throughout the night). Many thanks have to go to John LaOrange and Cory Bennett for their efforts in helping me on that frigid day in December. The latest was the huge Nickel Plate bracket mast signal. Cable was finally threaded under Mulberry Street and control wires connected between the black lamp terminal case standing next to the signal and the silver (soon to be black) case on the east side of Mulberry. In the same installation, wires for the track switch circuit controller were installed and now help control the smaller Nickel Plate signal, which is sitting atop a new base, so it’ll display clear, approach, diverging approach and restricting aspects, depending on track switch position. Lighting these two sure made director and NKP historian Bob Albert happy. At this point, all 10 signals have their respective relay cases fully wired.
Trips were made to the iron foundry to have parts cast for our DW wigwag signal. This wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for the generosity of the Monon Connection restaurant/museum owner Dale Ward, whose original parts were used in the making of the molds. In a side-by-side comparison, there’s no difference. They will be machined, primed, painted and assembled later. Also being fabricated are the “LOOK LISTEN” signs and the red “STOP” disc, courtesy of Todd Flanigan. These items have to be manufactured since the signal, having been designed and built as early as 1916 is long obsolete and rather hard to find. The top of the signal will be adorned with a US&S teardrop bell, courtesy of Bob Albert. If you’ve never heard one of these types, it has a slower stroke and a deeper, richer tone than the regular round bells.
Plans for this year include bonding the third track section east of the Pennsylvania signal, restoring a double headed US&S searchlight signal, which will go on the other side of Main Street across the tracks from the very tall C&O signal, and three signals located near the newly-constructed switch next to the shop including an EJ&E searchlight, a GTW tricolor and a B&O color position signal complete with 2 marker lamps. This one will be very visible from the trains operating on the C&I. As you can see from this list, there’s always something going on at the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum.
| Wanatah Project | |
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HVRM members, on April Fool’s Day 2006 construct a display track for the Wanatah Historical Society. The society plans to move a former NKP wooden caboose to this site, which is adjacent to the Wanatah Town Park. |
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Larry Eggleston of the Wanatah Historical Society sweeps the ties clean after the track was leveled and the stone tamped under the ties. The Society plans to create a static railroad display at this site. In the background is the former PRR Chicago-FtWayne main line, now operated by the Chicago FtWayne and Eastern RR. The display site is north of the old PRR tracks, on the old Monon right-of-way. |
| HVRM Turntable Lead | |
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HVRM members determine the angle of a curve, during construction of the future turntable lead track. This photo is taken west or behind the backshop area where much right-of-way clearing has taken place during the fall of 2006. |
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Determining the grade is one of the tasks of track building. A switch has been recently constructed and ballast is being dumped into the track for tamping. This track will head westward for a short distance eventually making its way into the materials yard. The beginnings of the track to the future turntable site, is on the right (looking at the photo) and heading back behind the photographer. |
| HVRM Open Air car | |
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Work is progressing on building an open-air car using a former Nickel Plate Road flat car No. 1946. This car will be operational during the 2007 tourist train season. The Nickel Plate Historical & Technical Society awarded HVRM a $500 grant towards this project. The Standard Steel Car Company built the flat car in 1929, for the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad. Photo by Don O’Barski |
Mark Stanek photo
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 The conductor on the "Open Air" transfer caboose explains the HVRM to railfans on a ride at the museum. |
 Conductor Bob Barcus collects tickets from Riders Mike Linzy while his family enjoys the view from the train. |
 Conductor Bob Barcus assists Richard Nagler using the handicap ramp to board the caboose train, while Mikey & Jeanne Nagler look on. |
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Well, Spring has sprung in North Judson and with that, more news from the Signal Department. Throughout the fall and winter months, relay case wiring was completed for 6 of the 10 signals standing on the museum grounds. This includes wiring the relays, rectifiers and transformers used for signal control.
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