We’ve been workin’ on the railroad! Maybe not all the live-long day, but our volunteers are always busy with something! Check out the latest updates about everything our volunteers have been working on below.
- Do you want to help with projects like these? Consider becoming a member of the society and volunteering with us! Visit our Membership page for details about getting involved.
- You can also support these projects with a monetary donation – visit our Donate page for more information.
- These projects all require supplies and tools to make them happen. Visit our Wish List page for some ideas of the tools and materials we could use to continue these great projects.
Project Update: CSS&SB #1 Interior Restoration
We’re pleased to debut Phase 1 of our partial interior restoration of our Chicago, South Shore & South Bend commuter car #1 this fall! This car turned 100 years old in August of this year, and we are proud to breathe some new life into it! The initial phase included restoration of the wood wall panels and luggage racks in 3 seat bays in the long end of the car, restoration of many wood window jambs along one side of the long end of the car, replacement of the central carpet runner, and replacement of 3 window shades with authentic
Project Update: RoadRailer Goes On Display
Some of our volunteers have been hard at work this spring clearing a few trees around our office and building a new display track for our Triple Crown Services RoadRailer, Bogie, and CouplerMate! The three pieces are now assembled and proudly displayed at the front of our campus. The RoadRailer technology was originally invented by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway in the 1950’s but continuously evolved into the configuration of elements now on display at our office. Wabash National manufactured these unique pieces to solve the age-old question of how to transfer freight between the road and the rails. This
New Project: CSS&SB #1 Interior Restoration
As we approach the 100th birthday of our CSS&SB #1 this fall, our volunteers have begun some interior restoration work to freshen up the car! Step one has been disassembly, with volunteers working to remove the original mahogany woodwork and trim around the windows in the larger section of the car. Sanding and planing revealed much of the wood is still in great condition, so the goal is to re-use as many pieces as possible. The window sills and interior sideboards will need to be replaced as many have swelled from water. This project will progress in phases, with 2-4
Project Update: GMDH-3 Receives New Radiator
Our one-of-a-kind GMDH-3 got a new radiator installed thanks to the hands of a few dedicated volunteers. After finding a massive hole in the original radiator, we had a new one fabricated for installation. In order to complete this task, the unique nose cone needed to be removed, offering a great time to patch some of the holes in the fiberglass. Following the installation of the new components, the locomotive was test-fired again with success. There is still a long list of items required to bring this unique locomotive back to service, but this is a huge step in the
Project Update: Speeder Repairs at Trenton High School
One of our speeders was recently taken to Trenton High School for some repairs by their auto shop students! The speeder will receive new lights, a new wheel, a repair to the charging system, and a general refresh to keep it going for our track crews! We are proud to have this connection with Trenton High School through one of our volunteers. The students have taken on a number of small restoration projects in recent years and we are immensely grateful for their help! Of course, it also affords some unique learning opportunities in turn!