Issue 08-2, Summer 2008

Paul Pedersen of the Pedersen Company of Saint Charles and South Elgin donated and installed this new planting in our entrance way to Castlemuir. The plants were donated by Peter Orum of Midwest Groundcovers. Paul and his company are most widely known and recognized for the award winning design and installation of the "Green Roof" plantings atop of Chicago's City Hall. In addition to doing the plantings personally, Paul and company have maintained it during the year. Thank you so much, Paul for your interest in and care for the Museum!

Where Goest the FTRA
(Fox River Trolley Association)

As I sit up her in the snow and cold of west central Wisconsin wondering when winter is going to end, my thoughts turn to warmer days and the Fox River Trolley Association.

As an original member of RELIC (Railway Equipment Leasing and Investment Co.), I have seen the Museum start as an idea of a bunch of young CA&E fans from Lombard and Glen Ellyn evolve into the organization it is today almost 50 years later.

It is almost like the museum is member of my family. Like cousin or an uncle or a nephew or niece. It has both good and bad attributes. I think that the Museum was and is positive force in not only the area but for its members as well. It has potential to be more.

There are a lot of things about the FRTA that are intrinsically good. They include its location in Chicagoland, its very scenic and historical right of way, the oak tree and the location at Castlemuir and the extension into the Forest Preserve.

Several years ago the original RELIC group which was, on purpose, a group of exclusion, saw the need for change and became FRTA, on purpose, a group of inclusion.

But as time has marched on the Museum seems to be falling behind. It continues to be slow to adjust to the social environment and this may cause its demise. One thing I have learned over the years is that change is inevitable. Whether it is liked or not. And to quote some one (Alan Deutchman, author) "Change or Die."

Assuming that we all want FRTA to live on after we are gone, we, the members, need to look forward to the future and meet its challenges.

What can we do? I think there are three basic things to get done:

1. Expand the membership. We need more people, active and inactive, to do things that need to be done. We are not always the most cordial hosts to our riders and other folks. We must make them feel welcome and we should encourage them to join and volunteer. There have been several articles in past issues of "Fox River Lines" about this. Let's not just talk about it. Let's just do it! Yes it's hard to do sometimes but anything worthwhile is not always easy.

2. Expand the board of Directors. FRTA seems to have become a little inbred over the years. We need new, smart, connected people from the area to give the Museum their insights and experiences. They would broaden our appeal for other members. They do not have to be railfans. Let's just do it!

3. Reactivate the Capital Fund Committee to help fund the projects at the Museum. This group did an outstanding job in getting the extension and other things financed and done. I could suggest a list of projects that would take at least one page but we all know what they are. Let's just do it!

I want to see if our group has the intestinal fortitude and the foresight to change for the good of the Museum, its friends, its members and society.

Fred Crissey

Mission

To preserve and interpret Chicago's electric transport era that began in the 1890s and peaked before 1950. The electric transport era is significant because electric railways, including interurban, rapid transit, and streetcars, helped the Chicago region grow to be one of North America's great metropolitan areas. The Museum strives to show that electric railways were more than convenient, they were and are a way of life for generations of people from all walks of life.

The Museum fulfills this mission by preserving, interpreting, and operating historic railway vehicles on its demonstration electric railway, over the Aurora, Elgin and Fox River Electric route at South Elgin, Illinois. Furthermore, the museum preserves, displays and interprets smaller artifacts, photos, oral histories, and documents which help relate the importance of electric transport in and around the Chicago Metropolitan Area, putting them in context with their surroundings and era.

Many of us remember the old "Life Magazine." It was a "picture magazine" developed in the late 1930's and succumbed to television in the 1970's. It featured reporting the news with pictures with extended captions but little or no extended story text. This issue of "Fox River Lines" is in that context and concept.

The Museum acquired a lot of equipment used in our operations and sustained improvements on our facilities and greater member participation in activities beyond train operations. This then is " `LIFE' " at the Fox River trolley museum" in 2008.

Don MacBean

Chuck Galitz hard at work (notice the sweat) in August `08 on the west truck of AEFRE #5. He is removing the axle keeper.

Chuck Galitz installed the four windows on the engineer's side of number five's cab. They had to be replaced after vandals destroyed them. Here is the "finished job" taken in the fall of 2008. The special glass and fittings had to be ordered . . . and not from your local Ace Hardware or Home Depot but from an industrial glass supplier. A number of months intervened between the ordering of the glass and the installation.

No. 5 with the new windows parked on track 2 north next along side of the South Shore cars.

AAR Cart - push car

After being separated from the cart, the numerous pieces had to be further cut up for future disposal or retention. The pictures in this section show the progress of the cart's transformation from a cart to a "push car."

At last, the cart is "getting cut down to size." After being separated from the cart the numerous pieces had to be further cut up for future disposal.

Fred Lonnes, Ed Konecki and Chuck Galitz with rail placed on the "new" push car at Coleman yard before its movement to Castlemuir. Note the newly arrived motor car CP 7700-12 in the background.

Pat Storm guiding rail to the new push car.

Fred Lonnes, Pat Storm, Chuck Galitz in "Casey" Tractor and Ed Konecki placing yet another rail on the new push car.

Motor Car CP 7700-12 is coupled to the fully loaded new push car ready to move to Castlemuir where the rail will be unloaded in a reverse procedure for later placement on track 1.

"Cherry Picker" is not used for picking cherries along the Fox River Line, even though "Choke Cherry trees" grow in abundance along our right of way. Chuck Galitz purchased it for his use and the Museum's benefit. This "Cherry Picker" makes wire work and similar endeavors easier and more efficient. The industrial name is bucket lift.

A gas motor generator set acquired from the CA&E by RELIC back in the 1960's finally gave up the ghost. (Not to be confused with CRT/CTA 4103). It was used to power the Jackson tampers. It was replaced by this one seen here in its first day of real "revenue" operation. Phill Kovari is tending the operation of the generator and moving it along and keeping the cables straight and untangled for the tamping crew. Fred Lonnes, Ed Konecki and Art Lemke tamp the ballast and make use of this new power on the curve just north of Duerr's Pond Crossing.

CPR 7700-12 Motor Car just arrived on line and unloaded by Fred Lonnes. This unit replaced the old AT&SF unit which was gasoline powered. The CPR unit is diesel.

2008 Car Department Activities

North Shore "Silverliner" coach 756 is currently the primary restoration project of the museum. Ralph Taylor, Grant Harrison and Jim Gonyo have been removing the old roof and carlines, removing the insulation, de-rusting and priming the steel portions and installing replacements for the wood portions of the carlines. Janet Gonyo has also been working on the interior of the car. This will be a multi year project as efforts move from the South or No.1 end of the car.

Grant Harrison (back to the camera) and Ralph Taylor work on the carlines of CNS&M 756. This is a long job as there are 34 of them to be replaced. Joe Hazinski photo.

Grant Harrison power vacs the old insulation as part of the rehabilitation process.

Grant Harrison and Ralph Taylor in early stages of the rehab work of CNS&M 756's roof.

CTA rapid transit car 4451 was out of service until Don MacCorquodale was able to track down a contact problem in the line switch which was not allowing the car to accelerate beyond "switching speed." Later in the season the unit was again taken out of revenue service due to the ceiling panels in the center of the car coming loose from the carlines. Jim Gonyo and Rich Chapas have subsequently refastened them to the carlines in March of 2009.

North Shore Line coach 715 suffered a bent and broken trolley pole. Since North Shore trolley harps are specialized, one was borrowed from 756 while Ralph Taylor splice repaired the broken one. Subsequently we locate a spare but bent North Shore pole in the storage reefer and Ralph has straightened that pole out without the need of a splice. Joe Hazinski has been priming and painting the window sill stock for the West side of the car with hopes that it can be reinstalled next season.

Jim Gonyo and Ralph Taylor at the north end of CNS&M 715 working on roofing the car. Note the scaffolding . . . it came from the CA&E Wheaton Shops.

CNS&M 715, in its new roof, train doors, paint job waiting for passengers at Blackhawk station in the Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve.

Chicago Rapid Transit unit 5001 became disabled after Trolleyfest when the battery circuit P switch failed and would not re-Iatch so the Motor-Generators would not start. Joe Hazinski located a spare substitute breaker in the car barn and Ralph Taylor and Grant Harrison installed the switch. Later the North end trolley shoe and harp failed and actually disappeared. Joe Hazinski came up with a replacement holder and renewed the carbons and along with help from Chuck Galitz and Ralph Taylor taking care of the pole. The car is operable but a number of improvements need to be made to the interior floors, bodies, horns and electrical system in 2009.

CTA L-202 operated the caboose trains for the last time in 2008 until the two non-functioning motors are removed for rebuilding at the L & S Electric motor shop in Appleton, Wisconsin. Prior to the caboose trips Don MacCorquodale worked on the huge K-14 controller dressing its fingers and contacts. Ralph Taylor and Jim Gonyo have started the preparations for removing the trucks so the motors can be pulled by removing the king pins. Wood for cribbing to jack the locomotive has been budgeted for as the project continues during the 2009 season.

South Shore 7 and 14 had some loose roofing material and covers removed by Jim Gonyo. The stabilization of both these cars is a major challenge for 2009.

Car Barn reorganization was started with the installation of heavy duty shelving obtained by Ralph Taylor so that material from the South East comer can be moved to the South West comer. Joe Hazinski and Ralph Taylor would assemble a unit of shelving and then Joe would start moving parts stored on the East side to the West. Eventually the West side was filled with six units. Grant Harrison and other passers-by were recruited to help move some of the heavier items to there new storage location. The objective is to move all the floor mounted power tools from the isle to the East side where it will be easier to use them. By the season's end Joe Hazinski estimates that about one third of this project has been completed and parts will continued to be organized as they are located and sorted. Much remains to be done in 2009.

CTA Rapid Transit car 4103 has been receiving continued attention by Bob Hillman as he has been de-rusting the exterior section by section with a wire wheel and then priming the work. The near term goal is to make the car more presentable with a better paint job. In 2009 efforts are planned to stabilize the interior by starting to seal the car up and evicting the wild life that resides within so the many spare parts can be sanitized, organized and once again available for the museum's needs.

Bob Hillman has undertaken the huge task of getting CRT/CTA 4103 in presentable shape. A major part of the process is arresting "rust cancer."

Bob Hillman continues the tedious labor of chipping away the rust. A major application of primer shows the substantial progress being made.

San Francisco MUNI PCC 1030 finally has started to receive attention as new member Phil Kovari has expressed interest in the car. He and a cousin have started to clean up the interior of the car and with Joe Hazinski s help the underside controller cover was remounted. Ralph Taylor obtained two new safety glass window panes for the rear windows and he, Joe Hazinski with major help from Grant Harrison installed the gasket fitted windows to the car. The technique developed by Grant with tools obtained by Ralph will be useful as many of our CTA all-electric cars have windows installed in the same manner. The near term objective is to stabilize the car and make it more presentable.

CTA Rapid Transit cars 40 and 43 were prepared for the "Trolley Polar Express" service. Fred Lonnes assisted Joe Hazinski in servicing the Ohio Brass Form 5 couplers so that the two cars could be coupled together. Ralph Taylor started to service car 40 and discovered that the Motor-Generator set would not start. After looking over the wiring diagrams and consulting with Fred Lonnes it was determined that a resistor had failed. A spare was located as a result of the car barn reorganization, installed by Ralph Taylor and the car was once again made serviceable and connected to 43. The carbons in 43 trolley shoes were renewed and a spare set was made up and placed in the car. I received reports that the 600 Volt power jumper between 40 and 43 tell out and grounded causing 40 to go dead on the trip down for the first Polar Express trip. Chuck Galitz and Ralph Taylor were able to quickly repair the cable and only one trip had to be substituted by 5001. Thanks go to Fred Lonnes and Ralph Taylor for rescuing cars 40 and 43. Once again 5001 came to the rescue to finish the charter operations.

There are ambitious plans for ear Department activity in 2009 and how much of these tasks get accomplished is going to be dependent on an increase in the number of volunteers. Besides the annual maintenance and inspection it is painfully obvious that we need more serviceable equipment for public operation and that a number of units need stabilization and appearance improvement. Thank you to all those named and unnamed who assisted in 2008 and welcome aboard to any and all newcomers in 2009. I anticipate that my pattern of Sunday-Monday presence at the museum will resume by the end of April and I would sure appreciate some company on Mondays if you are able. In fact it would be nice if there was someone on the property every day of the week to make improvements and prevent vandalism. Feel free to contact me at 414 769-3241 or jrhengine@live.com.

Joe Hazinski

Track 1 was almost completely replaced - new ties- new rails - new ballast. This was a joint effort with Swanson Rail Contractors and our track department headed by Roadmaster Ed Konecki.
Note the tamper used by Swanson's crew. Picture is looking north.

Track 1 is a work in progress. View is looking north before tie tamping and surfacing. Picture is looking north.

The original track was laid down in 1967. Much of the rail came from the North Shore Line Highwood Yards. Picture is looking north.

Track 1 is almost completely replaced - looking south.

Picture is looking south towards new switch 20. The final connection is yet to be made between track two and track zero. The Swanson crew is doing the work.

Bringing order out of chaos! Joe Hazinski and Ralph Taylor started collecting loose parts and material (paints etc.) primarily from all corners of the carbarn and some elsewhere and placed them in an orderly storage on these shelves. The statement "I am sure we have one of those around here some place." is now almost obsolete. They were assisted by Grant Harrison, Matt DelGudice and Pat Storm. It usefulness was recently established when parts needed for a repair were found on the shelf and used instead of taking them from other cars.

The Future...

as It Depends upon your point of view

•Armchair philosopher Yogi Berra a famous New Yorker and rider of the 5 cent New York Subway System said: - "predictions are very hard to make especially about the future."

•In 1899, Charles Duell, Commissioner of the U. S. Patent Office said:"Everything that can be invented has been invented."

•In 1920, David Sarnoff's associates said: "The wireless music box has no imaginable music value."

•In 1943, Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM said: "I think there is a market for maybe five computers."

•In 1977, Ken Olsen, founder of Digital Equipment Corporation said: "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."

•Even Bill Gates, in 1981 said: "640K ought to be enough for anybody."

•Though not a hockey fan, I like what Wayne Gretzke said: "I skate to where the puck is going to be."

Let us not limit our imagination or sense for the future.

Don MacBean

Fox River Lines Staff

Managing Editor—Don MacBean, 817 College Ave. #5, Wheaton, IL 60187
(630) 665-2581 E-mail DMacbRR@aol.com

Associate Editor—Luke Helm, Jr.

Layout and Graphics— Jack Sowchin

Fox River Lines is the official publication of the Fox River Trolley Association, Inc., an Illinois not-for-profit corporation. It is published four times per calendar year for distribution to members and friends of the museum. Reproduction of Fox River Lines, either in part or in its entirety, is strictly prohibited without prior permission from the editorial staff or the FRTA board of directors. Entire contents Copyright © 2008 Fox River Trolley Association, Inc.

Submissions: Submission of stories from members and others is necessary to publish Fox River Lines. Feature length articles are always welcome and considered. Please contact the staff before undergoing a project. Contributors submit materials with the understanding that no monetary compensation is provided.

Correspondence: Comments, suggestions, and corrections relating to Fox River Lines should be directed to Managing Editor Don MacBean at the address listed above. The editorial staff appreciates your feedback.