Well it's been awhile since I posted on this little blog... my apologies. I've been so wrapped up in trying to make a buck that I haven't taken the time to sit back and enjoy life very much. And it's not like I'm making very much money with all my Internet marketing endeavors anyway, so I'm just going to slow down and take the time to do the things I love and then worry about where my next dollar is coming from.
Back in the spring of 2007 my husband Chuck started working as a volunteer at the Illinois Railway Museum. His first task was to use steel wool pads to polish the exterior of one of the streamliner cars used in the movie "Flags of Our Fathers". He did this by hand and although most people probably wouldn't be able to see the difference, we both could. And he felt like he was doing something useful although the man has a degree in engineering from UW Platteville. It seemed to me a better use of his time could be found but whatever makes him happy is just fine with me.
In June I spoke with Nick Kallas who is the general manager at IRM and agreed to work as a reporter for the IRM newsletter called the Rail & Wire. My first two articles are in the next issue scheduled to be released for publication soon. The first one was about the MRHA visit to IRM as part of our 2007 convention held in Elgin, IL, and the second one is about the 50th anniversary re-enactment of the last day of service for the Chicago Aurora & Elgin when passengers were dropped off in the morning and left stranded by CA&E by noon.
You can view a short YouTube video clip I posted of part of the MRHA tour at IRM. The MRHA was able to raise enough funds over the last few years to give IRM a check that will cover the cost of building a new barn specifically for Milwaukee Road equipment. MRHA is the first such group to do this at IRM and we're pretty proud of that. If you are a Milwaukee Road fan you can consider joining the MRHA too. Chuck volunteers in the MRHA archives each Wednesday night at the Milwaukee Public Library.
I'm currently putting some news articles together for the next issue that will hopefully be out in the fall. The Rail & Wire is supposed to be published 6 times a year but it has been coming out less frequently the last two years or so. IRM members get a copy mailed to them as a benefit of membership. Check out IRM membership if you are a Midwest railfan for sure.
More updates to follow but the most recent news is a short night time video capture of the Canadian Pacific Railway #2816 4-6-4 steam locomotive known as "The Empress" taken last night at the Amtrak station in Milwaukee was posted on YouTube today. Chuck was down there to pick up our tickets for an upcoming trip to Minneapolis for an excursion on the Milwaukee Road 261 and took a few minutes to record a bit. It's dark but you can still make 'er out.
