Line Car 1100 to IRM

I once heard that the 1100 was going to the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum in North Judson, IN. I recently stumbled across this on the Illinois Railway Museum website... http://www.irm.org/~jamesk/SS1100flyer.pdf .. Does anyone have any idea if this is true? The las modified date on this post was Jan. 30, 2009. So, it seems relatively recent?

Comments..or help please?

Thanks

yes, it went to IRM. It was at the Elkhart museum, but the info I heard they couldnt maintain it.
I just read a NICTD meeting notice, they wanted it at an Indiana museum, but IRM can take care of it very well, they have other SS cars and locos (Lil Joe) so its with its "family"

Thanks for the quick reply.

Yes, I visit IRM often. Hoping they will actually put it to use on the mainline. It would be kind of cool to see it continue to do its work as a line car to maintain the line there. The only issue is the pantograph, easy fix probably for them to do something with it. thanks for the information, so yo know how soon it is suppose to be moved there?

thanks

The pans are not the "only" issue preventing the 1100 (and other South Shore equipment) from running right away at IRM.

Last I heard, the move from Indiana is still awaiting funding, and will probably occur sometime later in the spring.

The problem is voltage.CSS&SB uses 1500 volts,while IRM uses the standard streetcar voltage of 600 volts.

I think I recall some discussions on running the south shore cars, probably the most important issue is its mechanics onboard may be set for the 1500 voltage, things like air compressors and so on, those would need replacement or rewiring, the actual truck motors, throttles, you could actually run them but they would get half speed out of them. Lighting may have to be checked over to run the lower voltage. As donated, they couldnt run on the IRM voltages.

Is that something an inverter or transformer could take care of? I know it would be a somewhat serious modification to historic rolling stock, but I'd like to see old South Shore equipment run again some day.

I think DC voltage doublers are possible, if you think about not adapting appliances, just wire in a doubler. Voltage is just voltage, why the cars can run on 600, no prob with the power motors.

Funding is most important, The shipping of the car from Michigan City to Union is around Twenty thousand dollars and the project will be on standby until funding is met. Donations are needed and the faster money is raised the faster the car comes home to Union.
The car like all CSS cars operate on 1500 volts DC with the control system operating on Battery voltage, battery is not an issue but the Motor Generator set that charges the batteries operates on 1500 volts and the air compressor operates at 1500 Volts also.
Important note- any modifications made to the car do not change apperance and or Charactor of the car, these are all un-noticeable and can be changed back to correct CSS standards if needed.
The 1500 Volt compressor will need to be swapped with a 600 volt compressor just like any other CSS car running today on 600 Volts DC and the MG set will need a modification to run at 600 volts. other than that the 1100 is a running car and will operate at the IRM.
The CSS 34 is also an operable car at IRM with these modification. Illinois Central IC MU cars are the same and have had these modifications again operable. The CSS 40 has had the 600 Volt compressor added but has not had MG modifications yet, the car has run at IRM but without the MG modification the batteries die. The problem is charging the batteries from a land source uless the MG set is modified to charge while operating the car.

Stan Wdowikowski
Illinois Railway Museum
Electric Car Dept.

Thanks, Stan!

Do you hook CSS 40 to a trickle charger after the batteries die, and let it sit in the carbarn?

1100 runs? I saw a pic of it on a work train w/ NICTD 1000. I guess its just not capable of towing railcars.

It was an indiana Service interurban car before coming to the South Shore as a line car. I bet you could fit it with all the standard interurban fixtures and it'll be a happy camper.

But obviously it was retroed to run on the South Shore, of course, self propelled, but during wire work you will have the power off a lot, so it was towed by diesel.

But an insulated platform you could work live wire.

South Shore had other Line cars, I believe 2 others were made from the older Lake Shore cars, used till 1100 came online.

Don't forget the Arlington & Fairfax railbus! It was a bus like a trackmobile - it could move on/off rails, carry people, and was bought by CSS when they did the E Chicago bypass project. The railbus was fitted with a work platform. Later it rotted at shops, unused. I have no idea what the disposition was.

I think IRM has it

Sorry about the delay, have not checked the site in a bit...

The 1100 is a running car and was towed simply because of its age and the list of qualified operators is very slim. The last day at the shops before the car was taken off CSS property the shop guys and others were fan tripping the car in the yard. The car was ran in the yard because the only guy around was yard qualified and not road quaified, they tried but no luck so running the car in the yards was still a good treat. Send donations!!! The car will run at IRM if we can afford to get her home!!!

The CSS 40 does get a trickle charge along with one or two other CSS cars in the same area, the batteries get filled and checked every few months. Cars are normally kept in ready to run condition but with lack of help and volunteers things fall toward the way side.

IRM has been putting alot of time and effort into bringing the overhead back into pan standards, we have made some great progress. Poles have been straightened, better and more reliable pan jumpers are being built along with repairing Catenary. It all money and time, all volunteers labor force.

Finally the CSS wire truck must have dissapaered on the CSS, it never came to IRM, you may be confused with the CTA trucks we once had..
Thanks and as always feel free to ask

Stan Wdowikowski
Illinois Railway Museum
Electric Car Dept.