Education Through Demonstration

Among many things the Lowe's of St. Charles donated was this special treated plywood, that we have used to upgrade our flooring down the entire west aisle.

This is huge for the car department to have a clean working area where a lot of precision painting and other work is done.

Not to mention it is a heck of a lot easier on the feet, and the eyes.

OK, OK, so maybe it looks like just a piece of plywood, but Mary W. has been working diligently to construct a Clock Tower for our 2018 North Pole. Stay tuned, she has big plans! 

Thanks to a recent addition to the car barn roster, Andy has started to work on removing layers, and layers of paint, filler, and rust, on the exterior of 4451. The goal is to stabilize the end walls, that have rotted away from the floor.

One of the windows damaged during the vandalism was this motorman's windshield. Here you can see it has been removed and the sash is currently waiting for the custom ordered glass.

This may be one of the most exciting things we have to report! 

LOOK, you can see the first ceiling panel being reinstalled ! 

Being that this car started the season with a completely rotted roof, and ceiling fallen in, to here, with it's roof structure completely restored to the point that panels can be reinstalled, we are doing the happy dance! The Car Department has not at all let the vandalism stifle our progress on 4451. If anything, just the opposite! 

Hear on the left, going down the side of the car above the windows, the newly custom made trim is installed. This trim was all severely rotted out from water intrusion, and this very detailed trim pattern was not a small order to recreate. 

Huge thank you to Fred L. for supplying 4451 with two marker windows! Here you can see one being installed.

A quick shot of the roof above with all the completed center roof ribs..... so clean and straight !

Thank you to everyone who has continued to donate and keep our vandalism repairs going!

All hands on deck to get 458 buttoned up to go outside for a bit, and give up it's inside spot so 40 can get it's scheduled paint job.

Here you can see the custom ordered tongue and grove for 458's roof. Hope the next time we show a picture of this wood it will be on the top of the car!

The center section of the roof has all the roof ribs done, all the insulation stabilizing wire installed, insulation and vapor barrier installed. This roof has been a huge project, and we really want to have the center section done within the next week or so.

All these below pictures are reflecting the hundreds of hours Mike G. and Fred L. have devoted to the glass repairs on this car. ALL side windows have been replaced. Most of the interior glass has been replaced, and they have even sourced and installed new glass for the gauges that were damaged.

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Michael J. Fox is the star of the 1985 movie “Back to the Future”, and its sequels, in which a specially outfitted DeLorean automobile is able to travel backwards and forwards in time upon reaching a critical speed of 88 miles per hour and using a fusion power generator. He also suffers from Parkinson’s Disease.

Volunteers from the Foundation brought their DeLorean, appropriately modified to resemble the movie car, to a convention of DeLorean owners and collectors being held in Saint Charles, IL. Through a contact with one of the Museum members, they inquired about operating their car on our tracks, raising funds through offering rides simulating the rail running depicted in later movies. We were able to accomodate them.

The car was highway driven to the Museum, where the regular tires were removed, and railroad flanged wheels were attached. They made multiple trips up and down the line. Riders in the car could donate (or not) as they wished.

Fox River personnel were on hand to ensure a safe and enjoyable event for all involved.

The car never reached 88 miles per hour, and thus always remained in the present time.

Well we all know that 5 is scared of NOTHING! So in the barn it went to retrieve 6.

US Postal Car 6 is being pulled out of the barn to sun bathe for the first time in four years!

Justin above is quite happy to have helped with this project! He's looking forward to the day that he can take the controls.

Mike G. below is diligently manning the brakes on 6, while Jeff pulls it out with Loco 5. 

6 was not spared in the recent vandalism, and this past weekend Mary was able to remove several of the broken windows. We will be working towards these glass replacements soon.

Project plans are underway to restore the beautiful paint work on 6 as well. Bringing out the car for all to see it's beauty and luster will hopefully spur some this project along.

As our broad museum family knows, 304 was severely vandalized a little over a month ago.

You sure wouldn't know it by the radiating beauty of her new glass!

Juliana is applying the correct Aurora Elgin & Fox River Electric Company logo, that has been missing since this car came home to us in the 90's.

Every trip 304 made during the River Fest weekend, the car was full! 

Dozens of people and businesses pulled together to make this all possible, with only a very short time to make repairs.

 

The museum, it's volunteers, and supporters, made a vow to get her back on the rails, "Come Hell or High Water", in time for River Fest, and WE DID IT!

A huge heart felt thank you to everyone that made this possible. This truly was a project that took each and every person we had!

Here you can see half the car has it's carlines adorned with new roof ribs. Cliff with KRB Construction is diligently working along to clamp the five piece carlines together, then fastening them with 4 inch nuts and bolts. The wood roof ribs were all CNC cut, and donated by Fred L., and the fasteners was all donated by Eagle Fasteners of Crystal Lake. 

This is such a beautiful sight! Just a few months ago, we were looking a pictures of this roof caved in!

As many are aware, the museum suffered a terrible loss at the beginning of July, when two young boys burglarized the car barn and vandalized each and every car inside. 304, an original car to our line, was not spared. As you can see the remains of a door that was beaten almost to death!

Thanks to Steve with WindowRepairGuy.com, here you see the door fully restored, and ready for installation. Quite a difference from the picture above huh!  Thanks so much Steve! The door was successfully installed this past weekend and looks fantastic!

Here we can see Strother Purcy, of Chicago Window and Door Solutions installing the custom arched Florentine glass. This was truly like watching an artist!

Here you can see a custom piece of wood be made from scratch with only hand tools, to fit the side of the car. This is how it was done 95 years ago when this car was built! Sue is making sure everyone has exactly what they need.

Greg is fitting one of the side windows they ordered. He makes it look so easy!

Here is all the custom laminated, etched glass the was 100% donated by One Source Glass, and WindowRepairGuy.com. Several of these pieces were installed in 458 this weekend.

One of the arch window openings being prepared to get it's new custom window installed. If you look close in the reflection in the glass below it, you can see a reflection of 458, with on of it's broken windows.

If we didn't know better you would think we were running a glass company with all the glass trucks at the museum on Friday

Chicago Window and Door Solutions has been instrumental in getting 304 back together! Thanks so much Greg, and Sue !!!

With out Steve from WindowRepairGuy.com, we would not have the repaired door for 304, or ALL the glass for 458!

Two extra arched pieces left for future needs.... let's hope we never need them!

Greg, here again, with the watchful eye of Sue, using the tricks of the trade. 

Greg and Strother ever so gently placing the new arched window.

So much attention to detail to steam and form every little bit of the trim wood.

So Friday was the day that Steve delivered the door for 304 and the glass for 458, and Greg's team worked the entire day installing the windows on 304.

Saturday and Sunday consisted of sanding the upper cream colored part of the car on both sides, caulking the needed areas, and painting the whole thing, both sides. The interior got a good cleaning, as it was a mess. The windows even got a good washing!

There are two windows left to install and that is happening tomorrow. EVERYTHING else is done, and our beauty is ready for next weekend!

There were dozens of people involved in making this happen and everyone played a part. We would not have 304 back together without all the help from everyone, so the museum owes a huge thanks to all for their donations and efforts!